Strategic Resource Allocation Techniques

I am often asked by students and few early stage professionals, my experience with practical uses of ABC analysis. Here are some practical uses of ABC analysis in logistics: 1. Inventory management: ABC analysis helps in identifying the critical items that contribute the most to sales value or production, so resources and attention can be focused on managing these items more efficiently. This could involve tighter inventory control, more frequent stock counts, or maintaining higher safety stock levels for items in category A. 2. Order processing and fulfillment: Prioritizing items based on their classification ensures that items with higher sales or demand receive faster and more accurate order processing and fulfillment. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and reduced lead times for high-priority items. 3. Supplier management: By understanding the importance of items in different categories, logistics managers can work closely with suppliers to ensure a steady and reliable supply of critical items (A-category) while being more flexible with less critical items (C-category). 4. Warehouse layout and picking strategies: High-priority items (A-category) can be strategically placed closer to the shipping area to minimize picking time and expedite order fulfillment. This can lead to reduced labor costs and increased picking efficiency. 5. Transportation optimization: ABC analysis can influence transportation decisions, such as using faster shipping methods for high-priority items or consolidating shipments for low-priority items to reduce transportation costs. 6. Resource allocation: By knowing which items are most critical, logistics managers can allocate resources, such as labor and equipment, more effectively to meet demand and avoid bottlenecks. 7. Product lifecycle management: ABC analysis can be applied to different stages of a product's lifecycle. For example, new products might start as C-category items and gradually move up to A-category as their demand increases. 8. Risk management: High-priority items are often critical to business success, so having contingency plans in place to handle disruptions in supply or demand for these items becomes more crucial. 9. Cost control: By focusing on high-value items, logistics managers can better control costs associated with handling, storage, and transportation for the most critical products. 10. Forecasting: Demand planners would like to focus on A class SKUs, to derive better forecasting accuracy, than C class SKUs. Overall, ABC analysis provides valuable insights into the importance of various items in logistics operations, helping businesses streamline their processes, improve customer service, and optimize their supply chain performance.

35% of our accounts brought in just 12% revenue But we were treating them exactly like our biggest customers, stunting our growth We had fallen into the resource allocation trap: our monolith CS team was treating every customer identically. Each person managed 60+ accounts, juggling implementation, onboarding, ongoing support, AND relationship management for everyone from $4K to $40K customers. The result? Our high-value clients weren't getting the strategic attention they deserved, while our CS team burned out putting out fires across all account sizes. We were democratizing mediocrity instead of optimizing for impact. So we restructured everything: > Split CS responsibilities by expertise (technical vs. relationship management) > Created three tiers based on ACV with appropriate resource allocation > Let Account managers handle high-touch relationships for top accounts > Moved smaller accounts to efficient self-serve support with enhanced documentation Our enterprise clients finally got the white-glove experience they paid for, and our smaller accounts got faster, more efficient support. Win-win. What's your approach to customer success resource allocation? #B2B #CustomerService #GTM #Factors

47 projects. 3 days. 1 decisive outcome. $50M saved. A client brought us in to evaluate their entire development pipeline. The challenge: Limited resources, unlimited ideas, and no clear way to choose winners. The process: - Evaluated each project against underserved customer outcomes - Scored initiatives on their ability to deliver customer value - Identified projects addressing overserved or irrelevant outcomes - Optimized high-priority initiatives for cost, effort, and risk The results: - 12 projects immediately accelerated with additional resources - 23 projects reconsidered or abandoned - 12 projects optimized to deliver more customer value - Estimated $50M saved in misdirected development costs The transformation: From a scattered approach, hoping something would work, to a focused strategy targeting known opportunities. When you know precisely which customer outcomes are underserved, resource allocation becomes strategic instead of political. How much development effort could your organization redirect toward higher-value opportunities?

