Ventana Research is the first research company to benchmark the maturity and direction of sales forecasting and demand planning that is a critical component of every organizations operational and financial management processes. Ventana Research believes that integrated, enterprise-wide sales forecasting and demand planning is essential to an organization’s success in today’s competitive markets. With appropriate integrated sales forecasting and demand planning tools and processes, companies can improve business performance, coordinate operations across functional, departmental and divisional lines, reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, most companies have approached enterprise sales forecasting and demand planning piecemeal, with each functional area operating on its own initiative, if at all. Even in companies that have taken an enterprise-wide approach, more often than not they use inappropriate tools and technologies that are not up to the job.

Ventana Research has undertaken a comprehensive benchmark of the adoption and use of sales forecasting and demand planning technology. We assessed how executives working within sales, branding, marketing, product development, finance and operations view sales forecasting and demand planning, and the role it is, or should be, playing in their organizations. This research will help executives and managers to better understand how to improve their sales and revenue planning efforts. It will enable you to determine how to align their organization’s people, processes and technology to improve the performance of the business. Ventana Research believes that with proper planning and execution, companies that deploy integrated sales forecasting and demand planning technologies can achieve a competitive advantage.