Inventory and Service Improvement
Balance service, stock and working capital.
Excess stock and shortages can coexist when service targets, replenishment rules and actual demand no longer align. Our proposed service helps your team understand the causes and test targeted policy changes before wider rollout.
The client need
When this service can help
Recurring stockouts alongside slow-moving stock; frequent overrides or expediting; service targets that are not reflected in replenishment decisions.
A focused first engagement
Begin with one site, product family or inventory segment. Assess usable stock, demand and lead-time variability, replenishment parameters and service commitments. Separate genuine policy weaknesses from missing or unreliable records.
Our proposed approach
From assessment to a measured trial
Consulting and solution design can lead to implementation support where responsibilities, specialist inputs and delivery resources are agreed.
- 01
Establish the baseline
Reconcile demand, stock, availability and replenishment records for the agreed population.
- 02
Segment the decisions
Group products by service need, variability, replenishment constraints and economic significance.
- 03
Design and test policies
Compare service and cash trade-offs through back-testing or scenarios, then agree a controlled trial.
- 04
Review and embed
Assess observed results, parameter ownership and review routines before recommending expansion.
- Baseline and inventory segmentation
- Options for replenishment parameters and operating rules
- A controlled trial with ownership and guardrails
- A benefits review and implementation roadmap
Measures agreed with your team
Product availability or order fill rate; inventory value and days of cover; aged stock; premium freight; and planner effort. Track service and stock together. A reduction in working capital is a one-off cash release, not a recurring profit saving.
Policy recommendations depend on validated data and agreed service constraints. No universal inventory reduction or service improvement is promised. Full implementation and recurring costs form part of any business case. Benefits require client evidence and finance review.
Your next step
Inventory and Service Discovery Workshop
A focused 60–90 minute discussion to define the problem, establish a useful boundary and agree the next decision.
Arrange a discovery workshop ↗Workshop format and any fees are agreed before booking. Follow-on work requires a separate scope and business agreement.
Who should attend?
An inventory or planning lead, customer service, operations and finance representatives.
What to bring
Examples of both shortages and excess stock, current service targets and an outline of your replenishment process. Detailed data access is agreed separately.
What you receive
A proposed inventory segment, baseline requirements and a scoped assessment or trial plan.
We agree deliverables, responsibilities, fees, data arrangements and business terms before work starts.
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