How We Do
S&OP AI
​In today’s fast-paced business world, knowledge workers often rely on unique, self-developed “human algorithms” – custom spreadsheets and ad-hoc solutions – to manage forecasting and planning decisions for their Sales & Operational Planning (S&OP). However, as businesses grow, so do the complexities in forecasting and planning, creating challenges in integrating data from multiple systems into one view, timing and confidence in decision-making, and consistency of outcomes.
Rather than a “rip and replace” method, A2Go’s approach to improving S&OP performance integrates AI to bolster existing solutions. By augmenting rather than replacing existing processes, making the transition to AI-enable S&OP seamless while minimizing risk.
1. Intelligent Automation
A2Go addresses these challenges by automating the best of the ‘human algorithms’. The ‘human algorithms’ are unique to each company’s S&OP-related planning and execution workflows – making it important to automate specifically what steps are taken by knowledge workers to go from data collection to decision making.
S&OP automation efforts are quick wins for knowledge workers allowing them to focus on strategic decisions rather than repetitive clerical tasks. Automation of repetitive tasks gives back time to planners who can now focus on executing changes to plan, quickly handle exceptions and optimizing production, scheduling, and customer satisfaction.
2. Intelligent Monitoring
Post-automation, A2Go introduces Intelligent Monitoring, which evaluates the effectiveness of these automated 'human algorithms'. By tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), we identify areas where the automated ‘human algorithms’ may fall short, providing insights that help refine and improve planning and execution.
Intelligent monitoring helps to identify and preserve what works well and where to apply AI to improve capabilities where the ‘human algorithms’ fail. This approach of augmenting not replacing existing systems is faster, more efficient and less risky for customers.
3. AI Enablement
The final phase used to AI-enable S&OP uses the intelligence gathered in phases one and two to begin the selection & integration of AI tools to augment the S&OP decision making process. The goal is to bring efficiency, insights, and decision recommendations to Knowledge Workers to optimize outcomes.
A2Go partners with our customers’ relevant Knowledge Workers to plan the scope, the function and the interfaces used to deliver information to their colleagues. We often, for example, continue to employ Excel as the human interface, because our customers prefer it over more automated dashboards.