Sunday, August 18, 2019

Basic Pillars Of Sales And Operations Planning

By Anthony Rogers


Sales is one of the elements of business that require meticulous planning. Selling is a resource intensive engagement that defines the success of any commercial venture. This calls for exemplary sales and operations planning based on your operation environment and target client base. Here are pillars that should inform all the plans you make.

Planning receives the attention it deserves once you understand the benefits it brings to your business. This is the secret to better profit margins using the least resources. You have an idea of activities taking place at the business, resource implications and expected returns. Good plans also lead to reduced inventory excess since you have an idea of market positions and situation. The chances of stock-outs are also reduced. This allows you to meet customer expectations.

Make plans that grow gradually. The resources should address present day needs. Successful organizations have started small and grown gradually to where they are today. Do not waste resources on envisaged huge future activities until there is a signal that you will reap big.

Invest in the right people and the equipment or tools they require. Understand the activities and people at the center of the business. Know what the persons or systems require and provide it. If these people are not facilitated, they cannot deliver the expected volumes for your business.

Technology should form part of you operations. It is aimed at simplifying communication and sharing of information between people in the field and those in the office. Your agents can also contact the business easily. Technology helps you to monitor progress, reduce the time taken to make a decision and consequently lead to better returns.

Develop personalized plans aligned to the sector you are serving and nature of business you are engaged. Buyers and consumers of different products demand unique treatment. The strategies that will satisfy one group are different from those that satisfy another. Your budget will also be unique. Allocate sufficient resources for the low seasons of the year and recoup the funds during high season.

Cloud based document management system will add great value to your operations. It facilitates seamless and efficient communication between client and the office or sellers in the field and managers in different work stations. You also have a repository for your documents that is inexhaustible.

The plans must receive acceptance and support at executive level. These are the decision makers who will approve resources. They must allow persons on the ground to make the decisions as well as access resources they require to deliver on their mandate. Nothing much can happen when the executive does not support your activities.

Monitor the effectiveness of strategies you have put in place so as to determine what works and what does not. The steps you take must deliver results envisaged. Develop short term, medium term and long term plans. Change or adjust the strategies whose performance is not as expected. You avoid spending too much money on strategies and processes that are not delivering expected returns. This would continue to hemorrhage your business.




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