{"id":2785,"date":"2025-02-18T17:12:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T16:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tenglerconsulting.com\/?p=2785"},"modified":"2026-02-06T09:25:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T08:25:38","slug":"breaking-free-from-operational-firefighting-but-how","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tenglerconsulting.com\/en\/breaking-free-from-operational-firefighting-but-how\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking free from operational firefighting \u2013 but how?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Breaking free from operational firefighting \u2013 but how?
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The origins of the vicious cycle of firefighting<\/span><\/h3>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]Many companies, from SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to large industrial enterprises, are all too familiar with this scenario: demand fluctuations and production bottlenecks create disruptions in the supply chain. In response, management steps in to make day-to-day operational decisions, ensuring that customers still receive their orders and that goods are \u201csomehow delivered\u201d.<\/p>\n

This high focus on immediate operational issues means there\u2019s little time left for strategic planning or proactive capacity management according to customer needs. Companies end up in a reactive mode, lacking forward visibility and failing to prevent avoidable disruptions that further affect daily operations.<\/p>\n

This marks the beginning of the vicious cycle of \u201cfirefighting\u201d: the more time spent solving operational problems, the less time remains for proactive solutions\u2014leading to even more operational issues down the line.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row section_type=”fullwidth” columns_gap=”60″][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″]

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<\/div>[vc_column_text css=”” text_style=”small-text”]Figure 1: cycle of firefighting[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row section_type=”fullwidth” padding_bottom_multiplier=”2x” columns_gap=”60″][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=”” text_style=”small-text”]02<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]

The way out<\/span><\/h3>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]Developing a proactive resource management approach is the quickest and most effective way to break this cycle and transform the company\u2019s planning culture. This means establishing structured routines that allow companies to identify potential problems early, simulate different planning scenarios, and make the best mitigation decisions in advance.<\/p>\n

Rocket science? Hardly.
\nDifficult to implement? With the right approach, companies can quickly stabilize operational planning, streamline execution, and build trust between departments.<\/p>\n

Step one: start small with operational capacity management
\n<\/strong>The first challenge is to gradually shift focus from immediate operational concerns to forward-looking planning.<\/p>\n

It is recommended to start with a pilot phase, focusing on managing capacity in high-risk bottleneck areas to achieve maximum impact with minimal effort and IT requirements. This quickly brings more stability to the supply chain and frees up resources from the firefighting.
\nThe results from the pilot help to secure company-wide buy-in, and to initiate a cultural shift from reactive to proactive decision-making. Employees begin reassessing their current responsibilities and take an active role in refining planning processes.
\nWe\u2019ve supported companies through this transition, achieving productivity increases (overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)) of 10\u201315% and OTIF (share of on-time in-full deliveries) improvements of 5\u201310%.<\/p>\n

Following a successful pilot, the next step is to transition to process-driven operations. Companies expand planning focus, integrate additional resources into operational capacity planning, and develop long-term IT solutions.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row section_type=”fullwidth” columns_gap=”60″][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″]

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<\/div>[vc_column_text css=”” text_style=”small-text”]Figure 2: operational capacity management[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row section_type=”fullwidth” padding_bottom_multiplier=”2x” columns_gap=”60″][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]While operational capacity management is extended for all resources and locations, the next step starts in parallel.<\/p>\n

Step two: expand the planning horizon with Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)<\/strong>
\nAs companies establish forward-looking visibility through operational capacity management, new challenges emerge that require a broader planning approach:<\/p>\n