257: Creating Supply Chain Stability with Dual Sourcing and S&OP

Today we're shaking things up and, instead of our usual guest interview, we're featuring one of our fantastic new live shows on Let's Talk Supply Chain – Action Items with Dyci Sfregola. Each month Dyci, CEO of New Gen Architects, is joined by a special guest to discuss key issues in the post-COVID supply chain; actionable steps businesses can take to prepare for scalability; and how to leverage supply chain technology and process redesign to upskill or reskill teams to provide meaningful, purposeful work for their employees while improving the bottom line. And this episode is all about stability and supply chain – two words that we don't see together very often! But Dyci has a few key action items up her sleeve to do just that – to ensure supply stability to support demand plan. Dyci is joined by special guest Atia Yarbrough, Director of Demand and Supply Planning at Mason Dixie Foods, to talk all about sales and operations planning, the importance of dual sourcing, how to reduce uncertainty, start-up funding, customer relationships and more.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [08.21] Atia's journey to Mason Dixie Foods. [10.41] Atia's experience of S&OP's in large enterprises, and how that compares to Dyci's experience of small businesses. "We have a very cross functional process where we have supply chain, planning, sales and finance engaged and we're working monthly… if you're looking at it from a yearly standpoint, you're a little too late." [14.20] How Mason Dixie established a robust S&OP process as a small business, and Atia's advice on how others can get started. "First you have to have people on board – change is hard, process change is extremely hard." [18.07] An idea of the time and allocation of resources required when fulfilling a successful S&OP process. [21.21] Some of the key technologies used in sales and operations planning. [23.46] The importance of dual sourcing. "Customers want what they want, when they want it.. so dual sourcing is an integral part of the S&OP process." [26.51] Audience question: any tips on how to measure ESG impacts in the S&OP process? [28.58] Finding the right partners. [33.25] Translating your sales and operations planning into weekly or daily S&OE's, and determining the key KPI's to measure that execution. "You can have that S&OP process, but you really have to have that actionable plan to show a result every day – whether it's a good result, or a bad one." [37.10] How external partners are a part of the S&OP process, and how to extract and utilize their data. "Really organizing the data, and everybody owning their part to bring the model together, I think that's key – because you don't want death by Excel! [41.53] Accountability, leadership and culture. [45.20] This month's Action Item – questions to ask yourself to understand if you're running a true S&OP process.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   You can find previous episodes of Action Items with Dyci Sfregola over on the live show page, or you can check out other Let's Talk Supply Chain podcasts HERE. You can find out more about Atia over on LinkedIn.