Tag: Operations Management

Note for the COO: Inventory – the double-edged sword

Effective inventory management is vital for companies operating across regions, especially during demand uncertainty. While healthy inventory levels provide an advantage, rising inventory levels can become a financial burden quickly. Channel inventory, in particular, can be misleading, masking underlying inefficiencies and costs. This article explores how COOs can increase a company’s focus and optimize inventory across the value network, enhancing efficiency and reducing risks that could undermine even well-run companies. UPDATE – don’t forget the Action section at the end.

In the Finance function “inventory,” as a default, is reported as a “Current Asset.” Ask those in Supply Operations. They’ll tell you that nothing could be farther from the truth. This is especially true in times when demand uncertainty[1] grows.

Managing inventory in companies that manufacture and ship products is a demanding exercise. It requires careful consideration of all the variables that impact demand and supply at various nodes of the value network (not just the supply network). Decisions have to be calibrated using data and inputs across functions – decisions, often based on approximations and imperfect information. And it must be done on an ongoing basis, otherwise important data or signals can slip through the cracks.

It becomes even more complex in cases where companies sell through channel partners (distributors, VARs[2], etc.).

Channel inventory, specifically Distributor inventory, is deceptive. Although, it is no longer on your company’s books, you are not off the hook for it either. Among many things, it depends on the skills of the channel partner in managing inventory and reordering, your contractual relationships, and other factors – such as inventory and ordering patterns across your value network.

If demand changes significantly, then orders for your products can swing up or down. Inventory sitting at your channel partners can also be returned in some cases (“stock rotation” for instance). This can lead to unforeseen reduction in your Revenue. Costs will also increase as you restock your channels with newer products and take receipt of older stock. In times of heightened and persistent demand uncertainty, it does not take too long before inventory is no longer an asset, but more a noose around a company’s neck.

In times of heightened and persistent demand uncertainty, it does not take too long before inventory is no longer an asset, but more a noose around a company’s neck

[1] measured by the rate of change of demand variability and demand volatility; *H1, 2025 has been a period of heightened uncertainty driven by the many sizeable tariffs directed by the US against global trading partners, “reciprocal tariffs” being the latest shell to drop in a scarred global trade-war landscape ; the impact of this on demand uncertainty (variability), already evident in many industry segments (based on direct and secondary data) is yet unfolding.

[2] VAR = Value Added Reseller

The dual-mandate of inventory, structural implications

This results in the “dual mandate” faced by the COO and team, balancing two important but opposing needs –

– Carry enough inventory, including buffers, so you fulfill customer orders as needed, as they arrive

And

– Keep Inventory levels low so you do not have too much capital (money) tied up in stock, to run your operations

Compare two companies (illustrative example) –

For example, Company “A” that is carrying $500 Million in average inventory to fulfill $1 Billion of Revenue in a quarter,

versus

Company “B” that’s carrying $300 Million in inventory to fulfill the same level of Revenue – i.e., $1 Billion in a quarter

Company B has a significant structural advantage over company A.

So, inventory reduction is not an arcane, tactical task only to be initiated due to a near-term blip. Go ask your Supply Operations leader[1] to drive down inventory by x% (40%, as in the example above). And everything will be fine.

It is a critical initiative to drive down the capital requirements that gives your company a structural capital advantage. This requires careful attention to details while keeping an eagle-eye on the goal.

If you get this right, you can go much faster up the revenue and growth curve, having more freed up capital via healthy margins to allocate to smart growth (Revenue generating) initiatives.

Get it wrong, and you will not even know something is amiss for a long time. Then things can turn ugly quickly.

Get it (Inventory initiative) wrong, and you will not even know something is amiss for a long time, and then things can turn ugly quickly.

But inventory reduction, especially in channel centered selling models, is even more complex and difficult, as our experience and research shows. This is true whether you manufacture in-house or utilize outsourced manufacturing.

Status quo is often the biggest enemy.

David Cote (ex- CEO of Honeywell) articulates this well with a short story of his experiences as CFO at GE’s major appliance business, in his book – Winning Now, Winning Later (see “References” section at the end).

David’s story provides broad brush strokes on the key leadership mandate and insights gained. As a part of Zyom, we have worked closely with our customers’ cross-functional Operations team and their leadership in the trenches. We have been focused on achieving similar results in operations process optimization for our customers’ operations at physical product companies.

A key part of our customers’ successes has been our ability to collectively dive into the demanding details.

