5 Tips to help you navigate the holiday season

But the final quarter of the year is usually a busy time for manufacturers, so you need to be ready to ramp up as demand grows. That’s why the summer holiday season needs careful planning to ensure you can fulfill orders, have good staffing levels and maintain positive cash flow.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system comes into its own at this time of year.

Spreadsheets and other manual processes make it extremely difficult to forecast demand and respond quickly to changes. However, a system like ECI’s Ridder iQ allows you to manage staff schedules and gain visibility into resources and demand planning – it’s also cloud-based, so teams can access it off-site during shutdowns.

Five ways an ERP helps manufacturers manage summer holiday season

1. Capacity planning

You need to know exactly which staff you have available – and when. A good ERP provides insights into capacity, so you’ll know when staff are off (whether on annual leave or off sick) to better plan shift schedules and production.

Ridder iQ’s production planning module gives you an instant view into capacity with a visual planning board, so you can organise personnel and tasks based on available resources. You’ll be able to plan projects more effectively – and take on new orders – depending on your staffing levels and other resources.

2. Supplier management tools

Suppliers may also be working with a reduced workforce during the summer period, so you could find yourself running short if you don’t get your order in early. Knowing when your suppliers are slowing down for summer is essential. Your ERP will provide the insights you need to forecast demand, so you can order buffer stock and stay on top of your inventory.

Ridder iQ can be integrated with other software,  – including your suppliers’ systems – to improve collaboration and give you insight into upcoming orders. You’ll also be able to track orders and deliveries, and set up automated alerts for any delayed or missing parts.

Automate orders by setting a minimum stock level – this reduces the risk of stockouts and puts less pressure on your employees to maintain stock levels, especially during the summer where you’ll typically have fewer people on hand.

3. Internal improvements

Quieter periods, like the summer holidays, are the ideal time for manufacturers to undertake essential maintenance and internal improvements, including implementing and upgrading new machinery.

Planned maintenance to machinery can be scheduled into the production schedules within your to minimise disruption even during quieter periods. Teams will be able to see exactly when maintenance is planned, and you’ll be able to organise tasks and staff schedules around it to ensure resources are allocated efficiently. Any maintenance tasks can be recorded in your ERP along with details on suppliers and technicians who carried it out.

It’s also a good time to test out new software because you have time to speak to vendors and understand the features different products offer.

4. Training and cross-skilling

Scheduling training can be challenging during peak periods but a lack of training can lead to knowledge gaps in your teams and impact productivity if teams aren’t comfortable using everyday systems and software.

The summer holiday season is a good time to upskill workers – HR teams can easily view production and staff schedules, and fit mandatory and other training around it. This can also be integrated with calendars and Gantt charts, so employees don’t forget.

Set up workflows to schedule internal training and real-time dashboards to view training certificates. This will help you identify employees who could benefit from training opportunities.

It’s also a good time to refresh staff on how to use systems like Ridder iQ, such as how to create reports or add/update tasks, even if not everyone is available. By empowering a handful of ‘super-users’ they’ll be able to implement and share best practices ready for the busier season.

5. Demand forecasting   

Demand can be unpredictable during the summer holidays for discrete manufacturers – that’s why demand forecasting is critical. With Ridder iQ, integrate sales or production data into your ERP to better understand and predict trends. Not only does this reduce the risk of overstocking, it also ensures you’re scheduling the right amount of workers to come in.

Visibility is also important here – and an ERP enables you to keep track of orders and deliveries to keep customers in the loop about their orders and avoid any delays.

Smarter planning with your ERP

Summer slowdowns are more manageable with smart planning. The good thing about Ridder iQ is that it helps manufacturers stay agile and prepare for Q4 when orders pick up.

For example, a production planning module improves visibility into tasks and resources, while supplier management tools enable you to track orders and deliveries, to make it easier to view and manage staffing levels.

Find out how Ridder iQ can help you navigate the summer holiday season.