Dick has spent many years, consulting with clients helping them implement Sales and Operations Planning.
In recent years, he has concentrated on the customized education process. Dick will visit his client to learn about the company, their products and their organizational structure. He will review their current business planning process.
He will have them do a self-assessment of their company and their planning process. The objective is to learn enough so that the customization can be effective for the S&OP class.
It is important to have the right people in the education event. It is important to the success 0f the process that the General Manager be present in the class in addition to his staff and third level managers from every department. It is critical that the whole team develops an understanding of the S&OP process and sees their role in operating S&OP. The duration of the education is 1-2 days. The team will make some key decisions during the class, such as product families and develop the sequence of steps in the monthly process. The team leader is usually selected as are the members of the implementation team. A shared vision of what the process will be and what the benefits will be for the company should be developed by the team.
If the client desires, Dick will perform follow up visits, a day a month for six months.