Demand planning covers all planning activities that help an organisation accurately forecast the timing and quantity of demand for its products or services.
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Forecasting is made difficult by the many factors that influence demand.
Companies that plan demand better than their competitors will be able to plan production and purchasing more effectively,
provide more reliable lead times to customers and improve competitiveness through cost and price advantages.
These competitive benefits translate into sustained market share and customer portfolio growth.
In practice, a properly designed demand planning framework is a precondition for sustainable profitability.
We observe that many firms suffering production and purchasing issues actually do not plan demand accurately.
Demand planning processes must produce the forecasts needed for long-, medium- and short-term planning.
Long-term forecasts are strategic projections (typically 2–10 years) of total sales used for strategic business and investment planning.
Medium-term forecasts are aggregate forecasts for 12–24 month horizons used in budgeting and S&OP processes.
Short-term forecasts are detailed forecasts for products sold over horizons up to 2–3 months.
There are standard practices and software options for statistical forecasting.
But how demand planning is structured depends on sales & marketing strategies, product/brand management,
production strategies, supply chain operations and relationships, the nature of customer demand,
data interpretation and assumptions.
Therefore demand planning must be tailored to each organisation.
These factors make demand planning a 'bespoke' activity: processes, roles, analysis methods and supporting tools vary by company.
Optimum Planlama provides consulting services to design customized demand planning and forecasting processes and related tools.
To embed demand planning thinking and align functions, we recommend starting with an in-house workshop.
Our demand-planning-related training and workshop topics include the following.
Akkim, 2023
Alarko Holding, 2011
Anadolu Efes, 2021
Barilla Food, 2015
BVN (Bahcivan), 2020
Cilek Furniture, 2017
Civil Retail, 2019
Eczacibasi Esan, 2021
EssilorLuxottica, 2022
Global Bilgi, 2021
Global Pharmaceutical Company, 2023
Haribo, 2017
Hascelik, 2015, 2022
Ibavalresa, 2025
Istikbal Furniture, 2012
Jantsa, 2019
Kaleseramik, 2015
Kastamonu Entegre, 2017
LCWaikiki, 2010, 2012
Makbul Nuts, 2021, 2022
Migros, 2021
Nivea Türkiye, 2019
Opet Fuchs, 2014
Panasonic Electric Works, 2022
Red Bull Türkiye, 2023, 2025
Rengarenk Furniture, 2017
Sarsilmaz Firearms, 2023, 2024
Sika Türkiye, 2018
Sisecam Holding, 2013–2016
SKT Spare Parts, 2019, 2023
Turk Telekom, 2013–2018
Zorluteks, 2023
For company-specific demand planning consulting, please contact us or submit a quote request.
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