Q&A with Brad Mitchler, VP of Channels and Product Management
It is one thing to read about the benefits that Replenishment+® NetSuite (NS) brings to your supply chain management operation, but it is an entirely other thing to hear it from an expert in the field.
Here we interview Brad Mitchler, VP of Channels and Product Management, to get his take on why Replenishment+ NetSuite (NS) is key to:
- Improving supply chain performance
- Reducing inventory levels and associated costs
- Enhancing service levels
“Replenishment+ for NetSuite is built 100% on the SuiteCloud platform. This means that there is no additional server to manage, no hosting fees, and no external user experience to master. All of the insights that Replenishment+ offer are served up in an experience you’re already familiar with.”
So let’s start with the obvious, what exactly is Replenishment+ NS?
Replenishment+ NS is the best in class materials planning solution. Unlike traditional forecasting solutions, Replenishment + NS aligns inventory to actual market demand to determine inventory levels. Driven by real sales order and production-based consumption, Replenishment + NS dynamically adjusts reorder points up and down with usage and seasonality. It essentially aligns inventory with actual consumption.
Planners Workbench provides clear visibility to priorities.
Doesn’t NetSuite already do this? Why do I need to add Replenishment+ NS?
Great question. NetSuite certainly offers functionality around demand planning and inventory management which is based on Material Requirement Planning (MRP) methodology. But Replenishment+ offers a more robust feature set for NetSuite’s complex manufacturers and distributors. The great thing about being Native for NetSuite is that there’s no need for expensive and time-consuming software integrations. Replenishment+ NS looks and feels as if it’s part of the normal NetSuite experience and can be easily installed via the NetSuite SuiteBundler.
Item details include buffer sizing and buffer trend.
That’s really impressive. So how does Replenishment+ NS work?
It works by utilizing Demand Driven Materials Required Planning (DDMRP) methodology to recommend replenishment via purchase orders, work orders and transfer orders. With product lifecycles getting shorter and the supply chain more complex, DDMRP methodology offers a more visual, intuitive, and accurate approach to planning. The DDMRP methodology has been adopted by hundreds of leading companies throughout the world and has proven its worth over and over again. It’s a revolutionary and highly efficient methodology that controls the supply chain, improves productivity, customer service, and material flow.
“You don’t tell Replenishment + NS how much inventory you want; it tells you. We use historical demand to determine reorder points.”
What’s the biggest benefit of Replenishment+ NS?
I would say visibility is the biggest benefit. Our customers are used to running their business blind to some extent, and we want to remedy that.
The system tells us not only when and what to order, but when we have issues in supply and demand timing as well. We have a number of reports to monitor our progress. By automating a lot of the material planning and consumption based ordering process, we free up planners and buyers to resolve real conflicts in the supply chain to improve performance, operations, and metrics throughout.
Enables users to track the stock outs and fill rate performance for buffered items.
STOP FORECASTING AND START OPTIMIZING!
To learn more about how consumption based ordering can help your supply chain, visit our solutions pages.
