Automotive

Automotive companies today face increasing challenges to maximizing both profitability and customer service. Product mixes are more diverse, requiring advanced forecasting processes, portfolio analysis, and efficient Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP). To combat lower margins, auto manufacturers need to automate routine and complex decision-making processes to reduce costs. Supply chain networks are more complex. Operations departments must collaborate in real-time with suppliers and develop robust supply chains systems. Customers are more demanding and in highly competitive markets, outstanding customer service is essential.

Solutions

The Vanguard System™ is a comprehensive business solution for improving the quality, reliability, and speed of management decisions. It does this by helping you Collaborate with colleagues on important plans, Analyze alternatives using state-of-the-art modeling and simulation techniques, Automate routine decisions using expert system technology, and Improve overall management effectiveness by adding structure to a normally chaotic process.

Business improvement is all about working smarter. Vanguard brings together the people, analytics, and systems required to help your business operate intelligently.

Here are just a few of the ways Vanguard supports the automotive industry:

• Sales and operations planning (S&OP): Enable real-time collaboration between Marketing & Sales and Operations to ensure production capacity can profitably support customer demand (and vice versa).
• Supply chain planning: Optimize your supply chain network, inventory levels, distribution plans, and more.
• Information sharing: Involve suppliers and customers in planning processes. Dynamically receive their latest demand and material availability estimates.
• Demand forecasting: Predict demand for final products and raw materials, even when historical data is scarce.
• Mix / Portfolio analysis: Optimize product portfolios, pricing, and promotions.
• Product development: Accurately estimate lifecycle costs and forecast adoption across all channels.
• Operational efficiency: Conduct process improvement/Six Sigma projects to reduce costs, cycle times, and waste.
• Equipment diagnostics: Expertly guide operators, technicians, and support agents through complex troubleshooting processes using automated question-and-answer sessions.
• Surveys and research: Know your market and understand your customers' needs, wishes, and opinions using online surveys.

Content Management System (CMS)

Vanguard CMS is a Web-based expert system development tool for non-programmers. CMS Web-based applications guide customers or employees through complex decision-making processes using interactive, intelligent question and answer sessions. They are core software applications that can improve the operational efficiency of your key business processes.

Automotive development and business activities can be streamlined using expert systems that automate routine decisions. Subject experts can automate their expertise in CMS applications, and automotive engineers and business workers can interact with CMS applications that contain the development and business expertise they need. The rules-based design of CMS applications enforces consistency in decisions across the company.