Why Planning Teams Must Evolve Beyond Forecasting
Supply chain planning organizations need to transform from number crunchers into strategic "decision shapers" across the entire supply chain, according to Noha Samara, senior director at Gartner.
The shift represents a fundamental change in how planning functions operate within logistics and 3PL operations. Instead of simply generating forecasts and reacting to demand signals, planning teams are being called on to actively influence decisions across procurement, warehousing, transportation, and customer fulfillment.
For 3PL operators, this evolution matters because clients increasingly expect their logistics partners to bring strategic planning capabilities to the table—not just execute on plans handed down from above. The planning function becomes a competitive differentiator when it can help shape smarter decisions about inventory positioning, network design, and resource allocation before problems emerge.
Samara's perspective highlights how the role of planning extends beyond traditional demand forecasting into end-to-end supply chain orchestration. This means planning teams need visibility across multiple functions and the authority to influence decisions that were previously siloed in individual departments.
The practical implication: 3PLs that invest in sophisticated planning capabilities and empower those teams to drive cross-functional decisions will be better positioned to deliver value in an increasingly complex logistics environment.
