Connecting the Dots With Modernized Decision Intelligence
Decision intelligence has quickly transformed into a must-have for CPGs to remain competitive. It’s all about leveraging the latest in analytics and AI to enable a highly integrated, tech-enabled approach to decision-making. However, many consumer goods organizations fall short of their decision intelligence vision, hindered by a lack of modern IT infrastructure and missing resources.
In this exclusive Q&A, Antoine Villata, CEO, Planisware North America, shares how organizations can assess and fill existing gaps in decision-making to better respond to shifts in consumer behavior and elevate the product development process. He shares how companies like PepsiCo and Suntory Global Spirits have achieved success as a result.
CGT: Where do you see the biggest gaps in organizations’ abilities to connect the dots between their decision-making?
Antoine Villata: One of the most significant gaps is data fragmentation and quality issues, which hinder the ability to create a cohesive and accurate picture necessary for informed, timely decision-making.
Relatedly, organizations often lack integrated frameworks to align the decision-making process with strategic objectives. Without a unified framework, it is challenging to ensure all decisions contribute to the overarching strategic goals.
Old IT systems and outdated tools only make fragmentation worse. With modern data analytics and AI-driven tools evolving fast, these legacy systems just can't keep up — they struggle to handle and analyze big data in real time.
Without the right infrastructure to track progress and KPIs, companies find it tough to hit their goals, keep an eye on strategic progress, and adapt quickly to market changes.
Plus, there's often a skills gap, with teams lacking the know-how — or sometimes even the motivation — to fully embrace advanced decision-making tools. This resistance to change can hold back effective decisions and slow down innovation.
CGT: How can decision intelligence tools help companies effectively anticipate and respond to shifts in consumer behavior?
Villata: Access to real-time data analysis via predictive analytics as well as sophisticated scenario planning capabilities is indispensable for today's business leaders. Instead of relying on weekly or monthly reports, real-time data analysis tools allow decision-makers to continuously monitor and simulate the impacts and risks of changing market trends, competitor strategies, and changes in consumer behavior.
As a result, teams achieve more effective risk mitigation, access to hidden opportunities, and competitive resilience even in volatile markets, all contributing to higher satisfaction and profits.
CGT: What are some technologies that can speed up effective decision-making and sustainable ROI?
Villata: In today’s fast-paced business world, strategic portfolio management (SPM) tools are some of the best decision-making platforms out there. They pull all the critical data and analytics into one system. This both speeds up decision-making and also helps businesses stay agile in their planning. With features like dynamic multi-scenario planning, SPM allows companies to quickly pivot when things change, whether it's the project scope or market conditions. It’s a winner for everyone involved — from executives to portfolio leaders — helping them confidently navigate complex situations.
Leading SPM tools are also using AI and machine learning to supercharge their capabilities. These technologies can quickly sift through data, spot patterns, and make predictions, which means managers can act on insights almost in real time. This kind of data-driven decision-making keeps companies ahead of their competition.
And finally, Monte Carlo Simulations augment SPM by helping predict the impact of different decisions. They use random sampling to model possible outcomes, helping companies understand risks and make better choices, which is especially useful for complex decisions with many variables.
CGT: How can decision intelligence capabilities and solutions enhance product development processes in CPG companies?
Villata: CPG companies often deal with data silos that prevent them from making data-driven decisions — a key driver for adopting strategic portfolio management practices and tools for decision intelligence. As we’ve established, these tools integrate data from diverse sources into a unified platform that provides real-time analytics, resulting in transparent, cross-functional ideation, scenario planning, and progress tracking against KPIs.
By adding sustainability metrics to phase-gate processes, companies can ensure new products meet evolving consumer expectations for eco-friendly options. Finally, these tools provide detailed post-launch analysis, integrating financial data and market feedback to allow companies to more effectively assess product performance, ideate for future product enhancements, and improve their overall innovation strategy.
CGT: Can you share examples where decision technology has led to tangible improvements in product outcomes?
Villata: Suntory Global Spirits, the world's third-largest premium spirits company, leverages Planisware's decision intelligence technology to accelerate product development across 400-450 projects at a time. Using the tool's standardized workflows, automated processes, and real-time data, Suntory Global Spirits can grow its business without skyrocketing operating costs, ensuring it stays ahead in the competitive spirits market.
PepsiCo, a global food and beverage leader, digitalized its innovation processes with Planisware in late 2020. This shift toward real-time data and automated workflows led to significant improvements in transparency, project management, and financial analysis. By leveraging the strategic portfolio management tool’s scenario planning capabilities, PepsiCo streamlined the pre-approval system, proactively adjusted strategy, and greatly enhanced decision-making for senior stakeholders, enabling greater focus on critical issues.
Both of these transformations demonstrate how decision technology can enhance innovation, keeping companies agile and competitive in the consumer goods market.
