shmula.com Archives - 6sigma

Customer Experience: What Are We Really Fixing?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:44 +0000

We have heard it all before. The customer is always right and what the customer says ¦ goes! Yeah well, that is true ¦ to a point. We will do whatever it takes to make the customer happy, but we are not going to change our core operational process because that is what made our company successful. Does this mantra sound familiar?

Changing the Customer Experience

It should sound familiar, because it is what we do. We address customer concerns and bend over backwards to make them happy, in that specific situation. Then, we go right back to doing what we did before. Core policies and processes rarely change, no matter how many customer concerns are focused on them. The view is typical, since the C-Suite understands the deepest detail of what goes on in the business, customers may be complaining, but they are really out of touch with their expectations. In the dance of customer service, we continue to waltz with our customers to make them happy, without changing what is truly making them unhappy.

The fact is, that if we want to make real, substantive change with the customer experience, we must hear the customers and be willing to make changes to our deepest core processes. Sound like a simple thing? Well, it should be, but making it happen is significantly more difficult. Businesses, no matter the size or the years established, must be willing to change things that just irk our customers. Not listening and making real changes costs businesses in many ways. It significantly frustrates and disenfranchises customers in slow moving herds. As the customers move away, businesses then start to feel the financial impact on their bottom line. Lavishing unhappy customers with deals, discounts and groveling is actually a temporary fix to a long term problem. Before you know it, the customer will be tired of your lip service and the freebies you provide just won’t retain their loyalty.

Making Lasting Change

It is time that business must embrace real change when dealing with their customer experience. That transformation must come through deep and significant change happening with core operational processes. A structured VoC (Voice of the Customer) program, SIPOC diagram or Customer Journey Map, managed by trained and experienced Lean Six Sigma professionals, can achieve the desired results.

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A Holiday Story For You

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:44 +0000

Why did he feel so awake tonight? He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was fifteen years old and still on his father’s farm. He loved his father. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.

Read the complete story here.

Christmas Day in the Morning
~By Pearl S. Buck

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Building the LEGO Building Blocks: A Factory Tour

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:43 +0000

LEGO has created a vehicle of innovation for young Americans since its inception in 1949. Not only has this creative product ignited the imagination of many young minds, it has earned the wrath of many barefoot parents stumbling through a dark home in the middle of the night. Most people can relate to two different types of pain events: bumping your funny bone and stepping on a LEGO block.

The History of a Building Block

LEGO is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company’s flagship product, LEGO, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks accompanying an array of gears, figurines called minifigures, and various other parts. LEGO pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways, to construct objects; vehicles, buildings, and working robots. Anything constructed can then be taken apart again, and the pieces used to make other objects. The Lego Group began manufacturing the interlocking toy bricks in 1949. Since then, a global Lego subculture has developed. Supporting movies, games, competitions, and six Legoland amusement parks have been developed under the brand.

Explore the innovative world of LEGO manufacturing in this video.

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Healthcare: Leadership from the Trenches

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:43 +0000

The healthcare industry has always struggled with change. Some have embraced quality improvement initiatives and philosophies with significant results. Many others still are missing the mark. They are implementing change management’ processes without embracing the true process. As a result, we are still experiencing healthcare quality and service that is far below what is expected in such a high risk industry.

Healthcare Leaders Must Embrace Change

One of the elements of great leadership is they have the ability to listen to and experience what goes on in the trenches, at the lowest levels of the organization. Healthcare leadership has a tendency to ignore their front line when exploring problems and listen to those workers who experience every aspect of their organization. These same leaders group around those connected to the C-suite and believe because of their education and experience, they are the only ones who possess the answers. Looking to people in an organization based upon position or education levels is still a disturbing trend in healthcare. The environment in a healthcare organization is still a class-based environment. Without extensive credibility at the end of their names on a signature block, the people with the most insight into the workings of the organization tend to be ignored. Even when the healthcare organization has embraced Lean Six Sigma practices, they restrict their focus of the programs based upon position or educational accomplishment.

Healthcare Demands a Change

The risk is too significant to ignore those who have significant amounts of institutional knowledge. The situation demands that if you really want to understand what is going on in your hospital, you need to get out from behind your desk or meeting room and start talking to those who are working the processes in the trenches. To do that, you need to be able to relate to those employees, establish trust, then be able to just listen! Only then, will you be able to find the diamonds in the rough. Otherwise, you are wasting valuable time and effort on improvement initiatives that, in the end, just won’t work.

Lean Six Sigma: Exploring Amazon Dash

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:43 +0000

When you’re running low, just push a button and a new product will be delivered to your door! Sounds like something snatched right from the space age Jetsons cartoons. Can you imagine, when you start running low on a product in your home, you can simply push a button and have it delivered and paid for, without ever leaving your home? That is the vision and mission of Amazon Dash.

