Demand Analysis
The purpose of any infrastructure is to provide a service.
The challenge to asset managers is to define and deliver a particular level of service that balances the needs of the customers with the asset's long-term ability to deliver.
Demand planning optimizes all stakeholder needs. It is a key component of Asset Strategic Planning, and helps an organization to clearly understand the demand for its services, now and into the future. It is a process of analysis and then management.
The key steps are shown below:
In the first stage - demand analysis - the asset manager gains a thorough understanding of all factors that will affect the future delivery of services:
- Past performance of the assets
- Historical demand for services
- Customer and stakeholder needs
- Changes in the current and future business environment that could affect the organization's ability to deliver its desired levels of service.
Managing expectations and actual delivery is the key. It balances customers' and stakeholders' desires with the organization's ability to deliver, by controlling or influencing demand.
Demand management also considers non-asset strategies for delivery.
The combination of these two steps aims to produce a deliverable and acceptable level of service to all parties.