When launching growth initiatives, we often aim for their Total Addressable Market (TAM)—the largest potential market we can reach. However, this can lead to spreading our efforts too thin and disappointing results. Instead, focusing on the Service Obtainable Market (SOM)—the segment we can realistically serve with current capabilities—provides a more achievable target and smarter resource allocation. Concentrating on SOM allows us to create strategies tailored to the specific needs of the customers we are prepared to serve right now. This approach aligns better with current market demands and increases the potential for sustainable growth. Starting strong in a smaller area can pave the way for broader success later. Examples: • 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: A dessert brand focuses on introducing its new frozen treat in warmer temp regional markets with a known appreciation for frozen desserts before planning a nationwide launch. • 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲: A beverage company launches a new line of organic juices in cities known for health-conscious consumers to test market reaction before rolling it out to broader markets. • 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹: A gourmet snack company begins selling its new artisanal chocolates in upscale grocery stores, aiming to establish a premium brand image before expanding to more general supermarkets. To do this... 1. We have to say 'NO' to the allure of being opportunistic 2. We have to say "YES' to winning where we've already got strength 3. We have to niche down into our SOM until it hurts (especially for visionaries) Last year, we were winning new clients at Schaefer in many categories. Sidnee and I were saying "yes" a lot. We saw opportunities everywhere, and we doubled our revenue year over year. That sounds like a win, right? Wrong. Not all growth is healthy. In the process, we discovered that our win rates were far lower outside of our niche (food & beverage). We were expending far more energy into these other deals than when we showed up to a new opportunity with the deep experience we have in food and beverage brands. The difference was stark! By conserving more energy and resources during the sales and operations process, we've found that we win more work, have better output across all clients, and are carving out a leadership position as a boutique research and marketing strategy firm helping food, beverage, and nutrition brands nail their next expansion. How can being more focused on the customers you currently serve help you find more success? --------------------------------------------------------------- 🤔 Poor strategy kills even the greatest effort --------------------------------------------------------------- Need help entering a new market? Geography | Verticals | Product | M&A We can help you make the right decisions. Backed by strategy.

A CEO called me last month sounding defeated. He'd just spent three hours in the most frustrating board meeting of his career. "Omi, every department made compelling cases for bigger budgets. Marketing showed 2,400 leads generated. Sales demonstrated improved qualification processes. Customer Success proved 87% retention. Operations highlighted 12% cost reductions. Each presentation was excellent." "So what's the problem?" I asked. "I have no idea which department actually drives revenue. I'm making million-dollar decisions based on educated guesses." He's not alone. Harvard Business Review research reveals 68% of CEOs cannot confidently attribute revenue to specific departmental activities. From an anthropological perspective, this lack of clarity creates a negative pattern: when humans lack clear data, they create decision-making rituals that feel rational but produce random outcomes. Budget meetings turn into departmental sales pitches instead of data-driven strategy. The loudest voice wins. Historical bias rules. Relationship dynamics influence allocation more than performance data. This CEO had learned the cost the hard way. Six months earlier, he'd allocated an extra $500K to marketing based on impressive lead generation metrics. Revenue stayed flat. The real problem was in their sales process, which needed enablement investment instead. Total cost: $500K misallocated + $1.5M in missed opportunities = $2M attribution error. 😬 "I'm tired of flying blind," he told me. "Which departments should actually get the biggest budget increases?" We implemented a unified attribution framework that tracked customer journeys from first marketing touch through expansion revenue. Within 90 days, he had clear answers. • Budget allocation transformed from political compromise to strategic optimization. • Department conflicts disappeared when everyone aligned around revenue outcomes instead of activity metrics. His next board meeting lasted 45 minutes instead of three hours. Clear attribution data eliminated departmental advocacy sessions and enabled confident resource allocation. The $2M question has a data-driven answer. The technology exists. The competitive advantage belongs to CEOs who can answer with confidence. How long will you let attribution uncertainty prevent optimal resource allocation? #RevenueLeadership #SuccessStories #RevOps

If you had unlimited human resources, would your projects actually be more successful? Let’s break down one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of project success: resource management. Getting resource management right is the difference between projects that stumble and projects that deliver with precision. It’s about more than just assigning people or tools, it is about understanding these: ✅ What resources are needed to achieve project goals. ✅ When they’re needed so timelines stay intact. ✅ Who is responsible for driving outcomes. ✅ How resources depend on one another, ensuring smooth flow and reducing bottlenecks. When you align these elements, you do not just meet deadlines you deliver within the parameters set by your client and create sustainable value. The truth is, projects do not fail because of lack of talent or effort; they fail when resources are misaligned or mismanaged. Strategic resource management is the glue that keeps planning and execution together. Key Action Points for Effective Resource Management: 1. Map resources early: identify people, tools, budget, and tech before execution begins. 2. Define roles clearly : assign ownership so there’s no confusion on “who does what.” 3. Align timing: ensure resources are available exactly when needed, not sitting idle or arriving late. 4. Check dependencies: spot where one task or resource relies on another to avoid bottlenecks. 5. Balance capacity: don’t overload team members; match tasks with realistic capacity. 6. Monitor continuously: track usage and adjust in real time when priorities shift. 7. Communicate often: keep everyone updated to prevent gaps and overlapping efforts. When you apply these steps consistently, resource management stops being a back-office checklist and becomes a strategic advantage, delivering projects on time, on budget, and with client trust intact. The truth is, success is not about having more people, it is about managing the right resources at the right time #FolaElevates #StrategicProjectLeadership #ResourceManagement #ProjectExecution

