Case Study: Large Publishing Company achieves millions in savings and a 10–15% improvement in forecast accuracy with Protiviti

A Publisher Adjusts to the Rapid Digitization of its Products and Improves Business Processes, Saving Millions

Large Publishing Company faced a rapid shift to digital textbooks that rendered its demand-forecasting model obsolete and left roughly 5% of sales tied up in obsolete inventory, while bundled digital services introduced complex revenue-recognition issues. The publisher engaged Protiviti to redesign processes and identify a technology solution (Protiviti selected and implemented an SAP product) to consolidate sales, operations, and financial data across the expanded, post‑merger organization.

Protiviti used a Six Sigma RACI approach to map end‑to‑end processes, implemented the SAP inventory‑planning solution linking finance, product development, and sales, and helped revamp revenue‑recognition policies and contract terms. The work delivered a 10–15% improvement in forecast accuracy, nearly 1% reduction in obsolescence costs, a 70–80% increase in customer fill rates, an 8% reduction in on‑hand inventory (while sales rose 10%), and 23% fewer customer issue calls — with implementation costs paid back within months.