Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) is an important IT investment for any business. S&OP is basically the coming together of the sales, operations and finance divisions of a business or organization to optimize plan production, financial targeting and fulfillment. S&OP is an important component of supply chain management. This integrated business management process was first developed by Oliver Wight in the 80s. One of the greatest benefits of S&OP is that it helps with the introduction of new products. The process of launching a new product is usually very time consuming, but sales and operations planning can ensure that this time is reduced and that there is minimum disruption to the market for existing products. S&OP also facilitates exit strategy development for items that you wish to discontinue. You will be able to adjust the timing of introducing new products to eliminate or minimize carryover of obsolete inventory as you coordinate launch/exit programs. S&OP helps organizations make decision on future rates of demand and supply, to integrate financial plans with operational plans and at aggregate levels, to generate high-quality forecasts. Note that sales and operations planning, is a business process and not a software program. This means you will not spend much on S&OP. Yet another advantage of S&OP is that it helps with customer service. S&OP is collaborative in nature, meaning it will improve the service levels of your employees while reducing inventory investment concurrently. Greater customer service levels will lead to increased sales since you will get return customers, referrals and great reviews. Sales and operations planning helps you reduce the overall inventory investment with increase in service level. This is because you will be using business intelligence from different functional areas and with greater demand forecast. You will be able to...

Cigars tend to be viewed as expensive and hard to find. But that only applies to certain types of cigars. Specifically, the hand rolled fare typically from other countries. For the average person, though, there are other types of cigars that are much more affordable and often preferable. These cigars come in a wider variety of flavors and types, machine rolled, filtered, and flavored all are available—and at a significantly lower cost, especially when you buy from wholesale cigar distributors. Hand rolled cigars tend to only be sold in specialty shops, whereas machine rolled cigars are sold at a wider variety of shops, from package stores to convenience stores to gas stations. Wholesale cigar distributors offer a wealth of options without a wealth of inconvenience or expense. Why buy these kinds of cigars? The biggest reason is that you may want something different. Either a different flavor or a filter or something else that you can’t find in a traditional, hand rolled cigar. The other big advantage is the price range. For the price of five hand rolled cigars, you can get up to eight packs of five cigars. The expensive cigars are cost-prohibitive to the average person, in some instances illegal, and to some people, too harsh to be pleasant. So why over-spend on a product that you don’t enjoy? Why not enjoy what you like, especially if it’s less expensive, and why not enjoy it at the lowest cost possible? One of the best ways to save money is to buy in volume, specifically from a wholesale cigar distributor. Some things are hard to buy at wholesale quantity, either they’re too expensive at that quantity, or it’s difficult to find a seller who has them available in that quantity. However, it’s worth...

Wall coverings provide many options for pattern and material. Each material has different advantages: Some are easier to remove, some have better visual and tactile textures. Vinyl wall coverings provide a good balance, and if properly installed, they can be removed easily, meaning that it’s not a lifetime investment, and can maintain a great variety of pattern and appearances. While Grasscloth wallpaper might have a stronger textured appearance, it is infamously difficult to remove, meaning that a decision to install it is for long term design. All wall coverings do come with an investment for the long term, so it’s important even with relatively easy-to-remove vinyl wall coverings, to make a decision you’re happy with and will stay happy with. For that, the Internet can be your friend as it provides a massive resource of information. One of the best advantages of the Internet is how it helps people gain knowledge quickly over even obscure subjects and allows consumers to make more active and informed purchases. This means that when setting out to make design purchases, one can pre-scout and make a more informed decision about where to shop. With the Internet, you can start with a broad perspective and narrow down slowly to what you want. And being an informed consumer helps you price shop and know what you’re looking for if you go into a showroom. By starting with a wide net and making basic decisions based on images online, price quotes, and other specific information, you can save time on how many samples you end up with or how often you have to go to the showroom. Obviously, when making a design decision, it will be necessary to inspect the material in person to see how it looks in different lighting....

The business of cosmetics is a thriving industry. Today, as the whole planet is heading for greener solutions to everything from housing to offices, the cosmetic industry cannot be too far. Natural skin care products are more radically becoming the next source of mega business for companies. The sales of organic personal care products are currently over $122 billion. In the US alone, over $40 billion are spent on organic cosmetics annually. If your feel this is an inadequate sum, the industry was a mere $9.4 billion in 2001 and only about $19 billion in 2005. The growth has been small, but steady. In the next 5 years, all cosmetics could get swapped for organic products. The reasons for better usage and more demand of natural skin care products are the multi faced advantages they offer. There are quite a number of remarkable issues to note to understand this rising demand. People are smarter consumers with each day. In all avenues of commercial expansion, people seek better products and services. As the second decade of the 21st century hits off, perhaps going green is the new motto of growth! These the most attractive aspects of organic cosmetics – * Green products are seldom associated with allergies and intolerance. Being completely natural in their make, they cannot be the cause of harmful rashes and troubles usually associated with other cosmetics. * Organic substances help in environmental awareness. With the development of organic goods for all markets, factories will give way to greenhouses and farms. * Smaller manufacturers have an equal role as big multinational brands with organic goods. From food, to energy, to cosmetics – the standing rules of monopoly in each forte is being rewritten. * In the age of global consumers and open...

Most of us aren’t experts when it comes to interior design — but it’s still possible for us to find great wall photo frames that enhance the aesthetic appeal of our homes. When in doubt, you can always decorate your house with a collection of pictures. You can use stock photos, pictures you’ve snapped with your own camera, and even gorgeous works of art drawn by you or someone you love. The challenge for the average homeowner is to hang these decor pieces in a way that is visually pleasing with attractive wall photo frames. Simply having a bunch of pictures on display isn’t enough; it’s important to establish a theme. A sense of cohesion needs to be present in order for something to truly catch the eye. Before you can go about selecting which wall photo frames to use, you will need to figure out what you want the finished room to look like. Is there a certain color scheme you’re looking for? Or perhaps you only want to use pictures that contain a certain type of subject matter. Whatever the case may be, the type of wall photo frames you pick should fit the theme — not vice-versa. If you try to twist the overall look and feel of the room just to accommodate the frame itself, then you’re likely to end up with something that looks forced and inconsistent. Besides, getting a wall photo frame that elegantly matches your room is much easier and less expensive than changing the atmosphere of the room itself. Once you select a theme, it’s time to start thinking about which pictures you’ll be putting on display. As stated above, these can be anything that you choose. However, it’s important to test them out before you...