Technology Resource Pipeline Planning: The Strategic Advantage that Every Organization Needs In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, the difference between thriving and merely surviving often comes down to one critical factor: “strategic resource pipeline planning”. Too many times I have found organizations are in a reactive mode—frantically searching for talent when projects are already underway, or discovering skill gaps when deadlines are looming. This approach not only just impact delivery timelines; it compromises innovation potential and competitive positioning. So What’s an effective technology resource pipeline planning looks like: 🔍 Skills Forecasting: Analyzing upcoming projects and technology roadmaps to identify future talent needs 6-12 months in advance. This starts at the planning phase and keeping an inventory of your current talent pool helps. 📊 Capacity Modeling: Understanding current team capabilities and mapping them against projected workloads to identify potential bottlenecks. Keeping a buffer/talent bench helps but it’s a privilege few can afford recently. 🎯 Strategic Talent Acquisition: Building relationships with key talent before you need them, not when desperation sets in. Augment the FTE pool with contractors if necessary , but as leaders always have an eye for talent in every professional interaction. 🚀 Internal Development Pathways: Creating clear progression routes that align individual growth with organizational technology evolution. Identifying potential and invest in up-skilling your team. Also this will lead to my next point, cross skill. 💡 Cross-Training Initiatives: Developing T-shaped professionals who can bridge skill gaps and provide flexibility during transitions. Your next talent hire might come from the teams you interact regularly. Consciously practicing these approaches will build sustainable competitive advantages. This will prepare organizations to launch products on schedule, adapt quickly to market changes, and attract top talent. The bottom line: Resource pipeline planning isn't just a project management task. It's a strategic imperative that requires collaboration between technology leadership, talent acquisition, and business strategy teams. #TechLeadership #ResourcePlanning #TalentStrategy #TechnologyManagement #Innovation #TeamBuilding

6 Strategy Secrets from a Ex-McKinsey Partner: Robert McLean. As strategists, we’re often tasked with navigating ambiguity and untangling complex business problems. Over time, I’ve found the McKinsey`s Hypothesis Driven strategy approach as being the most accurate and efficient approach to tackle these strategy problems. Ex-McKinsey partner Robert McLean covers this approach so well in his book “Bulletproof Problem Solving”. Below are the key takeaways from this playbook for any strategist or strategy driven minds: 1️⃣ Define Problems ✅ Poorly defined problems sink strategies before they even start. ✅ Nail down the real strategy question ✅Force clarity on: Specific Question being answered, Measurable Criteria for Success, Key Constraints (Time, $, Values) etc. ✅Ensures you're solving the actual strategic challenge, not a symptom or a different problem entirely. 2️⃣ Disaggregate the problem using Logic Trees. ✅Break the defined problem into its core components and drivers. ✅Use Logic Trees that are MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) to capture all core components. ✅This Identifies the true, underlying drivers and potential levers for your strategy, preventing gaps or overlaps in thinking.  ✅The "critical path" emerges – the sequence of analyses most likely to yield the solution efficiently.  ✅Generate the hypotheses: The most likely solution to the defined strategic problem. 3️⃣ Prioritize via Impact/Influence Matrix. ✅You can't analyze everything and spreading effort too thin guarantees mediocrity. ✅Use a 2x2 matrix plotting the potential impact of addressing a branch of your logic tree against your team's ability to influence that lever. ✅Focus ruthlessly on the high-impact, high-influence quadrant to allocate resources effectively. 4️⃣ Build Hypothesis-Driven Workplans. ✅Every single analysis in your workplan must directly link to testing a specific Hypothesis derived from your logic tree. ✅Specify the exact question each analysis answers, the data needed, owner, deadline, and the precise output format (Tip: "dummy up" charts before analysis). 5️⃣ De-Bias Your Team's Thinking. ✅Avoid letting cognitive biases derail objective analysis and lead to flawed strategies. ✅Mandate an "Obligation to Dissent".  Assign someone to argue the opposite view ✅Conduct Pre-Mortem Analysis (What could kill this strategy?).  ✅Rigorously apply "What You'd Have to Believe" questioning to surface hidden assumptions. 6️⃣ Synthesize Visually, Structure Narratively. ✅Don't just present data; synthesize insights (visually link back to your logic tree!). ✅Structure your story using the Pyramid Principle: 1. Governing Thought, 2. Key Arguments 3. Supporting Evidence. ✅Use Visual Storytelling (charts that clearly communicate the "so what?").   📌 A worthy playbook.