439: Discover The Power of Unified Supply Chain Planning, with Manhattan Associates

Mandar Rahatekar of Manhattan talks about unified supply chain planning; breaking siloes; UI design; & leveraging AI and machine learning to reduce complexity.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.47] An introduction to Mandar, and an overview of Manhattan. [07.48] Mandar's career, his journey from Manhattan customer to employee, and what he loves about supply chain. "I'm a mechanical engineer. I started my career in manufacturing and the first lesson I learned, day one on the shop floor, was: I knew nothing." [11.13] Why the industry is starting to pay attention to unification, and why technology, the ever-growing complexity of supply chain, and increasing speed of business mean it's more important than ever to merge supply chain planning with execution. "We're at the right intersection of the requirement of us as customers, and the technology that will support it." [16.07] Why supply chain has historically been so siloed, and how the changing speed of communication and evolution of siloed working led to a culture of tech integrations. "As humans, we need to solve problems that are manageable… There's a limit to how much we can do, so we have departments… And everybody chose to solve the problem they can actually influence." [21.38] How creating one single plan can help to break down siloes, and align all resources to a common business objective. "I learned, as a forecast analyst, as soon as I publish a forecast, I'm lying! Because it's no longer right, things have already changed… The process is there, but the speed doesn't match the speed of business. We have to use technology to match that speed." [24.58] How organizations can simplify the planning process, to build a plan that works for everyone across departments and priorities. [29.59] The challenges of different internal and external data sources, and how businesses can leverage AI and machine learning to sift through them and produce more accurate demand forecasts. "More data is good, but it doesn't always lead to accurate forecasts." [36.29] The importance of UI design, and how it can bring simplicity and transparency for users. [41.26] Continuous order build – what it means, and why it's important. [44.02] How having a broad unified view, and keeping everyone focused on a common business objective, benefits a business's bottom line; and the key drivers of ROI for customers. "The biggest cost driver is inventory itself, with the cost of labor to add value and move it around, then warehousing and transportation. About 70% of the cost of goods sold is inventory." [48.06] Why generative AI is the trend every supply chain professional should be thinking about in 2025.