Bedford Advantage

Anaplan Managed Services

Keep your Anaplan platform delivering value for the long term.

Bedford Advantage is the Anaplan managed service that keeps your platform delivering value, from selection through go-live and across its full lifecycle. 

Anaplan platforms drift without the right partnership.

Bedford Advantage is the partnership that stops that happening. A managed service designed to keep your Anaplan platform supported, optimised and aligned to your business, wherever you are on your journey, for a predictable quarterly fee.
11 times Anaplan Partner of the Year
130+ certified Anaplan consultants
Over 1000 Anaplan projects delivered
Bedford Consulting Customer Gatwick Airport
Bedford Consulting Customer Logo Valor Hospitality

The four pillars of our Anaplan managed service

Advantage works across four service areas, each delivered by Bedford experts who know Anaplan and know your models. Together they make sure your platform keeps pace with your business.

Where you are and what to prioritise.

Fast, accountable answers when something breaks.

Keeps the platform aligned as the business changes.

Dedicated capacity to move your platform forward.

Anaplan health check and priorities

Every Advantage engagement starts with a Review. For existing Anaplan customers, we assess the health of your estate across architecture, models, adoption and gaps, and give you a clear picture of where you are and what to prioritise. For organisations choosing Anaplan, the Review establishes the right starting point: scope, readiness and the priorities that should shape your first phase.

Either way, the Review makes sure the work that follows is the work that matters, and the output is a prioritised plan your team can act on.

Review draws on the same methodology as Bedford’s Visibility Review, our established Anaplan audit approach.

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Anaplan support when something breaks

When a formula fails or a data load does not run, you need someone who knows Anaplan and knows your models. Response is reactive Anaplan support delivered by people who already understand how your platform works, so issues are fixed quickly and someone owns the fix.

You are never managing your Anaplan platform alone.

Ongoing Anaplan model optimisation

Anaplan platforms drift, slowly and quietly, away from what the business actually needs. Optimise is the proactive pillar that stops that happening, through regular health checks, value reviews and a roadmap that keeps your platform aligned to where the organisation is going. It is how Advantage helps your Anaplan investment keep growing in value after go-live.

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Dedicated Anaplan development capacity

Your planning needs do not stand still, and there is always a backlog: the enhancement someone asked for months ago, the model that needs rebuilding, the new use case finance has been waiting on. Enhance is dedicated expert capacity to work through it, drawn from Bedford’s professional services pool and matched to your planning roadmap for the duration of the agreement.

Choosing the right Anaplan managed service

Bedford Advantage is sold in two shapes. The full offering covers all four service areas working together. Standalone Response is the right choice for organisations who need reactive support but not the full lifecycle wrap. Most customers find their fit in one of the scenarios below.

The wrap-around offering. All four service areas working together, with Optimise included as standard. The right answer when:

  • You have complex or evolving planning needs and want a partner across the lifecycle
  • You have a clear roadmap of Anaplan development ahead
  • You want to move from project-based spend to a predictable operating cost
  • You need to reduce key-person dependency or scale internal capability

Reactive support, sold on its own. The right answer when:

  • Your Anaplan platform is implemented and working well
  • You have an internal team that can run BAU but wants senior backup
  • You do not yet have a roadmap of development work, but want fast answers when issues come up
  • You want to start with support and grow into the full Advantage later
  • You wish to select your preferred elements of lifecycle and optimisation

Not sure which is right? An Advantage Review answers exactly that question.

What customers say about working with Bedford

“I cannot stress enough how valuable these sessions are for us and how well they maintain the momentum of the use of Anaplan – a big thank you for your patience and creativity.”

Becky Wilde, University of Exeter

“Working with Bedford was a seamless experience, the team are knowledgeable, and they have a proven process where their expertise shines through.”

Robert Whaley, British Engineering Services

“I would 100% recommend Bedford Advantage, it’s good value and feels like health insurance – in an emergency, you know who to call – a special Anaplan doctor!”

Sandra Brady, Aspen Insurance

“The team is always responsive, and we get answers to our questions no matter what we throw at them.”

Yewande Lawrence, Tearfund

“Bedford Advantage provides us with structured time and access to our dedicated consultant. We are also benefitting from immediate access to answers to our questions on the Slack Knowledge Exchange. Bedford are always a joy to work with and everyone we meet is knowledgeable and helpful.”

Kathryn Kendall, Valor Hospitality Services

Ready to find out where your Anaplan platform stands?

Every Advantage engagement starts with a Review. We assess your platform, give you a clear picture of where you are, and help you decide what to do next. No commitment, no obligation, just fill in the form to get started and talk to one of our team.

Alternatively, click below to speak directly to one of our team.

Anaplan managed services: frequently asked questions

Ongoing, contracted support from a specialist partner that keeps your Anaplan platform running well and aligned to the business after go-live. Bedford Advantage covers Review, Response, Optimise and Enhance for a predictable quarterly fee.

A predictable quarterly fee, so Anaplan support and development move from project-based spend to a planned operating cost. The scope of each agreement is set after the Review.

Full Advantage includes all four service areas, with Optimise as standard. Standalone Response is reactive Anaplan support on its own. Customers can start with Response and move to the full Advantage later.

No. For organisations choosing Anaplan, the Review sets scope, readiness and first-phase priorities.

Optimise aligns to Anaplan’s Value Assurance methodology, and a standard element is included in every agreement.