---
id: what-s-a-good-starting-point-for-supply-chain-planning-improvement
title: "What's a Good Starting Point for Supply Chain Planning Improvement?"
category: guide
subtopic: high-impact-starting-point
page_type: guide
source_url: "https://neosbyargonandco.com/how-to-build-a-business-case-for-advanced-supply-chain-planning"
tags: ["supply chain", "implementation strategy", "ROI", "crawl-walk-run"]
questions:
  - "Where should we start with supply chain planning improvements?"
  - "How do we implement supply chain planning incrementally?"
  - "What areas have the highest impact for planning?"
related: [business-case-supply-chain, estimate-roi]
---

Rather than trying to solve everything at once, focus on a single area with high visibility and high pain. Good starting points include:

- Inventory optimization (e.g., 5% reduction across a $50M supply chain frees $2.5M in tied-up capital)
- Demand forecasting (improves service levels and reduces expedited freight costs)
- Supply and capacity planning (reduces firefighting and manual adjustments)

This 'crawl-walk-run' strategy is ideal for mid-market businesses. You start small, show results quickly, and expand once you've proven value. Gartner research shows companies that digitize planning processes see a 20% reduction in inventory and up to 15% improvement in service levels.

Best-of-breed tools integrate with your existing ERP without rip-and-replace disruption, delivering value within months rather than years. By starting focused, you build momentum and internal buy-in for broader transformation.

Neos by Argon & Co can help you identify and scope your ideal starting point. Contact us for a strategy discussion.