Estimating future customer demand to guide purchasing, production and stock decisions.
Demand planning develops an estimate of what customers will need and makes that estimate usable for business decisions. Planners examine sales and inventory information, consider expected changes and revise the demand plan as new evidence becomes available. Purchasing, production and stock teams can then use the plan when deciding what to obtain or make. A forecast is an input to this work, while demand planning also involves reviewing assumptions and coordinating decisions. Expected demand remains an estimate, so the plan needs review rather than being treated as a guaranteed sales result.
In job listings
Sephora’s Senior Manager, Store Experience and Services role in Toronto required developing a service demand model to support demand forecasting, store scheduling and labour planning. This illustrates a service application of demand planning, where estimates of customer demand help inform the staffing needed to deliver services. Search local jobs for “demand planning”.
