“Mafia Offer” set to benefit SA supply chain

Supply chain and operations management professionals attending the 2011 SAPICS annual conference are set to receive an offer ‘that they cannot refuse’, from one of the world’s most foremost experts on applying the Theory of Constraints to marketing.

The SAPICS annual conference, being held at Sun City from 28 June, has consistently ranked as the number one event for supply chain and operations management professionals around the world. Each event has brought new ideas, exciting concepts and industry-leading insights, and this year’s conference – the 33rd such annual event – will be no exception.

Delegates are guaranteed enriching presentations from a number of speakers, including the so-called “Mafia Offer” from international speaker Dr Lisa Lang, who is the president of the Science of Business, a consulting firm specialising in assisting companies to realise bottom-line results.

“A Mafia Offer can be defined as an offer so good that your customers can’t refuse it, and your competition won’t be able to provide the same offer. I plan to introduce the Theory of Constraints concept of a Mafia Offer, to provide attendees with a new perspective on growth,” she explains.

Lang plans to present the Mafia Offer, in order to assist industry professionals in addressing numerous challenges currently facing the industry today. “Most companies offer solutions that solve their customers’ various problems or symptoms. With a Mafia Offer, we are addressing our customers’ core problem, as it relates to doing business with our industry,” she continues.

Touching on the particular issue of ‘forecasting’, Lang says: “Most supply chains are driven by forecasts. The only thing we know for sure about a forecast is that it’s wrong. For supply chains to increase their effectiveness there needs to be a move from ‘forecast-driven’ to ‘consumption-driven’ strategies.”

Lang points out that most supply chains have been using forecasts for so long, that they have no idea about how to make the switch. “Without this switch, everyone in the industry can expect the pre-2008 levels of sluggishness in inventory levels and inventory turns,” she explains.

In addition to Lang’s presentation, an exhibition of cutting edge products and services will be available to delegates.

Presentations from world-renowned authors and thought leaders such as president and editor-in-chief of Supply Chain Digest, Dan Gilmore, Steven Melnyk of Michigan State University, Ed White of Bayer Canada and Alan Milliken of BASF (USA), will accompany numerous other activities making up the programme; including workshops, learning games and panel discussions. An impressive line up of South African case studies will also complement the programme.

Over the years the SAPICS conference has grown into an event that provides exceptional, valuable content and educational opportunities for industry professionals, and 2011 is set to be another memorable milestone.

This year’s conference sponsors include MTN Business, IMPERIAL Logistics, BTS, UTi, Oliver Wight, ABSA, EOH, Value Logistics and Volition Consulting Services.