And, in almost all cases, we have come away with surprising findings as we have rolled out our end-to-end planning and execution framework and Operations Management Support (OMS) software system across product companies. Companies that were at different phases of their growth and development cycle.

We do not have inventory reduction numbers that we can share here. What is clear is that by slashing the end-to-end planning cycles by over 80%[2], we helped them achieve significant capital efficiencies – something they had not experienced before. How?

Very briefly – by achieving increased process velocity, across a focused set of end-to-end processes.

by slashing the end-to-end planning cycles by over 80%, we helped our customers achieve significant capital efficiencies – something … not experienced before. How?
.. by achieving increased process velocity, across a focused set of end-to-end processes

The sustained[3] structural cost advantages that customers gained has freed up scarce capital which can now be allocated to other critical initiatives. This gives them an unprecedented operating advantage.

[1] working with Channel Sales depending on where inventory is high

[2] Based on analysis conducted and vetted by our customers

[3] Cost advantages achieved are structural (lower inventory levels to ship out the same revenue), hence recurring

Inventory levels rising ? Watch out!

Inventory (specifically, Channel inventory) is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, maintaining near-optimal channel inventory levels provides a competitive edge by ensuring fast and cost-effective order fulfillment. On the other hand, if inventory levels creep up too high, it can quickly become a noose around your neck – a heavy financial burden.

Left unchecked, rising inventory can impair your company’s financial performance in the near to middle term. This due to carrying much higher inventory levels for the amount of revenue shipped.

In case revenue growth shifts or slows down, you will be left holding the bag on ship-loads of inventory (much of which must be written down or written off).

Inventory levels rising - Worries rising2
inventory-rising-and-worried-operators (GenAI generated image)

Longer term, this will push your company into a corner, impairing your competitive standing.

As a Chief Operations Officer, you must ensure your inventory optimization initiative always bubble up to the very top. Make this a strategic initiative. Ensure ongoing support from the senior leadership. Mobilize all team members. Ensure it’s not just a tactical one-off.

See the ‘Actions’ block below. Drop us a line. We can share a picture and real-life stories around that. This can help your cross-functional team visualize how our customers and other senior operations leaders have successfully tackled this challenge, steering clear of those insidious inventory icebergs.

Actions for the COO:

  1. How is inventory connected with process cycle time?
  2. How will increasing process velocity help us lower the overall levels of inventory (finished goods, raw-materials and semi-finished stock, work-in-process)?
  3. How should we go about increasing process velocity (which end-to-end processes)?
  4. Have we received any “outsider in” perspectives on how you are making decisions in your value network (not just your supply network) and its impact on inventory? how is it leading sub-optimal inventory?

To learn more contact us here, or below. Stay tuned. As always your comments are a gift to all.

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References:

1) (Book) Winning Now, Winning Later: How Companies Can Succeed in the Short Term While Investing for the Long Term Author – David M. Cote

Disclaimer: Generative AI (GenAI) was used in a limited way for improving clarity of sentences only for this article. GenAI was not used for composing any of the writeups on this site (including this one), nor for any data gathering. GenAI was used to generate both the pictures in this article. At this point of time, there is no plan to use Generative AI to generate new content on this site. Readers will be informed in advance if this changes.

Pathways to Profitability – Learnings for Operations

Profitability has again taken center-stage when evaluating the near-term operational performance of Product companies, and their long-term prospects.

This article highlights some of our learnings & experiences regarding –

What are the different pathways to profitability, or growing profits?
What to watch out for?

These learnings are from the vantage point of Operations leadership, and for all who lead, or support cross-functional operations.

In the current backdrop of an ongoing pandemic, persistent inflation, the corrective actions being taken by central banks, its confounding impact and a widespread feeling of uncertainty, Profitability has taken center-stage again when evaluating the near and longer-term operational performance of Product companies.

This article highlights some of our experiences and learnings to answer the questions –
What are the different pathways to profitability, or growing profits (for companies that have achieved profitability)?

What to watch out for?

These learnings are for Operations teams, their leadership and all leading or supporting cross-functional operations (Finance, IT, Engineering).

Putting Profitability on the back-burner will burn your enterprise

Companies that pursue ‘growth only’ approach, without careful attention to “profitable growth”, risk losing sight of the insidious effects of factors that will erode eventual economic value of the enterprise. How? Growth, especially growth at a breakneck speed* invariably leads to poor quality of attention being paid to anomalies in ‘cost of growth’. Growing costs creep in even when a company grows in line with plans. With unplanned growth, growing costs become bad news that arrives too late, eventually derailing the path to profitability for larger and mid-size product companies alike.

