January 19, 2026
This thought leadership piece features Demand Chain AI advisor Rob Haddock, who shares a practitioner’s perspective on why many organizations still struggle with supply chain planning maturity and why moving beyond spreadsheets is often the first step. Drawing on decades of experience in CPG and manufacturing, Haddock explains why discipline, process, and optimization matter more than buzzwords.
Using real-world examples from small and mid-sized companies, the article highlights common gaps, including overreliance on Excel, weak sales and operations planning (S&OP) processes, and inconsistent execution. Haddock stresses that technology alone cannot solve these challenges without a clear structure, accountability, and effective change management.
The piece also outlines how Demand Chain AI helps organizations assess planning maturity, strengthen core processes, and apply advanced tools across demand sensing, trade promotion optimization, supply planning, and production scheduling to support scalable, sustainable growth.
Click the link to read the full post and listen to Rob share his expertise.
