Too many companies don’t implement S&OP when it’s needed most, and many aren’t seeing the benefits they should. I’ve been working in supply chain for over 30 years now, and honestly, this pattern keeps repeating itself. Companies invest time and resources into sales and operations planning, then wonder why they’re not getting results.
The thing is, the issue often lies somewhere unexpected. It’s not always the software or the data. More often than not, it comes down to how the process is being run, particularly the meetings themselves.
From Talk to Action
One of the biggest reasons S&OP processes fail is because the meetings focus on discussion instead of decision-making. When meetings stretch for hours with no clear decisions, it’s a sign the process isn’t working. I’ve sat in these meetings. Everyone’s talking, nobody’s deciding, and three hours later you’re wondering what actually got accomplished.
To fix this, shift your focus from discussions to decisions. This means coming prepared. Everyone in the meeting should have the data, insights, and recommendations ready so that discussions can quickly turn into informed decisions.
S&OP meetings should be sharp and focused, not drawn-out conversations. Senior leadership needs to look at the data, understand the issues, and make decisions without getting bogged down in endless debates. The key is clear preparation and structure.
Clarity for Senior Leaders
S&OP is meant to help senior leadership—MDs, CEOs, and other key decision-makers—make fast, strategic decisions. For this to happen, the information presented must be clear, concise, and easy to act on. Leaders don’t need to be involved in every detail, but they need a solid understanding of the situation and why certain recommendations are being made.
A successful S&OP process ensures executives get the necessary information to make decisions quickly and confidently. The data should be aligned with company strategy, backed by analysis, and presented in a way that makes it easy to act on.
Why Focused Meetings Matter
When meetings are focused on decision-making, your whole S&OP process runs more smoothly. They improve business alignment, speed up decisions, and ensure everyone is working toward the same goal. With clear, decision-focused meetings, S&OP becomes a powerful tool to drive performance, improve forecasting, and streamline operations. It’s time to turn those long discussions into actions that lead to results.
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
Here’s something I’ve noticed over the years. Most supply chain leaders know what good S&OP looks like. They’ve read the books, attended the conferences, maybe even hired consultants to set things up. But there’s often a gap between understanding the theory and actually making it work in their specific organisation.
This is where things get interesting, and where a different kind of support becomes relevant. Because sometimes what you need isn’t another consulting project or a new software implementation. Sometimes you need someone in your corner who can guide your team through the process of figuring it out themselves.
Which brings me to supply chain coaching.
What Is Supply Chain Coaching?
Supply chain coaching is becoming increasingly relevant. You might wonder what kind of support you can expect from it. This evolving field holds significant potential for improvement and growth.
I recently spoke with Trent Morris, one of our experts who’s been coaching businesses worldwide to optimise and enhance their supply chains. His perspective on why coaching is gaining popularity is worth sharing.
A supply chain coach is designed to help companies maximise their supply chain performance. This involves providing guidance on unfamiliar processes, optimising existing ones, and training junior management to prepare them for leadership roles.
Coaching is particularly valuable for small to medium enterprises that can’t afford a full-time supply chain manager or director. These businesses can access expertise without the high costs of hiring permanent staff.
Additionally, coaching benefits larger organisations that are building new functions but don’t want to commit to a full-time project manager. Coaches guide the development of procurement functions, logistics teams, or feasibility studies. This flexible approach allows companies to access expert advice as needed without a full-time headcount.
Coaching vs. Consulting: Key Differences
It’s important to distinguish between coaching and consulting. While consulting involves managing tasks like sourcing suppliers and executing projects, coaching focuses on empowering the client’s team to handle these tasks themselves.
Look, I’ve done both. Consulting has its place. But coaching provides something different. Coaches provide guidance and oversight, helping clients develop the skills and knowledge needed to manage their supply chain processes independently. This approach fosters long-term capability building and knowledge transfer, allowing organisations to benefit from expert advice while growing their internal expertise.
The difference matters because, going back to the S&OP challenge, it’s often not that companies lack the right process on paper. It’s that their people haven’t developed the skills to run it properly. A coach can bridge that gap in a way that a consultant dropping in for a project simply can’t.
Real-World Coaching Experience
Trent has extensive experience in supply chain coaching across various global locations, including Hawaii, Vietnam, Thailand, and New Zealand. His work spans different industries, from civil engineering to e-commerce, showing the broad applicability of supply chain principles.
Trent’s coaching has been successful in diverse settings, helping organisations set up new functions, improve existing processes, and achieve their supply chain goals.
For instance, Trent’s coaching in Hawaii with a civil engineering company setting up a procurement department proved exceptionally successful. He has also worked in Vietnam, Thailand, and New Zealand, demonstrating the flexibility and effectiveness of supply chain coaching across different industries and regions. Trent’s ability to adapt his expertise to various contexts ensures that organisations can benefit regardless of their specific industry challenges.
Bringing It Together
So what does this mean for your S&OP process? If your meetings are running long, decisions aren’t being made, and the promised benefits remain elusive, there are really two things to consider.
First, take a hard look at how your meetings are structured. Are people coming prepared? Is the focus on decisions or just discussion? Sometimes a few structural changes can make all the difference.
Second, think about whether your team has the capability to run the process effectively. If there’s a skills gap, or if you’re building something new without the internal expertise to support it, coaching might be the missing piece. It’s not about bringing someone in to do the work for you. It’s about developing your people so they can do it themselves, sustainably, over time.
I’ve seen too many S&OP implementations that looked great on paper but fell apart in practice. Usually because nobody invested in helping the people involved actually get better at their jobs. That’s the gap coaching fills.
