Predicting demand for configurable products

PresenterDr. Helmut Linde
Bio

Dr. Helmut Linde, Head of Science & Technology for SAP Performance and Insight Optimization Services.

Dr. Linde has built up and leads an international team of analysts and software developers who offer scientific business consulting services in various industries. Being part of SAP Consulting, this group works tightly together with industry experts and SAP Business Objects consultants to develop and deliver advanced analytics solutions for business problems like pricing or portfolio management. Next to his experience in SAP Services, Dr. Linde has a track record of innovative scientific research and holds a Ph.D. in mathematical physics from Pontifícia Universidad Católica in Santiago de Chile.
CompanySAP Deutschland AG     
Abstract

To meet customer requirements or to enter new markets, manufacturing companies offer an ever growing variety of product variants and extra equipments. While helping to gain market share, these variants drive up business complexity and costs in production and logistics. Finding the right portfolio of variants and extras, as well as pricing them optimally, is a difficult task since the response of the market to changes is difficult to foresee. Statistical models can provide sales forecasts that take into account the complex cannibalization effects between different variants, as well as the effect of extra equipment offerings on the over-all sales. Based on such a prediction, companies can optimize their offering and sell only what the market really needs – at the price that yields the highest profit.

Key learning points:

  • Many different factors have to be taken into account to come up with a good portfolio and pricing
  • Statistical models provide surprising insights and can help to optimize a portfolio of configurable products
Audience Management Focus::  General Audience,   Project Manager, Configuration Mgr/Dir, Business Mgr
PresentationWhen Available

Return to overview