Methods for Improving Forecast Management at Northern Trail Outfitters (NTO)

CD

To correct how forecasts are managed and address the issue at Northern Trail Outfitters (NTO), the organization should consider implementing the following two methods:

B. Configure weekly customized forecast reports and dashboards to be emailed to sales management: By configuring weekly customized forecast reports and dashboards, NTO can automate the delivery of forecast information to sales management. This approach ensures that the sales directors have timely access to the updated forecast data without having to rely on individual sales representatives to provide the information. The reports and dashboards can be tailored to include the specific forecast metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that are relevant to NTO's sales process. This method enhances transparency and enables sales directors to stay informed about their teams' performance without requiring manual updates.

D. Create a forecast hierarchy and assign managers to the forecast manager role: Creating a forecast hierarchy is essential for effective forecast management. By establishing a hierarchy, NTO can define reporting relationships between sales representatives and their respective managers. The hierarchy should align with the organizational structure and reflect the sales team's reporting relationships accurately. Once the hierarchy is defined, managers can be assigned the forecast manager role. This role grants them the necessary permissions to view and update the forecasts of their respective team members. Enabling this hierarchy ensures that sales directors have the ability to access their teams' forecasts, streamlines the forecasting process, and enables better collaboration between managers and their sales representatives.

A. Create forecast Chatter groups where sales representatives can post and share their forecasts: This option is not the most effective solution to the problem at hand. While creating forecast Chatter groups can facilitate collaboration and information sharing among sales representatives, it does not address the core issue of sales directors being unable to see or update their teams' forecasts. Chatter groups would primarily serve as a communication platform, but it does not provide a systematic and organized approach to forecast management or solve the problem of sales directors needing access to forecast information.

C. Enable override forecast permission in the Manager's profile: Enabling the override forecast permission in the Manager's profile is also not an appropriate solution in this scenario. The purpose of this permission is to allow managers to manually adjust or override the forecasts submitted by their sales representatives. However, it does not solve the problem of sales directors not having visibility into their teams' forecasts. Additionally, granting the override forecast permission to managers can lead to inconsistencies and undermine the accuracy of the forecast data.

In summary, the two methods that NTO should use to correct how forecasts are managed are:

• Configure weekly customized forecast reports and dashboards to be emailed to sales management.
• Create a forecast hierarchy and assign managers to the forecast manager role.