Never Good Enough

One way for a demand planner to reach the other side of the shore is to always question your process, reporting, and audience needs. Market dynamics are changing and so are the company’s needs. The author outlines what the demand planner has to do to succeed in this profession. MICHAEL KELLEHER | Mr. Kelleher is leading the effort to revitalize the demand planning process at Hollister, Incorporated—a global manufacturer of medical devices. Prior to Hollister, Incorporated, he held various positions of increasing responsibility and management roles with companies like Target, Best Buy, Lands End, and Spectrum Group. Over the past two decades, he managed demand planning in the service, retail, and manufacturing sectors spanning a wide array of products. His career started while attending the University of Wisconsin. There, he worked for a small business where he improved revenue by 400%, and opened a second location in less than 36 months. “ 26 years of experience is working against him. He figures anything big enough to sink the ship they’re gonna (sic) see in time to turn. The ship’s too big with a too small rudder. Everything he knows is wrong.” – Brock Lovett, ...