Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup

We Will Be Posting 2008 Dates and Hosts Soon!

As forecasting and inventory managers, you are responsible for a company’s largest asset. Inventory management and forecasting are strategic issues. Companies that recognize this fact can typically provide higher levels of service to their customers and post higher profits. Developing a comprehensive inventory strategy involves a number of departments — including fulfillment, marketing, and merchandising — as well as inventory control. It also involves implementing inventory best practices. At the Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup we will be concentrating on the forecasting, marketing, merchandising, and inventory management side of the business.

What is a Benchmarking ShareGroup?
A ShareGroup has a few important parts to it: 1) Operational benchmarking metrics, 2) hot topic discussions and strategic planning, and 3) networking opportunities with other directors and managers of forecasting, merchandising, and inventory departments.

1. Operational Benchmarking Metrics
We will be reviewing a series of benchmarking metrics and reports that show the operating cost and productivity comparisons between participating companies. There are over 100 different metrics that are benchmarked within your company’s operations. These benchmarks are to be used as a “barometer” at your company to identify where you stand at this particular time and where you should focus your attention to maximize improvements in your operations. The detailed data and profiles will provide actionable benchmarks for forecasting, merchandising, and inventory departments. None of the data will be tied to your particular company, except through a code that only your company knows, in order to protect the company and their data being shared.

2. Small Group Discussions and Strategic Planning
The Forecasting & Inventory Management ShareGroup will bring together forecasting, merchandising, and inventory managers in an open forum setting to discuss and examine benchmarking data; inventory hot topics and issues; and best practices in within multichannel businesses. A ShareGroup is a peer-to-peer exchange of ideas where prior to attending, each participant is asked about his or her areas of interest so that these hot topics can be entered into the meeting’s agenda. The agenda is updated regularly after each participant is interviewed before the ShareGroup. The final hot topic list will be e-mailed to each participant prior to the ShareGroup. Please review the base list of hot topic questions and issues. Feel free to add to this list at any time.

Who is Eligible to Participate?
To become a member of the 2007 Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup, your company must: have annual sales in excess of $10 million, and be able to share with the group on an open but confidential basis about industry best practices that work or don’t work at your company.

In addition to the above qualifications you must be able to: 1. Share your company's profile and comparative information being collected (on a blind basis) with other members of the ShareGroup. 2. Collect and submit your company's information to F. Curtis Barry & Company no later than September 7, 2007.

Who Should Attend this ShareGroup?
This two-day ShareGroup is developed for Vice President Merchandising Operations, Directors of Inventory, Inventory Control Managers, Inventory Re-buyers, Inventory Analysts, Inventory Forecasting Managers, Inventory Liquidation Managers, Purchasing Managers, and or Vice President Operations.

Membership in this Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup does not require that your company divulge any competitive information on merchandising, marketing, or pricing strategies. It does, however, require your commitment to actively and openly share data and hot topic issues discussions in exchanges with other members of the ShareGroup.
From the data collected, your company will be able to assess how your forecasting, merchandising, and inventory management department(s) measures up to other companies.

You will also be able to discover and discuss ideas that will help you improve your forecasting, merchandising, and inventory management department(s) and implement new methods and concepts with greater confidence.

Dates: September 17-18, 2007 (fly in on Sunday, September 16, 2007)
Location: Charlotte, NC
Forecasting & Inventory Management ShareGroup Fee: $995 for the first person, $400 for each additional participant. The cost includes ShareGroup resource binder, Monday and Tuesday's breakfasts and lunches, cocktail party Monday evening, and conference room rental.
ShareGroup Hotel: Omni Charlotte Hotel – 704-377-0400
Hotel Cost: $179/night (must tell them you are with F. Curtis Barry & Co. Group)

Please contact Jeff Barry via email or call him at 804.740.8743 with any additional questions you might have.

2007 Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup Registration

Fill out the form below to reserve your spot.

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Confidentiality Agreement This agreement is intended to cover the confidentiality of all information provided by the membership of 2007 Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup. The undersigned participant(s) agrees that all operational data, profiles, and other information received as a result of participant’s membership in the ShareGroups is to be deemed Confidential Information. Each participant agrees that Confidential Information will not be sold or shared with companies or individuals that are not active, participating members of the ShareGroup; except that such Confidential Information may be shared in an aggregate, non-company specific format. There will be No discussion by any ShareGroup participant concerning the areas of Marketing Data, Pricing Information, Art, Samples, Product Development or Customer Files. At the end of this Confidentiality Agreement, upon your review of all of the terms and conditions, you will be presented with an "I ACCEPT" button. By clicking on the "I ACCEPT" button you represent that you have reviewed and understand the Confidentiality Agreement, and agree to be legally bound by all its terms and conditions listed in the Confidentiality Agreement. In order to register and participate in this Benchmarking ShareGroup, you must click the “I ACCEPT” button.

2007 Forecasting & Inventory Management Benchmarking ShareGroup Registration

Additional Participants

Confidentiality Agreement