Retail clothing merchandise planning system

Summary

Having successfully developed a clothing network distribution strategy, LCP was requested to work on the planning aspects of the Clothing business, with a view to specifying how the future panning function should operate.

Project Background

The Client recognised that with the relatively long procurement lead times for its Clothing range, there was a high dependency on the quality of the planning and decision making.

It was self evident that there did not exist an integrated planning platform or indeed management process ... with one of the fastest growing businesses in the sector this needed to be remedied to maintain customer service and profitability.

Approach

LCP's approach was as follows:
• Work with cross functional business teams to map the existing processes and to drive out issues with current process
• Emphasis was placed on system mapping, identifying the functional deficiencies
• Provide expert input on Retail Planning Best Practices and benchmarking against other UK Clothing Retailers - to challenge existing thinking, gain acceptance and develop new processes
• Produce a systems functional requirements specification
• Run a series of development workshops throughout the process to gain business engagement
• Produce As-Is and To-Be and migration process maps with implementation plan
• Coaching the Retail Planning team and Category Managers in the top down merchandise planning approach.

Client Testimonials

LCP has enjoyed a very long standing relationship with this Client.

Success Factors

Here the major challenge was engaging 'Buyers' and 'Category Managers' and convincing them of the need for better planning and forecasting.

Most rewarding of all was the fact that the solution was adopted as an integral part of process design for the Client's global apparel and General Merchandise system.

Results and Benefits

The major deliverables were:
• Successfully developed and documented new business processes; building in best practice thinking

• Delivered a comprehensive planning framework encompassing Range Planning through Merchandise Planning and onto Supply and Capacity Planning

• Implemented the new planning processes, with business buy-in and full sign up to the necessary process changes

• Provided 3 months of coaching for the planning teams to enable the process to become embedded

• Supported the wider business engagement within the Client

• The solution was adopted as an integral part of process design for the Client's global apparel and General Merchandise system.