Stocking up with Amazon Dash

Amazon Dash is a consumer goods ordering service which uses a proprietary device for ordering goods over the internet. It consists of multiple components that uses a scanning device to inventory consumer goods around the house, integrating with AmazonFresh. The button itself is a small tray-like consumer electronic device that can be placed around the house and programmed to order a consumer good, such as disinfectant wipes or paper towels. The replenishment service allows manufacturers to add a physical button or auto-detection capability to their devices to reorder supplies from Amazon when necessary.

Amazon and Lean Six Sigma

If you look at the Amazon Dash system, it mirrors the principles and practices of Lean Six Sigma methodologies. Specifically, compare the process with a pattern production replenishment pull system, such as Kanban. Material is consumed, and a signal is sent to the production area to replace the item, with the same quality and type as the material that was consumed. Amazon has developed a process, based on Lean Six Sigma methodologies, which has tremendous opportunities for other industries and operations across many business segments. Future applications of this Amazon process will closely be evaluated by other industries. It clearly demonstrates how innovative thinking works hand in hand with Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

Watch this quick video on Amazon Dash.

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Business Investment: Why Is America Bad For Business?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:43 +0000

Yes, you read that right. Why is America bad for business? The fact is, America is bad for business. Not only is America bad for business, but also a small handful of states are also contributing to that label. Now that you have cursed and condemned this blog for making such an un-American and broadly inaccurate statement, let’s walk through a few thoughts about why this may be true and see if you agree.

Thoughts About Why

We have heard all about Making America Great Again‘ since the election and we have heard how our President-Elect will address the issues he believes will change things for business investment in America. The President-Elect has went so far as to intervene with Carrier to keep jobs in America. However, Ford has signaled that it will continue to move some production out of the country. Other businesses have also signaled they will also continue to move their production, without regard to the position on the President-Elect. Whether you agree with this intervention or analysis, here are some facts that do attribute directly to why business investment is moving:

Corporate Tax Rate – America has the dubious honor of having one the highest corporate tax rates in the world. The current rate is 35%.

Labor Cost – The cost of labor equals the cost of production and equals the final cost consumers pay. Whether you like it or not! When a country has lower labor costs, the savings can be passed on to consumers and make a company competitive.

Corporate Regulation – America has another dubious distinction of having regulation from local, state and federal governments that significantly restricts and inhibits business investment and operation. That is disturbing on many levels, especially since we are a republic that touts freedom for its citizens and respectively, their businesses.

Change the Tide of Business Investment

Whether you agree with our current political environment, these three issues are significantly affecting business investment in America. As long as we continue towards heavier regulation, higher taxes and increased labor costs, America will continue to lose business investment to countries that are focused on attracting and keeping business.

Connection with Lean and Six Sigma

We can help make American better for business by deploying Lean and Six Sigma techniques. This can improve customer satisfaction through increased value, eliminate waste which can reduce labor costs, and perform statistical analysis or conduct experiments that prove how our regulations are restricting business that prevent us from being competitive.

Get started by learning more about Lean and Six Sigma.

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Manufacturing Muscle of HAAS: A Factory Tour

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:42 +0000

Are you ready for a million-square-feet of manufacturing muscle? From state-of-the-art equipment to robotic machining cells, Haas does it their way and is one of the most cutting edge machine tool manufacturers in the world.

Manufacturing the Haas Way

Founded in 1983, Haas Automation has become the largest machine tool builder in the western world, manufacturing a complete line of CNC vertical machining centers, horizontal machining centers, CNC lathes and rotary products. The company also builds a variety of specialty machines, including 5-axis machining centers, mold making machining centers, toolroom machines, and gantry routers. Haas machine tools and rotary products are built to the exacting specifications of Gene Haas to deliver higher accuracy, repeatability, and durability than any other machine tools on the market.

Learn more about the quality and precision magic of Haas through this energizing video.

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Hershey’s Chocolate Lover’s Dream: A Factory Tour

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:42 +0000

In this video, we get to see the magic of how Hershey’s Chocolate is manufactured and shows an inside tour of Hershey’s Chocolate Factory.

Making a Chocolate Lover’s Dream

After completing an apprenticeship to a confectioner in 1873, Milton S. Hershey founded a candy shop in Philadelphia. This candy shop was only open for six years, after which Hershey apprenticed with another confectioner in Denver, where he learned to make caramel. After another failed business attempt in New York, Hershey returned to Pennsylvania, where in 1886 he founded the Lancaster Caramel Company. The use of fresh milk in caramels proved successful, and in 1900, after seeing chocolate-making machines for the first time at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Hershey sold his caramel company for $1,000,000 (equal to $28,492,000 today), and began to concentrate on chocolate manufacturing, stating to people who questioned him, “Caramels are just a fad, but chocolate is a permanent thing.”

