“Official” Governing Bodies

Our advice is to avoid any person, website, organization, or training program claiming endorsement from Six Sigma’s official governing body. As we’ve already mentioned, Six Sigma does not currently have an official, centralized governing body. That’s why, here at 6sigma.com, we do our best to educate the public and spread the good news about Six Sigma. Any decent practitioner should care about Six Sigma’s standing. Fake practitioners only interested in using the Six Sigma label to con you out of your hard-earned money are to blame for sullying its reputation.

Neglecting to Research

The best thing you can do is scrutinize the practitioner or the organization. Does anything seem off about them? Scour the web for testimonials and reviews. Look at what other customers have to say. This can help ensure you aren’t disappointed later.

We hear stories about good people like you all the time. People who jump on the first course they find, only to find out later they’ve made a mistake. Furthermore, even those who expend hours of their time searching for the right program are equally vulnerable. The one you settle on may seem too good to be true. It probably is. You might think you’ve got yourself a great deal. Only to realize, halfway through, with hundreds – possibly thousands of dollars – down the drain, that your Six Sigma certification program is complete rubbish.
You can prevent this from happening to you by seeking out only the most reputable Six Sigma organizations. Get in touch. Learn as much as you can. You can save yourself a lot of time and money. Plus, there are plenty of blogs and sites compiling the best legitimate Six Sigma organizations. Use these to your advantage in your search.

Missing the Warning Signs

It’s essential to be aware of the warning signs of illegitimate practitioners and fake Six Sigma certification. You never can tell when and where they might appear. Even professional Six Sigma conferences can also be at risk. Like a wolf among sheep, fake practitioners lie in wait everywhere. Don’t let them take advantage of you. Watch out for these key warning signs:

• A suspicious lack of employee bios on their website.
• Little to no contact information – Always suspicious.
• No blog – Serious organizations take the time to write about their Six Sigma work.
• Few or no client testimonials. Or, even worse, bad reviews.
• All talk, with no demonstration of Six Sigma knowledge or skills.

The post Six Sigma Certification: How to Avoid Illegitimate Practitioners appeared first on 6sigma.

Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Need

It’s important always to know your needs. Especially if you’re searching through numerous Six Sigma practitioners. As such, if you want someone to come and clean up your business, it’s likely you’ll want to hire them on an ongoing basis. But this shouldn’t be any costlier than it needs to be. Our advice? Don’t fork out for Master Black Belt when all you need is Green. It may seem beneficial to have the extra skills on hand, but if you don’t need them, then what are they for? Remember the ancient phrase: It’s only a bargain if you want it. Or, in this case, need it.

After all, do you need a Master Black Belt with Lean Six Sigma know-how? Someone who can conduct highly complex data analysis and design experiments to predict future customer demand? Or is a Green Belt, someone who can run Six Sigma improvement projects to streamline your production processes, all you need? Know the answer, and you can save yourself a lot of money. This even qualifies as a waste-reduction measure, as you’re reducing costs by not overspending. Well done, you!

You Get What You Pay For

On the other hand, when searching for a Six Sigma training provider, you tend to get what you pay for. The higher the belt level, the better the training experience for you and your employees. So don’t be afraid to pay more for better service. In fact, you’re more likely to lose money by going with sub-par providers who will only disappoint you. Do you want to waste time and money on one or more cheap providers when you can save both by making a beeline for the best? Of course, you don’t. So be sure to take some time to think before making any rash decisions. That way, you can save time and money, while making a great investment for the future of your company.

Research Beforehand

Keep your wallets closed for now. A little research before making a decision can help you avoid disappointment later. Research also helps to put things in perspective. If you’re uncertain, researching different organizations can help you settle on your ideal price. It can also help you decide what you want from your potential practitioners. Moreover, there are plenty of testimonials and reviews out there, so make use of them. See what other clients have to say. Read about their experiences with certain practitioners or organizations. This information is highly valuable, and you can use it to justify your final decision. Furthermore, Six Sigma’s lack of any central governing body spells bad news for unwary customers. We’ve heard many unhappy stories of people who thought they were in for a win, when, sadly, they ended up being cheated. Take our advice, and do your research!

The post Due Diligence: How to Save Yourself Time & Money appeared first on 6sigma.