There have been many articles written about continuous improvement in manufacturing processes, but there isn’t a lot of information and understanding about the use of continuous improvement tools at the business level: including the ones that purportedly have continuous improvement or Six Sigma programs in place.  In many of the organizations that we work in, when you speak to business process leaders about continuous improvement they …Read More

Every organization views Customer Service as a critical function for their business.  It has a significant impact on your Voice of the Customer (VOC).  Customer service is on the front line of interfacing with the customer, but it isn’t the only function that interfaces with your customers.  Finance, Shipping, Sales and Marketing also play an important role in customer service.  The Customer Service group acts  …Read More

 

Are Customers happy with the way you handle their complaints? Are you?

We all know that complaints handled well can open a portal to new opportunities. Back in 2008, customers were telling the company I worked for that we were not so good at handling customer complaints. None of us were surprised… we were frustrated ourselves with our mish-mash of process and tools and the impact of the poor quality …Read More

The concept of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is not new and for many not a bit exciting. But, it is a critical part of the acquisition process and has been successfully used for the analysis of Information Technology and government procured products for many years. It is a mainstay of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). Yet, the concept of the Total Cost of Ownership hasn’t been universally adopted by middle market manufacturing and distribution companies as part of their standard Supply Chain Management Solutions. Middle market companies …Read More

Time based Key Performance Indicators provide significant insight to how quickly your organization responds to the needs of internal and external customers.  They tell a story that every leader needs to pay attention to.  Which of the following time based Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are being tracked in your company?

…Read More

Many have long considered Continuous Improvement activities mostly relevant to manufacturing and related operational functions.

However, continuing competitiveness and growth in market share is built upon a steady, progressive march forward in all areas of a business. And since a company’s Market Effectiveness activities and functions (shown below) are the most market-oriented and customer-intimate parts of a business, effective Continuous Improvement efforts are …Read More

If you or your stakeholders think that embracing the status quo is the path to thriving, then think again! – Think you can sit back and coast for a few weeks, a few months, a few years? Think again! – Think your competitors will sit back and coast for a few weeks, a few months, a few years? Think again! G. K. Chesterton wrote, “If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always be painting it again; that is, you must be always be having a revolution.” Without intervention , without progressive change, without revolution, everything in our work and our lives gets worse . Our …Read More

The majority of organizations fail to consistently implement their strategic objectives. As a result, they are “Stopping Short Of Excellence^®“. There are three primary reasons for this:

• A lack of a vision
• Clearly articulated strategies
• Engaged and accountable employees. In the short presentation below, !–more–>Jim Gitney, the CEO of Group50 provides more insight to these issues and reviews how organizations can create an effective strategic implementation process.

Any size company or non-profit is capable of achieving excellence with a little bit of guidance and a few basic approaches. We can present this material to your senior leadership team, provide a one day workshop on creating a roadmap for your company to consistently achieve your objectives or do an audit of your current strategic implementation process. If you would like to find out more about Group50’s process for consistently achieving your strategic objectives go here or contact us at +1 (626) 644-9746.

 

Achieve Excellence with the Business Hierarchy of Needs^®

A Proven Framework for Strategic Execution and Change Management

Why do some organizations achieve sustained success while others “stop short” of excellence? The answer lies in their approach to strategic execution. …Read More

Continuous improvement programs are great for manufacturing but how do they apply to service businesses? The usual answer to this question is that process excellence works across functional silos. It is horizontal, transversal and industry agnostic. Although true, this answer does not always address the concerns of the leaders in service businesses and financial institutions.

In a recent article we …Read More