In today’s fiercely competitive environment, in which quality is a prerequisite and no longer a differentiator, organizations assume that the only way to maintain profitability is to keep growing the top line in order to maintain the bottom line. Though increasing sales makes sense, the significant headwinds the industry is facing require an additional strategy.
That strategy is to look inward and increase margins by identifying the lost opportunities and waste within the organization’s existing value stream and converting them into profits. These profits can be obtained without new products, new customers, or any new employees. It is simply a way of operating more efficiently. The bonus here is that organizations that live this strategy are also recognized as quality leaders.
In my professional experience with many organizations over the past 30 years, I have observed that much work is reactive, that is, based on instincts. Even though instincts are good, answers and decisions that determine what work is to be done must be based on facts. This article provides advice on basic improvement awareness to anyone wishing to improve performance, even in challenging times. The long-term company objectives addressed here are processes with zero errors/defects and processes that are 100 percent value-added in the eyes of the customer.
... to continue reading you must be subscribed
