Archive for September, 2009
Map your Value Stream backwards
Posted by: | CommentsIn the book, Learning to See by Mike Rother and John Shook, they recommend a mapping tip of beginning the Value Stream Mapping process by walking downstream from the customer end. This way, they say you will begin with the processes that are linked most directly to the customer. As I was reading, actually re-reading the book, I thought how simple and intelligent that statement was. Starting at the end of the process should be the logical thing to do if you are considering developing a pull system. It is the beginning. This is very similar to my thoughts I expressed in my Mirror Marketing E-book.
In a marketing perspective, how often do we really consider what our customer is real needs are. I find it interesting in a recent study by Rain Today they cited that the number one reason that most professional service sales are lost is CLARITY! I think it might also be said for many product opportunities. It might not be directly, but if your product or offer was fully understood before the purchase decision was made, would that improve your closing rate?
So do things become clearer walking backwards? Try this old golf trick, walk your favorite golf course backwards. Does the out of bounds, elevations and other danger seem entirely different? Why not put yourself in customer shoes? In Six Sigma perspective, we call this process Voice of Customer but do we really consider the metrics of delivery performance, number of defects, invoice accuracy and other views that the customer is experiencing.
If you have a customer that will take the time with you, try having him draw a process map of your product. Or just blue sky the different experiences that he has with your organization. How accurate are they? After that, have them draw a future state. What would they like to see from your organization? Are you willing to deliver that experience?
Combining the Theory of Constraints and Lean Six Sigma
Posted by: | CommentsMark Woeppel is the president of Pinnacle Strategies a Dallas based consulting firm. Marke is a recognized expert in the Theory of Constraints, Supply Chain Management, Project Management, and Continuous Improvement. He has earned the founder’s implementer certification from the TOC-ICO. This E-book is a transcription of the podcast we had and is free to download distribute and enjoy! Just keep the contact and links intact, please.
TLS – Theory of Cosntraints & LSS
Related Posts:
Podcast: TLS – Theory of Constraints, Lean, Six Sigma Integration
Can Theory of Constraints and Lean Six Sigma co-exist
Theory of Constraints + Lean + Six Sigma = Ultimate Improvement Cycle
Lean your Marketing thru Segmentation
Posted by: | CommentsHow do you look at your marketing? Do you know where your leads come from? How are you processing leads to make them successful? In my recent blogs about marketing and the Theory of Constraints, I discussed the connections between each step of the marketing hourglass. Many organizations do not look at their sales and
marketing process in a linear fashion, let alone segmenting it. When organizations first map out the process, they look at connections where people come from being all over the map such as the diagram to the right. They look at a simple chain as an oversimplification of reality. Not everybody goes through each step of the cycle. Some will skip from step one to step three. Someone may enter the cycle in step three. These interconnections are not trivial, it is what makes your process work and it also may be stopping it from working.
So what is the purpose? The purpose of creating the marketing hourglass is very simple: Which is harder to manage the above diagram or this diagram?
Your flow system, The Marketing Hourglass, structure will allow an organization to operate at maximum efficiency. The secret in creating such a linear flow is segmentation. Without it, you will continue to operate in less than an optimum manner. You will never be able to find your constraint, because it will be moving around, practically every single opportunity.
Different opportunities, normal variation and changing workforce make it just about impossible to balance everything. There is a weakest link; there is one element in your system more limiting than another. Why is it so important to find that? Without working on your greatest constraint much of your work will be wasted and non-productive. Take a look at the diagram above and see how proper segmentation may alter your perception of the marketing hourglass. As you can see, not all steps may be needed for each and every channel. An excellent example is someone that has been referred to you. With the proper referral program in place, you will know exactly what step in the process that person should enter.
Keep segmenting your list, till you gain a linear flow. Yes, there may be a few exceptions. However, I think it might be interesting to scrutinize those exceptions. Are these exceptions really your target market or ideal client? I think you might find out that they are something less than ideal clients. Whatever you do, don’t ignore the exceptions; they may prove valuable insights to your marketing process. That thought may lead to another discussion.
Related Posts:
Using the Theory of Constraints in Marketing
Using your Marketing HourGlass to determine your Constraint
Identifying your Marketing Constraint