A Company that loses their ‘path to profitability’ (including sustaining their profits), loses the chance to maximize its own value and provide maximum value to customers. Key questions for company leaders –

  • As you make Plans, especially those with longer-range impact (e.g., adding factory or warehouse capacity), do you have a clear picture of its impact – on existing customers, on profitability?
  • What if (.. list any of the many changes here) happens?

* Seen in the pandemic times circa 2020-early 2022 in a subset of IT goods and e-commerce industry

Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations teams are core to any product company’s mid to long-term survival and profitability; their evolving mandate

Over the last 2+ decades, this author has observed the slow, almost inexorable slide downwards, of the role of “Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations” teams in companies that design, make and ship branded products – across many industries (from Hi-tech electronics to consumer appliances, to name a few).

As ‘outsourced manufacturing’ in several industries, stripped away the ‘physical assets’ (machines, tools, materials) that Operations teams were responsible for, operations teams shrank – often, with good reason. Unfortunately, the Operations function’s importance as a strategic partner of the CEO, as a part of the executive team, shrunk too, overwhelmingly – except, in those organizations where the Operations leaders were strong change influencers and facilitators, and the CEOs and other influential leaders were clear about it. Clear about the fact that – Operations team and their leaders are core to the company’s success – whether manufacturing is outsourced or not.

This phenomenon was upended by the global pandemic starting circa early 2020, as factories, materials needed, ports, and people working these, froze up, and buckled under their weight of the pandemic.

Only those companies can serve growing markets profitably in the longer term, when key leaders and the CEO are clear that Operations team and their leaders are core to the company’s success – whether manufacturing is outsourced or not, and the Operations mandate will need to evolve

It appears that this, among other reasons, have resulted in a shift, which is yet a ‘work in progress’. Indeed, Operations teams are now playing key roles at companies, at least among stronger ones, often in new, strategic settings – in some cases, the Operations leaders getting invited to share their “supply chain insights” in quarterly, financial, market-facing calls, alongside the CEO and CFO.

This is the right time for Senior leadership at Product companies to work closely with their Operations leadership team and build out the necessary competencies and capabilities needed, so they are not caught flat-footed, and new ways of operating are developed and implemented, as the pandemic persists, and other major “supply constraining” events take place (war, weather-related/ climate-change induced disasters, and their aftermath, etc.), some of which may seem deceptively “further out”. Key question –

  • What key Operations capabilities and competencies are needed now?
  • How will the Operations function evolve – Can Ops step outside of the ‘cost control’ function (traditionally, a “comfort zone”), and contribute directly towards the ‘profitability’ function?

How can Operations step outside of the ‘cost control’ function (traditionally, a “comfort zone”), and contribute directly towards the ‘profitability’ function?

We have seen transformative results when Operations leaders have such a mandate. However, a ‘mind-shift’ is needed.

For example, during a time when one of the largest integrated Steel plants in India, Tata Steel, was facing severe input constraints, our founding advisor’s work to optimize operations directly helped expand profit contribution even as total output volume went down, resulting in a radical rethink of how to manage operations (International award-winning work by Dr. Gopal P. Sinha**).

A word of caution here – Do not go back to the old ways – i.e., diminished attention to the Operations function when these “economic clouds” start clearing up and “headwinds” to Revenue growth diminish.

** Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Advanced Analytics, Operations Research, and Management Science
https://www.informs.org/Recognizing-Excellence/INFORMS-Prizes/Franz-Edelman-Award/Franz-Edelman-Laureates2/Franz-Edelman-Laureates-Class-of-1994

Deliberate & Intelligent Collaboration is the only way for any company to succeed

    While this is true for enterprises of any size, irrespective of their relative position in their industry, it is especially true for younger (growing startups and scale-ups) and mid-size companies that have to innovate and grow their products and offerings. “Collaboration” with a capital “C” can result in many intuitive and non-intuitive benefits. Highlighted below is one –

    Unexpected “value” and “insights” from suppliers and their products, especially those with a “collaborative” approach. Credible smaller providers (i.e., with proven success), may have a lot more to offer than larger providers, since “innovate and execute” is core to their survival and growth.

    For example, in one case, a Procurement executive at a growing, mid-size product enterprise was “surprised” how a system (provided by Zyom) significantly improved collaboration with Finance, reducing time in hand-offs between Ops and Finance, and eliminating errors which resulted in higher supply costs, in addition to other primary benefits. Question –

    • Have you explored any credible, new ideas in managing cost, and improving profitability with all your suppliers?

