The IBP revolution: why businesses can't afford to wait

Two years since the public release of ChatGPT, many of AI’s leading proponents are struggling to demonstrate value for money to their record numbers of investors. Paul Ducie, partner at Oliver Wight EAME, explains that while AI’s hype bubble might be about to burst, there are still many practical reasons why businesses should not write off the technology.

“In today's business world, buzzwords like "AI" and "digital transformation" are thrown around like confetti,” Ducie concedes. “But while everyone's chasing the next shiny object, they're missing a revolution happening right under their noses. I'm talking about the next evolution in Integrated Business Planning (IBP) – the game-changing solution we've developed at Oliver Wight in partnership with Board.”

In an article on the firm’s website, Ducie argues that the platform is “so much more than your run-of-the-mill planning tools”. Instead, he contends, “what we've created is nothing short of revolutionary in the market, and if you're not paying attention, you're already falling behind.”

Of course, every vendor claims their product is "unique". But Ducie is keen to “cut through the marketing fluff”, to explain why Oliver Wight IBP Powered by Board is “one-of-a-kind”. Most importantly, he touts the solution’s “unparalleled integration” to this end.

“This is more than cobbling disparate systems together,” he notes. “Our solution sits on top of your legacy architecture, pulling data from every corner of your organisation to create a unified view of your business. No more silos, no more conflicting data – just pure, actionable insights driven from one solution.”

According to Ducie, Oliver Wight has baked its “world-class IBP process directly into the software”. These embedded best practices mean clients could be getting “as much as 80%” of what they need right out of the box, while the remaining 20% can be “configured easily and quickly to your specific business needs.”

At the same time, the solution is extremely scalable, as it can “handle terabytes of data and thousands of users without breaking a sweat” – meaning users need not worry about “exorbitant data storage fees”. The software also includes real-time scenario planning, with “the ability to model relevant scenarios quickly and accurately” across all aspects of business – providing a quick, competitive advantage.

Finally, the solution has “extraordinary configurability”, which Ducie says means “whatever your business model, whatever your industry, our solution will map to it”.

“We're talking about easily handling the complexity of global corporations operating in numerous geographies with matrix management structures across multiple functions - you can have confidence that we can meet your company needs.”

Taking action

Definitions of integrated business planning (IBP) vary, depending on the kind of organisation it applies to – but broadly it is a method of translating desired business outcomes into financial and operational resource requirements. This is undertaken with the overarching objective of maximising profit and cash flow, while reducing the risk a company is exposed to.

By running IBP, organisations can open themselves to a number of benefits. For example, they can gain the agility to process data quickly and make smart and informed decisions. In this way, they can move fast to adapt and disrupt changing markets.

Earlier in 2024, Oliver Wight and Board teamed up to help provide a modern approach for businesses to better negotiate IBP use – combining the holistic solutions provided by Oliver Wight’s process and change management experts, with Board’s enterprise planning platform.

Pointing to a “real-world example” of how the platform is already helping clients leave the competition behind, Ducie points to Lamb Weston – a global frozen food processing company, recently faced significant operational challenges following acquisitions in the Australian market. A number of threats jeopardised their growth ambitions – but when the firm partnered with Oliver Wight and Board to implement their IBP solution, the company quickly turned a corner.

According to Ducie, within two months, “they had their first reliable demand plan”. He notes that Allan Findlay, Head of Supply Chain at Lamb Weston, told the firm this meant Lamb Weston “could forecast our sales with a level of confidence that we will deliver against the plan."

This allowed the firm to achieve agility and awareness across its entire supply chain. While Lamb Weston is reaping these benefits, “its competitors are still struggling with outdated systems and processes.”

Leapfrog the competition

Ducie admits that there has been a lot of “AI hype that promises the world but simply can't deliver without a solid, integrated foundational platform.” Like any digital transformation, adopting AI will only benefit a business if there is a clear case for it to support a firm’s functions.

But according to him, Oliver Wight IBP Powered by Board can deliver on its promises. All leaders need to do is ask comprehensive questions about what they want from their business processes, before they begin integration.

He concludes, “How much time and resources are you currently wasting on inefficient planning processes? Can your current systems provide a truly integrated view of your entire business within two months? How quickly can you model different scenarios and understand their impact across your organisation? And what's the real cost to your business of not adopting a cutting-edge IBP solution that can transform your operational planning?”