Case Study: How Claret is improving wine sales forecasting for Duckhorn

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The challenge

In 2021, amidst rapid expansion and the unpredictable demands brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Duckhorn faced the need for a robust demand planning process. The company recognized that its growth trajectory could be at risk without addressing potential inventory exceptions and managing demand fluctuations. Tony Picetti, Vice President of Demand Planning, identified the urgent need for a sophisticated tool to support this critical business function. Tony explained, "The company needed to get out in front of these problems, as we knew we couldn’t afford to stumble, which could permanently alter our growth trajectory."

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Selecting Claret

Tony Picetti brought valuable experience from using other products from ZAM Apps, such as EZDemand (predecessor to Claret) and VinoEZ. When tasked with establishing a demand planning process at Duckhorn, Tony naturally gravitated towards Claret. He trusted that Claret could provide a user-friendly, effective solution for capturing sales team insights and translating them into accurate forecasts. "I immediately engaged with the company to get started," Tony recalled. "We needed a proper tool to support our demand planning process, and Claret was the clear choice."

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Implementation

The implementation of Claret began swiftly in April 2021. By early June of the same year, the sales team at Duckhorn was actively using the system. The rapid deployment was facilitated by clear instructions from leadership, particularly the CEO, emphasizing the importance of accuracy in forecasts. This directive helped set a strong foundation for the system's adoption and success. Tony noted, "We were able to implement it quite quickly and the Sales team immediately provided a useful and accurate forecast."

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Adapting Claret within the business

Duckhorn primarily utilizes two main features within Claret: Sales Collaboration and Inventory Workbench - Partner. The sales team inputs their depletion forecasts, which is then converted into shipment forecasts for production and finance. This integration ensures that all demand planning activities are centralized within Claret, enhancing efficiency and accuracy. Tony shared, "The entire demand planning process occurs in Claret. All Claret users are on the Sales team, and they have adapted to it very well."

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How Claret has added value

Since implementing Claret, Duckhorn has experienced several significant benefits:

• Improved Forecast Accuracy: Although forecast accuracy wasn't tracked before using EZDemand/Claret, it has improved consistently each year since implementation. Tony highlighted, "Forecast accuracy has improved every year since implementation. We’re able to provide accurate forecasts to the business which in turn makes it possible for the business to communicate externally about what their expectations should be."
• Enhanced Communication: Accurate forecasts allow Duckhorn to set clear expectations both internally and externally, improving overall business communication.
• Efficient Demand Planning: The tool has streamlined the demand planning process, enabling the sales team to input forecasts quickly and effectively.