In today’s volatile business environment, supply chain agility and resilience are no longer optional — they are critical for survival.

Kinaxis Managed Services provide organisations with ongoing expert support, system optimisation, and continuous improvement across their Kinaxis Maestro environment. This article outlines 10 proven practices to maximise the ROI from a managed services engagement.

Why Managed Services Matter

After a Kinaxis go-live, many organisations find that the platform delivers only a fraction of its potential value. Planners revert to spreadsheets, configurations drift, and adoption stalls. A structured managed services model prevents this — keeping the system aligned with evolving business needs while continuously unlocking new capabilities.

10 Proven Practices

1. Establish a clear governance model - Define who owns configuration decisions, who approves changes, and how escalations are handled.

2. Monitor key planning KPIs weekly - Track forecast accuracy, planning cycle time, and exception rates on a consistent cadence.

3. Run quarterly health checks - Proactively identify gaps in data quality, model configuration, and user adoption before they become problems.

4. Maintain a living backlog - Capture enhancement requests, pain points, and new requirements in a prioritised backlog reviewed monthly.

5. Invest in user enablement - Regular training sessions and office hours keep planners confident and reduce shadow spreadsheet usage.

6. Align Kinaxis to S&OP - Ensure the planning cadence in Kinaxis matches the organisation’s S&OP rhythm for maximum business impact.

7. Leverage new Kinaxis releases - Stay current with Maestro platform updates and adopt relevant new features as they become available.

8. Build scenario planning muscle - Coach planners to use what-if simulations regularly, not just during disruptions.

9. Integrate data sources continuously - As the business evolves, ensure new data feeds (ERP changes, new suppliers, new sites) are integrated promptly.

10. Measure and communicate value - Quantify the business impact of managed services improvements and share results with leadership regularly.

Partnering with Simbus

Simbus Technologies provides dedicated Kinaxis managed services to clients across pharma, manufacturing, and chemical industries. Our team of certified Kinaxis consultants works as an extension of your planning team - delivering continuous value month after month.

Contact us to learn how a managed services engagement can maximise your Kinaxis investment.