Greater control over seasonal peaks
As part of their commitment to advancing the performance of the business, Smart Garden Products has placed a real focus on their supply chain. With the majority of the business’ assortment exposed to a high degree of seasonality, the planning team was under huge pressure to ensure optimal inventory levels before, during and after a seasonal peak.
“In our market, seasonality is always a challenge. However, given that out-of-stocks can easily stifle the growth of our business, this has been an important area where we have made real strides forward,” explains Simon.
With Slim4, the planning team can now prepare for seasonal peaks in demand far more effectively: “The consultants at Slimstock have worked closely with our team in order to fine-tune Slim4 around the unique complexities of our highly seasonal business. As a result, we have automated the inventory planning for the vast majority of our assortment.”
This, in turn, means that Simon and his team can invest more energy into accelerating the development of new items, building stronger relationships with suppliers and finding better ways to increase stock availability. Simon adds: “The risk of stock outs has been mitigated. Even at the peak of the season, we are now able to achieve availability levels in excess of 97% across our key product lines,” explains Simon.