The challenge of unreliable forecasts

Accurately forecasting sales is crucial for any business, but as the size of the company grows, so does the importance. For Unilever Belgium, with over 100 products across 14 categories, it was no easy feat to say the least. Their existing processes struggled with poor data quality, missing values, and insufficient historical data, making reliable predictions nearly impossible. The manual effort required was simply unsustainable.

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An AI-powered solution

To overcome these challenges, the experts at Arinti developed a sophisticated AI-driven solution that they completely customised to Unilever's specific needs. Here's how they tackled the problem:

1. First, they cleaned and enriched Unilever's current data, addressing gaps and inconsistencies to make sure their models had a solid foundation.

2. Then they engineered sophisticated features that took into account historical sales data and seasonal trends, dramatically improving the model's accuracy.

3. Because every product is different, Arinti developed individual models for each product category. That way, they could capture the nuances of consumer behaviour and market dynamics.

4. To make these powerful insights accessible to everyone, the solution was integrated with Power BI, giving all Unilever employees an easy-to-use interface for real-time data exploration.

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From insights to action

This new system has transformed the way Unilever Belgium operates. Sales forecasting is now automated and streamlined, freeing up valuable time for teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. With these highly accurate predictions, Unilever can optimise everything from workforce management and cash flow to resource allocation and marketing strategies.  

But perhaps most importantly, this AI-powered solution empowers proactive, data-driven decision-making across departments, leading to smarter planning and increased customer satisfaction. We're happy to have made such an important and lasting impact!