Digital enablement
Product Features
Applying Technology
Use Cases
- All
- Marketing
- Logistics
- Finance
- Governance
- Procurement
- Production
- Maintenance
- Staffing
- Customer Service
- Utility
Sales & Operations Planning
Breaking the silos in value chain i.e. procurement, production, Logistics, sales (and Maintenance, strategy, Pricing, IT, Management). Simultaneously follow all push, pull constraints and suggest best in class feasible and optimal solution.
Network Design
Long term planning or Greenfield to commit capital and other resources are high value decisions. Spreadsheet and gut feel lack in their ability to draw out detailed plan and assessment of operational feasibility.
Cost over-runs, not meeting intended results are common place symptoms for lack of rigor.
Facilities planning (plant, warehouse, transport fleet), outsourcing decisions, new product launches are common use cases.
Fleet Planning
World has realized the importance of Logistics fulfillment by looking at the Ecommerce giants. Own or 3PL, whatever the means of fulfillment, Fleet planning, sizing, contracting/chartering is important piece in the puzzle for high customer service level.
Rail, Road, Air, Ships or Pipeline have different dynamics for different industry verticals.
Integrated Planning with warehouse and production operations are important features in XPlan.
Production Planning
Production is the core of value chain. Inbound, outbound logistics support the process.
XPlan supports goods supply chain elements extensively and configuration of different production constraints like continuous / discrete process, recipes/BOM, routings, utility consumption, maintenance, transition sequence etc.
Supply / Distribution Planning
N-Tier networks, Inter-modal transport with Distribution centers (transshipment locations) are common in many commodity industries (Metals, Oil, Chemicals, Cement).
For commodities cost of transport is a significant cost component with respect to price realization of product itself and the volumes are high. This requires careful planning to keep production and sales in sync.
Staff Roster Planning
Skilled staff planning for moderate size operations (>50 staff) can be difficult task. Skill requirement matching for a given type of job gives rise to several options. Given daily change in requirement, staff leaves and public holidays, labor law compliance, staff compatibilities, contract and payroll staff preferences, the task becomes daunting.
Planning by hand could unknowingly induce bias. Algorithms based assignment helps quick re-scheduling, unbiased and can reduce cost while improving service level.
Portfolio Optimization
Portfolio planning can be applied at multiple places
- Capital towards avenues of investment
- Staff pool towards multiple projects
- Construction resources towards several possible projects
Right balance of optimal resource utilization, cost, returns, risk (customer service, penalties on commitment) cannot be struck in a spreadsheet or a human brain for a sizeable problem. Algorithms can help take decisions on its merits and avoid bias or mistakes.
Strategic Planning
Annual Operating, make-or-buy/subcontracting, Procurement, Chartering decisions require longer term planning say 1-5 years. Demand Supply balances, resource commitment needs to be done much ahead of time.
Outsourcing
Partners for Production, Services, Logistics operations compliment organization ability to serve. Level of outsourcing can be a fine balancing decision between cost, service level, control etc.
XPlan can help plan level of outsourcing while optimizing cost associated and ability to serve market needs.
Inventory Optimization
Inventory is the single most important element as all supply chain events is connected to it.
Right service level (days of stock) definition and planning supply chain around it is extremely important.
Too low an inventory, you run the risk of revenue loss and too high of inventory comes at excess working capital or at the cost of making other product available in market.
Revenue Optimization- Dynamic Pricing
Industry verticals like retail, FMCG, consumer services where product differentiation is possible, demand and price have inverse relationship.
Revenue and market share is highly dependent on promotions organized periodically.
Airlines, hospitality, ECommerce etc. verticals run campaigns wherein the price offered at different time are targeted to improve profit or revenue.