A DIGITALLY-CONNECTED, CONSUMER-DRIVEN Supply Chain

[...]the entire supply chain is driven from the consumer back-that real-time, hyper-connected, always-on consumer driving retail sales today-allowing real-time visibility and daily re-calibration of the extended supply chain. [...]the process ensures that inventory is constantly re-aligned to where it's required based on what is and isn't happening at the retail/consumer level, one of the reasons we refer to it as a true consumer-centric, connected supply chain. Product transfers from stores to distribution centers and purchase orders from vendors to distribution centers are automatically created at the agreed upon lead time between any two locations. Because all partners in the supply chain have visibility, they are working to a single lead time between two nodes in the supply chain; even promotional requirements are automatically converted to an order at the same lead time as regular demand. The unit projections at all levels are automatically translated to different languages of the business: * in dollars for finance to aid in budgeting and gaining control of the business; and * in cube and weight for distribution, transportation and retail operations to provide volume projections and automatically convert the projections to capacity requirements. Since implementing flowcasting, PAL has achieved significant results, especially at the store shelf, where daily in-stocks increased from about 92% to a consistent 98%, regardless of the planning scenario.