CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA – February 26, 2024 –  Lisa Anderson, Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., a leader in supply chain optimization and transformation, has recently launched the innovative Supply Chain Profitability Assessment. This cutting-edge tool prompts supply chain professionals, operations executives and senior leaders to introspect and critically assess various facets of their supply chains that affect customer performance, with a focus on flexibility and efficiency.

Participants respond to targeted yes/no questions, encouraging them to reflect on their current practices and identify potential areas for enhancement. The assessment covers critical factors such as order fulfillment tracking, production data accuracy, on-time delivery rates and inventory level forecasting,

“In today’s volatile supply chain environment, it’s crucial for professionals to focus on agility and thinking ahead strategically. Customers have high expectations. Keeping the supply chain optimized and agile can meet and even exceed expectations, resulting in continued profitability,” commented Ms. Anderson. “Even high-performing supply chains have room for improvement. The key is planning, communication and establishing contingencies to mitigate long-term effects of disruptions.”

The Supply Chain Profitability Assessment is built on LMA Consulting’s extensive experience in helping businesses navigate and thrive amidst supply chain disruptions and growth. It is an invitation for professionals to critically evaluate their supply chain operations and identify opportunities for strategic improvement.

LMA Consulting invites supply chain professionals to take the Supply Chain Profitability Assessment and embark on a journey toward optimized supply chain excellence. To take the Assessment, click this link. The tool serves as a gateway to transforming supply chain operations, ensuring they are maximized for efficiency and profitability.

LMA Consulting specializes in guiding businesses through turbulent times with strategic formulation, comprehensive supply chain transformation and resilience-building solutions. For more insights, download Ms. Anderson’s eBook, SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning): Creating Predictable Revenue and EBITDA Growth.

About LMA Consulting Group – Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD

Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., specializing in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation.  A recognized supply chain thought leader, Ms. Anderson has been named a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by arketi group, a Top 16 ERP Expert to Follow by Washington-Frank, among the Top 10 Women in Supply Chain by Warner PR, in the top 55 Supply Chain & Logistics Experts by flexport, and a woman leader in Supply Chain by RateLinx.  Her primer, “I’ve Been Thinking.” offers strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits. An expert on the SIOP process, advancing innovation and enhancing supply chain resilience, Ms. Anderson is regularly interviewed and quoted by leading publications. For information, sign up for her Profit Through People® Newsletter or for a copy of her book, visit LMA-ConsultingGroup.com.                 
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Media Contact Kathleen McEntee | Kathleen McEntee & Associates, Ltd. | p. (760) 262 – 4080 | KMcEntee@KMcEnteeAssoc.com

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Do you have an eye to the future?  Don’t just answer yes and move on.  Take a few moments to consider this question.  In today’s Amazon-impacted world, if you miss a few months buried in your isolated internal world no matter the reason, you might miss a noteworthy event, trend or comment that could put you behind the 8 ball with no hope of catching up. 

A 3-5 year strategy session once a year NO longer cuts it.  We are all in a strategic sprint.  In most industries, even going beyond one year out is a wasted exercise.  Instead, we should keep an eye to the future and build agility into our strategy setting process.  So, what are some ways we can keep an eye to the future?

