Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, known as the Strongest Link in Your Supply Chain® and President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., predicts that establishing processes is critical to strengthening the supply chain during tumultuous times. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.

"Between high inventory levels, increased pressure to improve customer service while maintaining profitability and recent challenges in the financial markets, manufacturers need to have a process in place to ensure that their supply chain is resilient. The pandemic forced companies to stockpile inventories. Now, it's a different story. Customer demands have changed making those inventories obsolete or irrelevant. Yet, we find many companies struggling because not only is the wrong inventory in the wrong place at the wrong time, but sometimes they have no idea what inventory is needed where," commented Ms. Anderson.

Optimizing the supply chain to withstand operations to improve efficiencies, reduce costs, maintain profitability and position for business growth requires communication at all levels. "It is critical that operations, sales, finance, IT and others understand the customer and their needs so that the company is in a position to react and respond. No matter the industry, competition is fierce these days. Manufacturers need to be flexible and nimble, have their supply chain in place and be ready to respond. That is why implementing a process like SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning), also known as S&OP, establishes a protocol that requires communication between departments to focus on customer needs. Once in place, the process will allow for transparency which will lead to transformative strategies for growth," she said.

Ms. Anderson and co-author Diane Garcia recently released the e-Book SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning): Creating Predictable Revenue and EBITDA Growth. The book is complimentary on the LMA Website at: https://www.lma-consultinggroup.com/siop-book/, can also be found on Amazon digitally and on-demand print at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998823252?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 and on iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/siop-sales-inventory-operations-planning/id6445675614?ls=1.Ms. Anderson also provides supply chain updates through Supply Chain Chats, a series of short videos that address current topics, issues and challenges related to supply chains.