Nishad Parmar - ITT Corporation

This was the first APICS/IBF Best of the Best S&OP conference that I have attended. . It was a great experience to learn from some of the top companies in the world as the guest speakers share their journey to implementing S&OP throughout their organization.

One key lesson learning & takeaway for me was about the commitment & involvement in S&OP from the organizations’ executive team and whether or not they lend their sponsorship to the process. I learned that educating senior leaders on the process and having them ask the S&OP members the challenging & ‘uncomfortable’ questions is critical to drive the business in the right direction. Those discussions are what truly connects our Sales & Operating Planning with Strategic business initiatives.

Another takeaway that I found useful was the Motorola model & their S&OP Circle. Conducting Procurement & Supplier S&OP separately and then connecting the dots is the key to a successful process. Including the Tier 1 & Tier 2 suppliers in the process and linking demand down the entire supply chain helps you understand the risks and allows the team to counter measure accordingly.

I look forward to attending the 2012 conference…Thank you.

Nishad Parmar
Lean Six Sigma Champion
ITT Corporation