With customers racing to buy everything from turkeys to the latest toys, did you see a welcome spike in sales in the run-up to the festive season? It is a busy time of year and we know that Christmas can also bring unwanted gifts in the form of unhappy staff, dissatisfied customers, frustrated suppliers, and increased costs if you aren’t well-prepared. Utilising an effective forecasting and inventory management system can help you to mitigate these risks. But can you rise to the challenge and implement one in time for this year’s busy festive season?
Why Using The Latest Forecasting Software Can Make Your Christmas Merrier
Before we look at how to implement a new demand forecasting and inventory management solution, let’s consider the benefits of using one. If your business descends into pre-Christmas chaos each year, it could be the answer to your woes. You may already be producing forecasts to help you to assess the amount of stock and staff that you need, but the accuracy of your predictions will depend on the quality and flexibility of your tools.
Many companies still rely on Excel spreadsheets, but that’s the worst kind of system you can use. Not only are human errors likely to occur when entering and analysing data, this type of system is hard to centralise, difficult to back up, and insecure. Using old, locally installed software can also be problematic. You’ll only be able to access it from specific devices and the version that you’re using might be out of date.
Implementing a contemporary solution, however, will enable you to improve the efficiency of your operations with ease. The best forecasting software on the market is cloud-based, so you can store your information securely, yet access it from any device at any time. You’ll be able to use it to predict the amount of goods that you’ll sell at Christmas based on your performance in previous years. What’s more, if it also has an inventory management element, you’ll be able to track your stock’s movement through your business to ensure that everything is functioning as expected.
How To Succeed At Our Christmas Challenge
If you want to perfect your planning processes before the sound of sleigh bells fills the air this year, you’ll first need to select suitable software. Look for a solution that meets your needs in terms of budget and functionality. One of the key benefits of our product is that it’s modular, so you won’t need to pay for features that you’ll never use. That could make it the ideal option for you.
You’ll also need to ensure that your new software is up and running quickly – we recommend by the end of Q2 this year at the latest. With Reflex Planning’s solution, implementation is a breeze. Our software is cloud-based, so you won’t have to install it locally, and our consultants can provide all the support you need. Contact us today to book a tailor-made product demonstration.
