Demand-Driven Inventory Optimization and Replenishment: Creating a More Efficient Supply Chain

Epilogue

Thank you for reading my book on demand-driven inventory optimization and replenishment. I hope that you found it to be insightful and that it will help you move your company along a successful pathway in driving a pull-based supply chain focused on synchronizing demand signals from the customer.

So, what happened with the lawyer's house in Bremerton, Washington? I have to smile at this because I have made scores and scores of presentations about demand-driven inventory optimization and replenishment for at least 10 years, and invariably someone will come up to me and mention the lawyer's house instead of anything regarding inventory optimization. I guess the old saw is true—leave people with a picture in their minds and they will remember you forever.

When we left our little story about the lawyer in Bremerton, Washington, he and his family were the talk of the town. Everyone in their middle-class homes aspired to be just like him and have all the trappings of wealth and influence. As I said, the house was on everyone's list of places to show out-of-town visitors. People would drive by and take pictures of the beautiful house on the hill overlooking Puget Sound.

However, one night when no one was home a fire started. Indeed, the lawyer and his family were on an extended vacation. Due to the location, neighbors did not see the flames until it was too late to save the house. The fire raged for hours while fire trucks contained the flames so that they did not spread to ...