Hosted by Rod Daugherty, our Senior Director of Product Strategy, the Replenishment Product Council meets regularly via conference calls and web meetings to discuss common concerns and brainstorm ideas for enhancements to Manhattan Associates’ Replenishment solution. In addition, the Product Councils for all Manhattan supply chain solutions meet annually at our Momentum supply chain conference—a great opportunity for peer-to-peer discussions as well as a chance to vote on your favorite future enhancement features.
Manhattan’s Demand Forecasting and Replenishment solutions were built by buyers, for buyers. Our team of buying professionals averages more than 20 years of supply chain experience. We have learned, firsthand, the challenges you face every day as you try to lower inventory while meeting service level goals. Now we share our expertise to help merchants make smarter, more profitable buying decisions.
Rod Daugherty
Senior Director, Product Strategy
The concept of matching supply with demand seems straightforward enough, but it's not that simple. In fact, it's a strategic balancing act that requires you to walk a tightrope between what your customers want and the inventory investment required to meet that demand. For more than 30 years I have been fascinated with inventory optimization and supply chains in general. Before I joined Manhattan Associates, I worked for 13 years in store operations and merchandising for a 1,000-store retail drug chain. So, I know firsthand—from the scars on my back—the challenges retailers face.
Now that I'm on the technology side, I believe our customers want to focus on being successful merchants and generating profits for their organization—while our systems do the heavy inventory optimization lifting for them. As Senior Director of Product Strategy for Demand Forecasting and Inventory Optimization at Manhattan Associates, I'm in a position to translate my firsthand knowledge and experience into practical solutions. I look forward to helping you.
John Mills
Director, Professional Services
Replenishment buyers are often viewed within their organization as a cost center. I was a buyer for eight years and have been involved in inventory management for 27 years—30 if you count my years as paperboy. Buyers take the heat for everything: late orders, trying to buy enough of the new "hottest item of the year", and trying to get rid of the overstock from last year's "hottest item of the year". As the director of purchasing and candy buyer in the convenience store distribution industry, the job wasn't always sweet. Whether it was someone trying to sell me unusual items such as scorpion lollipops, jalapeno jelly beans or ostrich jerky, or dealing with the normal everyday calamities, there were definitely some sour moments.
As the Director of Professional Services for Manhattan Associates, I work with our customers as they plan for and implement our Replenishment and Demand Forecasting solutions. It's my vision to ensure that Replenishment buyers are viewed as critical members of the corporate infrastructure. They provide immense value to the organization through the efficient management of the company's biggest asset—inventory. We intend to make that vision a reality for replenishment buyers across all industries.
Paul Van Stedum
Director, Industry Solutions
During college, I worked in all areas of the supply chain, from order picking to receiving and inventory management. Eventually I was a buyer for 16 years and a director of purchasing, working across the pharmaceutical, grocery, automotive and retail industries. My favorite part of being a buyer was finding ways to reduce inventory while keeping our customers satisfied. After nearly 30 years in the supply chain industry, I serve as the Director for Industry Solutions at Manhattan Associates.
My team specializes in Demand Forecasting and Replenishment, working with prospective and active customers to review their distribution networks and replenishment processes. We demonstrate how Manhattan's Demand Forecasting and Replenishment solutions can help them achieve success. With the means to slash inventory levels and achieve dramatic reductions in per-unit replenishment costs, customers' expectations are met. At Manhattan, I have the opportunity to improve the lives of buyers by providing better tools that leverage their talents and expertise. That's the best part about my job now.
Nisha Rajagopalan
Senior Consultant
In my experience as a Buyer and Inventory Management Analyst, I continuously searched for ways to provide visibility into the product order process. Receiving information during this phase proved to be the most challenging. When your supply chain is complex, managing your orders to ensure goods reach your customers on time and as specified—without pushing inventory costs sky high—can seem nearly impossible.
As a Senior Consultant for Manhattan Associates, I help our customers improve their visibility into their overall supply chain process. With an enhanced view of your inventory, you can ensure that goods are where they're needed–not forgotten in a warehouse or reserved for other stores or businesses. We help our clients see the status of their inventory at every point in their supply chain. So when you receive that call or email demanding to know the status of shipments, you have an eagle eye view inside the process. That's what I can do for you, and how Manhattan Associates can help your organization.
Jeff Glawatz
Solutions Consultant
As a replenishment buyer and purchasing group manager in the automotive and HVAC industries, I learned the value of solid inventory management principles and their importance in the overall supply chain. It's a difficult challenge to maintain customer expectations while managing an inventory budget. Purchasing and replenishment teams should be viewed as inventory asset managers that can deliver unforeseen profits to the company's bottom line. However, they seldom receive this recognition and constantly take the fall for numerous inventory issues.
