The 4 Cornerstones of an Effective Demand Review

The Demand Review is a crucial part of the S&OP process because it’s where different functions align on forecasts and demand plans, and identify any challenges in meeting demand, or any opportunities to be exploited. The aims of this process step are simple enough, but all too often the Demand Review fails in these goals by focusing too much on historical performance and reporting instead of looking forward. Here I reveal the 4 cornerstones of an effective Demand Review that drive focus on what really matters to the business, including understanding what factors are impacting demand both now and in the near future and, most importantly, understanding the gap between the demand plan and financial plans.