A Candid Conversation with Phil Laster: Why ACG Chose ketteQ to Power Smarter Supply Chain Planning

はじめに

I had the opportunity to sit down with Phil Laster, Chief Operating Officer at Alliance Consumer Group (ACG), for a candid conversation about ACG's selection of ketteQ, their implementation experience, the value they've achieved, and why deep integration with Salesforce made all the difference.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, ACG designs, manufactures, and distributes innovative consumer products through brands like NEBO, TRUE, Skeeter Hawk, and iPROTEC. Its products are sold in over 50 countries and over 50,000 retail locations, including major retailers like Amazon, Lowe's, Home Depot, and REI. ACG's supply chain must support multiple demand channels, rapid new product introduction, and dynamic customer requirements. The company needed a more modern and agile supply chain planning solution to keep pace with that growth and complexity.

From improving forecast accuracy to automating customer promise dates, Phil shared how ketteQ is helping ACG plan smarter and move faster.

Q: Please provide some context around the business and supply chain challenges that led you to seek a more modern supply chain planning solution.

Laster: We manage a broad portfolio of brands and SKUs across multiple channels and retail partners, each with its own promotional schedules, replenishment rhythms, and delivery requirements. Our sales volumes and customer expectations have grown significantly in recent years, but our supply chain planning processes haven't kept pace.

We relied too heavily on spreadsheets and outdated tools that couldn't scale or deliver the visibility and collaboration we needed. Promise dates were inconsistent, forecasts lacked confidence, and operations were constantly reacting. We knew we needed a more intelligent and connected solution that could unify sales, supply chain, and inventory planning in one environment and give us the ability to respond proactively instead of reactively.

Q: What were the most significant pain points you hoped to solve with a new planning system?

Laster: My most urgent need was to move away from naïve, first-come, first-served inventory allocation. That approach hurt our ability to serve strategic accounts and meet key delivery expectations. I needed a system that could connect the dots—from our demand plan to the supply plan, and all the way through to order fulfillment.

With over 100 sales reps working across over 30,000 independent accounts and major retail partners like Walmart and REI, we needed real-time available-to-promise (ATP) capabilities. Without that, we were constantly in firefighting mode, reacting instead of planning. ATP isn't just a nice-to-have; it's mission-critical.

Q: When did you first come across ketteQ, and what initially caught your attention?

Laster: I was searching for supply chain planning solutions on Salesforce AppExchange. That's where I found ketteQ, and as it turns out, it was the only supply chain planning solution on the AppExchange. That alone made it stand out.

What caught my attention was that it's built natively on Salesforce. Our sales team works inside Salesforce daily, so bringing supply chain planning into that environment resonated. We wouldn't have to bolt on another system or deal with messy integrations.

Even more importantly, I saw that ketteQ could help us reach more accurate customer promise dates, which we've struggled with across our brands and retail channels. So I wanted to learn more.

Q: Was the need for better promise dates the main driver behind your interest, or were there other issues you were trying to solve?

Laster: Promise dates were a huge factor, but not the only one. We needed better forecasts. We needed more accurate data. We needed to break down silos between sales, supply chain, and operations. Our existing tools just weren't doing the job anymore.

We're growing fast. We sell in over 50 countries, and our products are in over 50,000 retail locations. With that kind of scale, we needed a supply chain planning system that could grow with us and help us collaborate across teams.

Q: What was your overall approach to evaluating solutions?

Laster: We looked at several vendors, including some big names in the industry. But most of what we saw felt like a heavy lift: long timelines, high costs, and complicated rollouts. We wanted something faster, leaner, and more flexible. We weren't looking for a "rip and replace" approach. We wanted something that could quickly plug into what we already had and deliver value.

Q: So why did you ultimately select ketteQ?

Laster: A few big reasons. First, the Salesforce-native architecture. That was a massive plus for us. It meant our sales and operations teams could work within a platform they already knew. That reduced change management and sped up adoption.

Second, the way your team engaged with us. You didn't come in trying to sell a one-size-fits-all solution. You asked the right questions, listened to what mattered most to us, and tailored the approach to our specific needs. The demos weren't theoretical; they showed real solutions to our actual problems.

And third, the flexibility of the platform. We could start small, prove value quickly, and grow into more advanced capabilities. That gave us confidence, not just in the technology, but in the partnership.

Q: How important was the integration of your planning system to the Salesforce Sales Cloud in this selection process?

Laster: It was critical; one of our top selection criteria. Our sales team lives in Salesforce. It's where they input forecasts, place orders, and check inventory daily. Integrating our supply chain planning system with Salesforce wasn't just a convenience; it was essential to driving better execution, productivity, and customer service.

We needed real-time available-to-promise (ATP) data flowing directly from the supply plan into Salesforce. That visibility was a game-changer. It allowed our reps to have more informed, confident conversations with customers at the moment of engagement; no more calling around or waiting for supply updates.

With over 100 sales reps operating in a fast-moving, distribution-centric model, this integration enabled everyone to work from the same system and data. We're also now tying in future-dated pricing so that reps can see forecast performance in units and dollars aligned with their goals and compensation. That level of financial accuracy is essential for our investor and bank reporting.

In short, ketteQ's ability to sit natively on Salesforce and deliver this level of integration with forecasts, inventory, pricing, promotions, and cost expectations all in one place was a key reason we selected.

Q: How did the implementation go once you decided to move forward? And how quickly did you start seeing results?

Laster: We started with demand planning and customer promise dates. That was the logical place to prove value, since both sales and ops were feeling the pain.

The implementation was smooth. How quickly we could deliver value to our teams made a difference. Now, when a sales opportunity in Salesforce hits a particular stage, ketteQ automatically calculates a realistic promise date instantly. That has changed everything.

We saw measurable results in under six months. Better forecasts, tighter inventory control, and fewer surprises. That's fast, and we didn't need an army of consultants to get there.

Q: What kind of impact has this had across the company?

Laster: It's been big. Sales now trusts the dates we're giving customers. The operations team has fewer fire drills. The supply chain has better data, and leadership has more visibility. That's a win across the board.

And because it's in Salesforce, everyone is already familiar with the interface. It doesn't feel like we introduced a new tool; it feels like we just made Salesforce a lot smarter.

Q: What's next for ACG and ketteQ?

Laster: We're expanding. Now that we've seen the impact on demand planning and promise dates, we're looking at inventory optimization, replenishment, and supplier planning. There's a lot more we can do with ketteQ.

The great thing is, we're not doing a massive rollout all at once. We're growing into it. That flexibility lets us match capability with business readiness.

Q: What advice would you give to other supply chain leaders evaluating the planning solutions?

Laster: Don't assume you must go with one of the big, traditional supply chain planning providers. And don't assume you need to sign up for a 2-year transformation project just to get results.

Look for a solution that fits your people and your processes. For us, that was ketteQ. It helped us move fast, show results quickly, and build a foundation for more intelligent supply chain planning.

Summary

What began as a search for better customer promise dates turned into a transformative shift in how ACG connects sales and supply chain execution. By choosing ketteQ, natively built on Salesforce and purpose-built for adaptability, Phil Laster and his team gained more than a planning system. They unlocked real-time visibility, cross-functional alignment, faster decision-making, and the ability to scale without complexity.

The takeaway? When speed, transparency, and business-fit matter, a smarter, more integrated supply chain planning solution isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a strategic advantage. For ACG, ketteQ delivered on that promise and continues to power their next growth stage.