We know Milton was right! Chocolate is a permanent thing and his chocolate candy has permeated every part of American society. On a global scale, the brand is equally recognized as a part of Americana.

Enjoy the chocolatey delight of this factory tour.

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Thanksgiving Greetings From Shmula

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:42 +0000

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.

-E.P. Powell

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Army Bootcamp: Making The American Soldier

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:41 +0000

Oooo-hah! Let’s see how the US Army makes an American soldier! Here’s a video about the US Army’s Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson (South Carolina) and numerous other locations across the country.

Learn More About Army Basic Training

United States Army Basic Combat Training or BCT (also known as Initial Entry Training or IET, informally known as Boot Camp) is the program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army, United States Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Basic Training is designed to be highly intense and challenging. The challenge comes as much from the difficulty of physical training as it does from the psychological adjustment to an unfamiliar way of life.

Join us for an inspiring and enlightening view of how we make soldiers in the United States. These soldiers are the finest Americans that are transformed into the best trained and equipped fighting forces in the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRaHxLthb44

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Veterans Day: Remembering Their Service

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:41 +0000

As we get through the end of a contentious Presidential campaign, we will be trying to get back to a normal life without divisive politics. As we wind down though, let’s not forget that Friday represents an important day for Americans. We have the honor and opportunity this Friday to celebrate our veterans on Veterans Day. For most of us, Veterans Day just means a chance to enjoy an extra day off from school or work. However this November 11th, we need to be sure to spend a few minutes on its true purpose, by acknowledging the men and women who have served in our armed forces. These include the members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and the Coast Guard.

Be Grateful They Served

The history of this country has always been supported by a strong and ever-present military. To ensure that this nation remains strong, we require a strong military that consists of young men and women from across the social spectrum of the country. To constitute and maintain this strong military presence, we require those men and women to set aside their lives for a service obligation. Their terms of service range from short periods to life-long careers of service. Their service takes them to locations across the United States and around the globe. These courageous volunteers put themselves through an arduous and stressful service situation that requires a great sacrifice. Some give the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.

Honor Their Service

So, celebrate Veterans Day this Friday. Enjoy the time you get to spend with friends and family. Take in the beauty this country offers its citizens. Take advantage of the rights bestowed upon you as a citizen. Just take a few minutes and say thank you to a veteran. They have served and sacrificed so you may enjoy the lifestyle you follow in this country. We are blessed to be surrounded by those who sacrifice in such a selfless manner for the good of our nations. It just takes a simple Thank You!

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Rolling With Rolls-Royce: A Factory Tour

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:41 +0000

Go inside the Rolls-Royce factory in West Sussex, England, and discover how the Wraith, Phantom and Ghost Series II are built.

Exploring The True Luxury of Rolls-Royce

Understand this: you don’t just buy a Rolls-Royce. You commission the production. For more than a century, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has been creating luxury in motor cars, at the highest level. The turn of the 20th century marked the beginning of an extraordinary partnership between two of the most innovative minds of the moment. Henry Royce, a successful engineer and Charles Rolls, owner of one of the UK’s first motor car dealerships, agreed to sell motor cars under the name Rolls-Royce. At that moment, a new company was born: Rolls-Royce. When Henry Royce was designing the first Rolls-Royce, a friend advised him to turn out a reliable car at a low price.” But Royce had other ideas. He sought to turn out the best motor car in the world regardless of cost.” More than 100 years later, that same desire for perfection is the driving force behind Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Since 1904, we’ve created instantly recognizable motor cars that have made the marque an icon all over the world.

Touring The Factory

Step into the pure luxury of a Rolls-Royce automobile and take this amazing factory tour.

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Getting In Tune With Gibson: A Factory Tour

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:40 +0000

Gibson guitars go from raw product to one of the finest guitars in the world. This tour takes you step by step process on the production. The home of the best electric guitars today is Gibson USA. Built in 1974 in Nashville, specifically for the production of Les Paul guitars. The world headquarters moved to Nashville in 1984, with the closing of the Kalamazoo plant. The financially troubled company was rescued in January 1986 by Henry Juszkiewicz and David Berryman, and the new owners quickly restored the organization’s reputation for quality, as well as its profitability.

Gibson Brings Quality In Every Step

Join us for a fascinating tour of the factory and see how these historical American made guitars are produced with the highest quality standards, and a detailed focus on the end user.

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Task List: Getting the Monster Under Control

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:40 +0000

No matter how organized you are, the classic task or to-do list is a monster that has a mind of its own, and grows at an alarming rate. Isn’t it time to quit working for the monster, and start making the monster work for you?

