Planning has a major impact on companies' operational performance. And because planning is still largely a manual task, it is the planners of this world who largely determine how efficiently and effectively a company operates. But what do we really know about logistics planners? Not too much. Some companies see logistics planners particularly as a cost - these are particularly the kind of companies that consider just about everything to be a cost. They like to have planning done in low-wage countries - offshoring - and centralise it in a so-called control tower.
Integrating vague information
There are also logistics companies that view planning as an almost magical process, which non-planners understand very little about. Fortunately, there are also companies that realise that human planners have their strengths and weaknesses, and that the trick is to develop those strengths and support the weaknesses. Human planners are particularly good at integrating large amounts of vague information. They can adapt their strategy to the situation and are able to influence the planning problem itself, by negotiating or seeking creative solutions. They can be greatly assisted in this by planning systems, which can carry out the large number of calculations resulting from a planning decision.
"I don't know of any companies that have specifically considered the job requirements of a logistics planner"
Preventing problems rather than putting them out
In most cases, the logistics planner remains the decision-maker. I am not aware of any companies that have specifically considered the job requirements for a logistics planner, even though this has a significant impact on performance. When selecting a good planner, the following qualities should be considered: a good memory, attention to detail, an open and fair attitude, resilience to stress, a balanced and stable personality that can cope with pressure, organisational skills, communication and negotiation skills, a curious mindset, creativity, a penchant for problem-solving, and a certain degree of modesty. A logistics planner certainly shouldn’t be someone who enjoys running noisily from one small fire to another – on the contrary, the logistics planner must ensure that such a fire doesn’t break out in the first place. People who like to play the hero will unconsciously allow problems to escalate until the smoke starts coming out!
What do you think makes a logistics planner good? Let me know!
