CASE STUDIES
Optimising Sales & Operations Planning for a National Retailer
Driving Commercial Alignment and Profitability Through Right-Sized S&OP Implementation
The Challenge
Fragmented Planning
The client, a national automotive manufacturer and distributor, was operating with siloed sales and operations functions. Demand signals were not flowing cleanly into production schedules, and new product launches were frequently delayed or over-resourced, eroding margin before a single unit reached the customer.
The Brief
Orchard Retail Group was engaged to design and deploy a right-sized S&OP framework that would connect commercial strategy with operational execution, embed a New Product Development gating process, and create a single rhythm of decision-making across the business.
RESULTS
15%
Increase in stock availability and fill rates from suppliers through to distribution
NPD
Gating process launched and embedded in the S&OP cycle, reducing waste and accelerating speed to market
One
Unified decision-making rhythm that improved strategic alignment across sales, operations, and finance
Streamlined production processes drove a measurable lift in stock availability, with fill rates improving by 15% across the supplier-to-distribution chain. Efficient stock management minimised losses from overstock and obsolescence, while the unified planning cadence gave leadership a clearer view of where to act.
By implementing a structured S&OP process, the client transformed its supply chain, improved efficiency, and boosted profitability. The outcome highlights what becomes possible when sales and operations move in the same direction, at the same time, with the same information.
Orchard Retail Group designed, program managed the deployment, and supported the embedding of a right-sized, industry-specific S&OP program. Results were visible within months of the implementation period, not years.
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