    Supply driven “Inflation” needs a different mindset & tools

      As the US, Europe, Japan and most free-market economies grapple with the most severe inflation in the last 4+ decades, it is an imperative to approach this ‘inflation’ cycle with a different mindset, in terms of operational execution.

      In this case, persistent inflation was triggered largely by a once in a 100-year pandemic resulting in massive, cascading disruptions to global supply chains, choking supply severely (demand largely intact after the initial shock), the resulting policies (government, central banks, even companies – inducing more demand), subsequent uneven return to normalcy (China, an important global player, has entered a dangerous phase 2 of the pandemic, as of December 2022). Geopolitical unease between the US and China, the attack on Ukraine by Russia, has forced speedy rethinking of supply sources, making matters very difficult for those operating global supply chains.

      The Chief of Operations always had a dual mandate – Right amount of flexibility at an optimal cost, which are at odds with each other.

      Flexibility implies flexibility in the manufacturing and supply network – capacity, inventory, etc.
      Costs include all product and operational costs that impact cost of goods sold.

      Increased flexibility directly leads to higher costs, often a step-function increase.

      In light of the evolving global pandemic and ongoing supply constraints (though, getting better), key questions for Operations leaders and the CFO are –

      • What specific decisions can Operations directly support to address the profitability squeeze (due to inflation)? How? (Latter will require new tools)
      • What key new metrics are needed? What traditional metric/s needs to be revisited?

      What specific decisions can Operations directly support to address the profitability squeeze (due to inflation)? How?

      Stop looking for (system enabled) answers in the wrong places

        To navigate successfully, in this new, rapidly changing environment requires a Rethink – especially regarding process,data and analysis support needed by cross-functional Operations teams. Do not expect a zero-risk mindset to work if you are trying bring on-board any new capabilities that your enterprise currently needs, or may not know that it needs. The right partner can help uncover these ‘unknown needs’. And casting off this zero-risk mindset is a prerequisite to drive profitable operations.

        Too many companies scale operations to reach a certain ‘threshold’ volume, only to decide, without adequate due-diligence, that their growth is being constrained because their existing ERP system cannot “scale up”, and that they need ‘add on’ ERP capabilities from the incumbent, or (worse) start implementing a new ERP system.

        This is a classic “integrated-solution out of the box” logical fallacy which is played upon by entrenched incumbent providers (especially ERP software provider and their cohorts). Why is this a fallacy?

        This is a classic “integrated-solution out of the box” logical fallacy which is played upon by entrenched incumbent providers (especially ERP software provider and their cohorts).

        Most ERP[1] systems have been laggards, even to date (2021 – 2022), in vital areas such as “Planning”, especially context-rich planning, which, ironically, is what the ‘P’ in ERP is supposed to stand for.

        Some ERP suppliers have plugged their holes partly with acquisitions. Despite this, they struggle and make their customers struggle, under the unending burden of their long, expensive implementation cycles, often, even for basic ERP (Accounting/ General Ledger, Inventory) capabilities.

        Unfortunately, since risk-aversion in adopting and implementing systems runs high among decision influencers, the malaise persists. “No-one got fired for buying XYZ” being the prevalent mindset (replace XYZ with any of the afore-referenced providers) – a system largely built to be a repository of transactional data, is stretched and patched to “add on” other capabilities – in the name of “integrated solution”, only to fall woefully short.

        Looked at another way- a largely “commodity” software with “General Ledger/ Accounting” as its core, has been stretched and bloated to be utilized for highly specialized and often strategic needs, without having qualifying capabilities or people to support the extensions (at the ERP provider). This is damaging in the short and the long run for the product enterprises deploying these, given the predictable longevity of these implementations.

        The questions to ask internally is –

        • Can we wait 2-3 years to get these critical operations management capabilities***? And incur the costs (of waiting)?
        • Do we understand our “systems” decision blind spots and biases?
        • Are we even looking at the right type of system solution or provider partner?

        *** 2-3 years based on actual data from Zyom. less than 50% probability of expected outcome in areas of planning, context-specific analytics, operations execution

        On Leadership, in brief

          With a seasoned Operations leader at the helm, who has seen a few operating seasons, and knows about “why” and “what” of specialized Operations Management systems, these de-risking debacles (“let’s do it all in our ERP system modules”) are pre-empted – i.e., cognitive biases and fallacies mentioned before, avoided or overcome. However, the very companies that need such leaders – growing mid-size companies or younger, faster paced scale-ups – do not have access to such leaders in a timely manner.

