Supply Chain, Satisfação dos Clientes e o Custo dos Inventários: um Modelo para Otimização

Forecasting sales for a new or even an established product involves a multidisciplinary approach on the part of firms, as it requires interfaces with different areas of the organization. This article seeks to develop a mathematical model which indicates the optimal level of service needed to satisfy a firm’s customers and maximize its profitability for any given accuracy of sales estimates, opportunity costs associated with loss of revenue due to a lack of products for sale and a determined inventory cost. The results indicate the benefits that can be obtained by companies when they implement better sales forecasting processes and the importance, in a fluctuating interest rate environment, of preserving flexibility in the management of inventories and customers’ expectations. Conclusions are also presented regarding the economic benefits of better information regarding market demand, and its role in enhancing customer satisfaction and reducing the amount of capital invested in stocks, contributing to integrate different organizational areas such as Supply Chain, Marketing and Finance