As a Customer Supply Chain leader, your goal is to guide your team toward a smooth and successful holiday season.

However, what is often a season of joy and celebration can also be one of the most challenging and chaotic times—particularly for those tasked with managing the day-to-day demands of the Customer Supply Chain.

To help you navigate this holiday season with confidence, we reached out to Brennan Stoufflet, our Director of CPFR, who shares three essential questions every Customer Supply Chain leader should be asking. These insights are drawn from his extensive experience leading CPFR teams across various CPG suppliers, where he has learned valuable lessons through trial and error.

You may have already addressed these areas, but, keeping these three questions top of mind is crucial this holiday season:

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1. Have you established a shared scorecard / KPI tracker with all major stakeholders—both internal and external—to effectively monitor and communicate performance?

For instance: Does your sales team know how you will share shipments and orders each day/week throughout November and December?

Given that resources are more constrained than usual during this time and normal weekly "check-in" meetings may be skipped, it’s essential to align on expectations upfront and maintain consistent communication throughout the busy season.

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Pro-tip for your scorecard / KPI tracker: Focus on the top 1-3 key items or results to share with each stakeholder, and keep the communication clear and simple.

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2. Do you have a clearly defined coverage plan for this holiday season?

The holidays and PTO go hand in hand. Everyone deserves to celebrate in their own way and fully enjoy their time off—without the added worry of coverage while they’re away.

While a little holiday stress is inevitable, we’d much rather it come from finding the perfect joke gift than from confusion within your team.

To keep your operation running seamlessly and ensure your team feels supported, share a coverage plan with all stakeholders.

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Make sure to clearly outline these details in your coverage plan:

1. Who is working during the week

2. Who is responsible for weekend coverage

3. Who is handling holiday shifts

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3. What is your contingency plan for when things don't go according to the plan?

While you cannot anticipate every curveball the holiday season might bring, a well-thought out contingency plan is essential for keeping your customer supply chain on track and minimizing the effects of disruptions such as shipping delays, inventory shortages, and fluctuating order volumes.

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Here are three key questions to consider for your contingency plan:

1. What are the triggers for escalation?

2. Who gets notified—and how (email, phone call, etc.)?

3. How will issues be resolved?

Maintaining open communication channels with internal teams, suppliers, and retailer counterparts will ensure everyone is aligned and can adapt quickly when the unexpected occurs.  

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4. Bonus: How are you recognizing your team's effort and rewarding achievements during the holiday season?

It’s easy to get swept up in the chaos of closing out the holiday season on a high note.

But instead of letting everyone race to the finish line and then disengage for the holidays, take a moment as a leader to be present.

Pause, gather your team, and take the time to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments!

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Closing thoughts:

The holiday season is here, and you and your Customer Supply Chain team have worked hard to ensure you're fully prepared to navigate the busy weeks ahead.

With the end of the year almost wrapped up, let's keep things running smoothly and finish strong.

Happy holidays!