          The question for the CEO and senior leadership team is:

          • Do we have a seasoned Operations leader who not only understands the business needs (what’s needed in the supply chain, team) but also recognizes the unique data and system enablement needs of operations? If not – identify a suitable partner (internally, and externally).
          • Do they know (or have adequate support to identify) what types of software systems outside of ERP are available and effective to support Operations teams?

          Implementation is It.

          Perhaps this is the most important learning of all.

          In fact, this is where most worthy operational change goals can bite the dust, especially if “lets extend the (heck out of out) ERP system” mindset persists, when considering system enablers. This is where specialized providers (such as Zyom) create a better world for Product companies and its system users, by being laser focused on Implementation, no matter what. This is the only way meaningful changes are implemented and benefits realized.

          Once the initial “visioning” has happened, the hard and soft requirements have to be “implemented”, whether in changes to processes, or to software systems enabling the process change. This is where many, if not most, ambitious digital enablement efforts fall way short. Digital transformation remains a distant pipe dream.

          A sizeable volume of words won’t be enough to cover key learnings about such system implementations and how it is effectively integrated into processes (potentially, a future post). Needless to say, to attain/sustain/grow profitability, a new way is required – new collaborations and potentially new systems and tools.

          .. to attain/sustain/grow profitability, a new way is required – new collaborations and potentially new systems and tools

          Because, this is where the rubber hits the road, and things can go flat and flounder, or zoom forward, even soar.

          With a new 2023 starting, this is the right time to sketch out such a change, talk to such a partner.

          Reach out. Start a conversation.

          products@zyom.com

          [1] ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) providers – SAP, Oracle, other larger ones (trademarks, etc. owned by the respective companies)

          Collaboration – One small step.. A big operating advantage

          Collaboration is powerful! Dan Tapscott, in his TED talk, explains how starlings, small birds, can take on larger predators when they fly in formation with hundreds or thousands of other starlings[1].

          To date, the word ‘collaboration’ has been used profusely in business text and talk. However, we have barely moved the needle in product innovation, production and distribution that smart collaboration can result in. This is surprising given the transformation that has taken place in the technology world – from a ‘desktop centered’ to an ‘internet-enabled’ consumption, creation and distribution of information –that is fairly ubiquitous world-wide.

          Poor responsiveness of far-flung supply-chains

          A recent Economist Special Report[2] highlights how poor responsiveness becomes a big Achilles heel in extended supply chains with offshored or outsourced manufacturing. It points out how GE home appliances and Chesapeake Bay Candle have decided to ‘reshore’ manufacturing operations back to the US (from manufacturing sites in China and Mexico), to become “more responsive”.

          In 1999, I had the opportunity of designing supply chain collaboration software for companies such as HP and Dell. However, the promise remained unfulfilled, due, in big part to the relative immaturity of internet technologies. That has completely changed in the last 8-10 years. As a part of a startup – Zyom – we have been hard at work trying to realize this dream of internet enabled smart collaboration.

          At a recent webinar hosted by Zyom, Fred Harried, VP of Operations at Ruckus Wireless, explained – how collaboration was one of the key factors that enabled him to scale his Operations several X in the last 4 years, and how Zyom’s MozartCC system was a key collaboration enabler. Attached is a brief 6 minutes overview of some of the Q&A highlights from the webinar[3].

          This example highlights how a small step – the innovative use of internet for collaboration across partners provided a boost to a startup in handling changes much faster, ensuring low inventory exposure for all supply network partners – a true Win-Win.

          We are at the very early stages of utilizing the huge untapped potential of the internet for connected enterprises, their value chains and beyond – Collaboration may indeed be a disruptive advantage for Operations… more on that in the next blog.

          Drop a line – Do you think collaboration could provide a competitive advantage? Fuel growth? Be a Disruptor? Or, none of the above.

          [1] Don Tapscott: Four principles for the open world; POSTED JUN 2012; TEDGlobal 2012

          http://www.ted.com/talks/don_tapscott_four_principles_for_the_open_world_1.html

          [2] The Economist, Special Report – Outsourcing & Offshoring, Jan 19th, 2013

          http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/01/special-report-outsourcing-and-offshoring

          [3] ZyomTV – Scaling Operations-Zyom Webinar Q&A Highlights (Dec 7, 2012)

          http://youtu.be/GvSTb2nmoq0