1. Pick up the phone and call a customer – Those clients who talk frequently to their top customers are far more successful than those who don’t.  Of course everyone is busy.  Offer value and make it is your customer’s best interest to keep in touch.  You’ll know more about what’s going on in the marketplace than those buried in month-end numbers, Board meetings and strategy sessions.  
2. Attend an industry conference – Why do all the work yourself?  Network with those who are uniquely positioned to keep track of the latest trends and what might impact your industry.
3. Have lunch with an old alumni friend –  You might wonder how this would help if your friend isn’t in a related field or isn’t a business owner or executive.  Keeping an eye on what’s happening in the world around you and gaining insights from trusted colleagues in different industries can provide some unique perspectives you won’t gain anywhere else.
4. Involve your team in keeping an eye to the future – Certainly, if you provide the vision to your team (no matter the level), explain how the company is performing and encourage them to keep an ear to future trends, people will be happy to contribute to success.  We find that the best trends can come from unlikely places – the secretary you didn’t even notice or the person shipping orders who talks with UPS drivers.
5. Watch the latest trends globally, economically– We are often surprised by how seemingly unrelated events throughout the world will impact suppliers, transportation channels, exchange rates or something else that will have a direct impact on business.  Subscribe to newsletters that can keep you up-to-speed on highlights, read the Wall Street Journal, talk with colleagues etc.
6. Go visit a supplier– Don’t assign this to your procurement professionals solely.  Suppliers and trusted advisors can provide a wealth of knowledge that can help you navigate your path forward successfully.
7. Join a CEO or key executive group – The problem with being at the top is that there is no one to talk to.  Find a new group of peers to ask the hard questions and keep you on track.

When you have a good idea of the future, you will position your company, your people, your processes, your infrastructure, your supply chain and more for success!

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We all know we should think long term. And we talk about thinking long term. But, do we actually think long term – and live with our decisions even when it’s hard? Not nearly as often as we should!

Since we work with already successful manufacturers and distributors that want to build upon and accelerate success, we have worked with many executives who think long term; however, it remains a rarity. Just think about those executives who make a great long-term decision but waver when the going gets tough. I imagine we all know too many!

One client hired expensive engineers and R&D experts during the worst of the recession when they struggled to find a job. He had no need for them at that time but he realized that longer term, he’d be able to start designing a new product line to enter a new market ahead of the competition and would gain top talent to help with this endeavor. Do you think they left at the top of the market when the competition could have offered a nice pay increase? Not on your life!

Another client could have gained more profit by squeezing a bit more out of suppliers but took the long view instead. The executive team knew that finding win-win solutions would be the better long-term approach even though Board members and private equity partners would have preferred immediate progress. Later, when critical materials went on allocation, we were able to support customer needs when the larger competition (who should have had more pull) struggled due to this long-term view. Imagine how differently the sale of the company would have gone if we couldn’t service our customers?!

Decide which long-term views are worth pursuing and don’t waver. You’ll thrive over the long-term. We find that people tend to “give up” with their long term strategies just prior to huge success. Don’t become one of those statistics. Instead, stick to your long-term view.

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November 2, 2015

I was just talking with a manufacturing client on the topic of SIOP (sales, inventory and operations planning). In their case, they have an incredibly stable business – it is the most predictable business I’ve ever run across in terms of sales forecasts. Even though the numbers vary by month, they are surprisingly reliable – and even more so when looking across a few months. Thus, we had downplayed the importance of the forecast in their case; however, in conversation today, we decided to resurrect the idea of looking forward. Driving with both eyes in the rearview mirror is not a recipe for success. In our case, to bring about a nice step forward, we need to start thinking forward instead of backwards. As I left, I thought – isn’t this true across the board? Why are these truisms so easy to forget?

I also recently participated in a strategy session about my business. Certainly looking in the rearview mirror provides some helpful information on revenue and cost trends for comparison purposes but if I plan based upon the past, I will not grow! Thus, we looked forward to create the future and then looked backwards to see what types of resources and tools I had at my disposal to determine what needed to be done to achieve the future vision. Are you looking at your future or stuck in the past?

One tip to implement this week:
As I found today in talking with my client, the great thing about this topic is that you can accomplish a lot by simply remembering to “think about the future”. Include conversations about the future in key meetings. Talk with your employees about the future. After all, how will they be able to build the right skills if they have no idea what is needed in the future? Look at forecasts. Predict important trends. One simple rule of thumb is to track how much of what you do and talk about on a daily basis is related to the past vs. the future? Of course you should look at the past for how to resolve root causes; however, innovation only works by looking forward. Write yourself a sticky note! Soon, your work life might even become more interesting!

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