With almost 20 years in the supply chain industry, I've successfully managed more than 60 multi-site implementations. I currently serve as Demand Forecasting and Inventory Optimization solutions Consultant for Manhattan Associates. I've been on both sides of the negotiating table and find it quite gratifying to work collaboratively with our customers to achieve their objectives. And in so doing, we're able to elevate the position of the purchasing and replenishment teams to become not only asset managers, but company assets as well.
Gavin Gaffney
Senior Principal Consultant
To be profitable with your supply chain, you need up to the minute information to keep product moving from suppliers into the hands of your customers. This is particularly true in the food service distribution industry where I spent nearly 25 years as a buyer, director and consultant. With such tight margins, there are numerous variables to consider. Food has to be appealing, but move quickly and safely. You have to avoid high transportation costs, but require accurate and speedy deliveries. And the last thing you want to contend with is obsolete product. In fact, I thought this was the most undesirable part of my job.
After walking a mile in your shoes, I understand how overwhelming it can be to strike the right balance of supply and demand. At Manhattan Associates, I'm responsible for enabling customers to meet these challenges head-on with solutions that enhance demand forecasting and replenishment capabilities. We can help you slash inventory levels and realize dramatic reductions in replenishment costs across your supply chain. That's what you need to impact your profits. And that's how I can help.
Matt Ferring
Principal Consultant
My first job out of college was a Buyer for a large apparel retailer. I learned pretty quickly the importance of analytical skills and how to apply them to improving the sales performance of our stores. As I moved up the "supply chain" as Director of Planning and Allocation at Orchard Supply Hardware, analyzing product replenishment became even more challenging. Though dealing with an array of merchants could be taxing at times, I loved working through the analytic process.
After more than 10 years in the supply chain industry, I've implemented a variety of solutions that have focused on demand forecasting, replenishment and allocation. At Manhattan Associates, I have the good fortune to work with a great team that also thrives on the concept of matching supply with demand. We help companies like yours predict inventory needs more accurately and adapt to changing demand patterns across the entire distribution network. I still have fun with the analysis process. But now I'm armed with Manhattan's arsenal of Demand Forecasting and Replenishment solutions to ensure that my instincts are on target.
Maria Graves
Principal Training Consultant
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies as a result of teaching. To maximize the return on your investment in supply chain solutions, your people need the appropriate training to implement and use them confidently and quickly. Training matters. After 16 years in the supply chain industry, six as a buyer, I've learned the importance of training and the impact it has on an organization's profitability.
As a Principal Training Consultant for Manhattan Associates Professional Services Organization, I specialize in Inventory Optimization and have served as the primary education instructor for more than ten years. We provide a flexible, hands-on education program designed for rapid results. I've delivered training for approximately 70 percent of our customer base in a variety of industries, including the pharmaceutical, grocery, automotive electronics, sporting goods and others. I believe my experience as an Inventory Management Analyst, Senior Buyer and Expeditor provided the foundation for my educational training skills. I'm ready to bring my real-world experience and supply chain expertise to your next project.
Chanika Angchaisuksiri
Principal Consultant
My graduate education at Georgia Tech exposed me to various aspects of the supply chain industry, from manufacturing and warehousing to transportation and replenishment. I found it fascinating work to collect business intelligence and apply information that improved forecast accuracy. I first leveraged that experience as a forecast analyst for a large home improvement retailer. It was my responsibility to ensure inventory accuracy and oversee the replenishment system, working closely with buyers, merchandisers, and logistics and marketing analysts.
As a Principal Consultant for Manhattan Associates, I provide supply chain consulting services to a variety of industries. No matter what industry your business serves—retail, pharmaceutical, automotive parts, food service or others—you have to predict inventory needs and change to demand patterns. Optimizing demand forecasting and replenishment is a proven way to lower inventory, while still ensuring that items are in stock when customers want them. You'll know what to order, how much to order and when to order for every location. That's what a smart Inventory Optimization solution can do and that's what I can help Manhattan customers achieve.
Phillip Fountain
Consultant
As a product manager for a leading sporting goods manufacturer, I was responsible for not only creating innovative products, but also managing the inventory through a complex supply chain. I learned quickly in this role that having a successful inventory management and forecasting system in place was critical. On a daily basis I spent countless hours managing the forecast and inventory to ensure that the service levels goals were being met. This proved to be very time consuming, and in some cases it seemed like a task that I was always chasing.
Because of these experiences I understand that being able to provide our customers with a system that is accurate and proficient can be priceless. With Demand Forecasting and Replenishment, a buyer receives a package that creates an organized and efficient environment. Our products allow buyers to efficiently manage their time by being able to work through orders while maintaining a bird’s eye view on all of the components that can make or break a successful supply chain. As a consultant with Manhattan Associates, I can help provide the necessary tools and solutions to help your company worker smarter not harder.