Make the Task List Monster Work for You

Making the task list monster work for you, instead of being a slave to the monster is really simple. It takes organization and mindset. Nothing more, nothing less. So how do you take simplistic steps and slay the monster?

First, get your self organized. Clean up your your workflow and make your practices habit. Do them everyday and without a thought. Habits are powerful when they are done as second nature. Some prefer the pen and paper written list, others go digital. Whatever you choose, make sure that the platform of choice is simple, clear and easy to use. There are multitudes of platforms in the digital space that sync across all of your platforms. Do your research and pick one that makes your comfortable, then stick with it. Stop jumping from solution to solution! Almost any solution will work if you stick with it, and are disciplined in following it for a month.

The next step is straightforward logic. You probably work through a task list that is greater than 20 items. Every evening, you refine and prioritize that list for the next day. However, this is where the monster grows out of control! Instead of reducing a task list during the work week, your list tends to grow. This is called “inventory” and it is one of the 7 forms of waste! This leaves you with a strong feeling of being overwhelmed and out of control, and you spend a lot of time sorting through the list to decide which tasks are most important.

Simply, take control of the list! The idea is to have a task list with three items on it. Yes, we said three! Take that monster list, dig in and critically prioritize where you end up with the Top 3 tasks on your list everyday. These tasks are of highest priority that align with your business goals. Now, you can start each day with a clear, manageable focus on just exactly what needs to happen every day. If you’re afraid of losing all the other ideas and tasks you need to complete, find a place to store them for later retrieval.

Another key is to break down each task into a manageable task to move it forward. Don’t put down items like “write a book” or “clean out garage.” Instead, put down tasks like “create book outline” or “clean out one container in garage.” These tasks should not be on your to-do list for days and weeks, otherwise they are too daunting and need to be more specific.

Embracing the Top 3

At first, this is just not going to seem either logical or practical. It takes time to make the practice a habit, and see the effectiveness. However, if you practice the Top 3, you will quickly fall into a habit that gets results. That monster to-do list reduces into a manageable form that works for you! Get up in the morning and attack the Top 3 with gusto. As you complete the Top 3, go straight to working on other items that are presenting as opportunities. Your day is not done when the Top 3 are complete. It simply means that you achieved a significant goal. You feel successful and accomplished, which changes your mindset. Working on other items in your realm will then feel like icing on the cake, with a cherry on top. It’s a great feeling to have the monster working for you and seeing success!

What tips and tricks are working for you? Add your comments below…

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Quality Improvement: What Is The Real Motivation?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:39 +0000

Many companies go down the road of quality improvement for the wrong reasons. The question is, what is your real motivation when implementing Lean and Lean Six Sigma practices in your organization? What are you really trying to achieve?

What Is Really Going On?

Your organization embarks on a grand adventure of quality improvement. Resources are allocated towards implementation of Lean Six Sigma and plans are put in place. Opportunities are identified for quality improvement. Senior leaders are energetic about the future opportunities and communicate their vision to the organization. After a period of success, the organization is optimistic about the opportunities achieved through their initiatives.

Then things begin to change.

Senior leaders are seeing the opportunities quality improvements being made, but they begin focusing on short term cost savings. Initiatives become an exercise in cost cutting in the organization, forgoing the strategy of long term quality improvement. As the tide starts to change in the organization, employees begin to feel the effects of the change. They see the focus subtly change from improving their process to rooting out every potential cost saving opportunity. Jobs start to be eliminated across the organization, while the demands of productivity are increased. Morale in the organization slips and employees begin to strategically plan their exit. Improvements gained in the early days of quality improvement initiatives quickly start slipping away, and the environment returns to the place it was before. The organization feels strongly they were deceived or tricked in the name of quality improvement and Lean Six Sigma initiatives, to achieve underlying cost cutting objectives. This leaves the workforce bitter and resentful. The bottom line is that the real goal of any organization is to make a profit. That is why they are in business. However, the focus of pure cost cutting typically results in operational failure.

Quality Improvement Creates Success

When starting down the journey of quality improvement, it is crucial that an organization clearly understand why they are starting the endeavor. The goals and motivations must be clear! Organizations must be steadfast and decimated to the goals of quality improvement. Leadership must be committed to processes that are long term in nature and focused. That is not to say that cost savings cannot be achieved along the way, but those savings will come organically with the dedicated practice of Lean Six Sigma initiatives, with a committed focus on customer satisfaction as the driver. Yielding to the temptation of short term cost cutting opportunities must be ignored. Quality is a process built over time through focused attention to detail and steadfast commitment to the long term health of the organization.

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