Improve Work Efficiency

1.Process Chains
A process usually consists of a chain of operations, each one probably done by different people, different departments, perhaps in different buildings or countries.

2.Set the Right Objectives
How can we ignore that we work in the same organisation and for the same customers!

3.Alignment of Objectives is Vital
Whatever objectives you decide are appropriate for your operation, they must be consistent with other functions and with the strategic objectives of the organisation. 

4.Key Objectives Template:QSDFC
Q: Quality, S: Speed, D: Dependability, F: Flexibility, C: Cost.
Success in the right QSDFC objectives can give your organisation competitive advantage, and result in happy, loyal customers and increased profits.

4.1 What is Quality
Doing the thins right!
Don't be satisfied with 97% quality, because 3% of your customers are not happy.

4.2 What is Speed
Doing things fast!
We need to measure how fast thins move in processes.

4.3 What is Dependability
Doing things on time!
Efficiencies are obtained when operations managers can plan ahead. For that they need good forecasting, strong scheduling and reliable processes.

4.4 What is Flexibility
Adapting to Customer Requirements!
Nothing stays the same. The aim should be to change proactively, not wait until forced to change by others.

4.5 What is Cost
The expense of doing business!
Cost objectives are largely achieved by actions on QSDF.

5.SMART Objectives drive success
Specific, clearly stated and focused on what counts
Measurable, quantified
Agreed, agreement gets buy-in and a higher chance of success
Realistic, get real; set attainable bug challenging objectives
Timed, get milestones and deadlines by which the objective is to be achieved

6.Continuous Improvement
6.1 Why?
- New competitors arrive all
- New products arrive daily
- Customers become more demanding
- Costs must go down, revenue up
- Increasing pressure for more with less
- Increasing automation and use of IT
All this means rapid change!

6.2 Systematic
Provided you can satisfactorily ensure that this is the case, you should then progress systematically through four stages: P-D-C-A (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust)

6.3 Decide What You Want
Don't 'DO' without a PLAN!
- What needs improving?
- Can a quick fix be put in place?
- What is the root cause of the problem?
- What options are there for corrective action?
- What action are we going to take?
- What are our objectives?
- How will we implement our chosen action?

7. Check Customer Perception
Improving efficiency should bring about greater customer satisfaction.
- Customers can teach us a lot about our service and our product
- If we are not willing to learn from our customers then you can bet that our competitors are

7.1 Pitfalls in Survey Design - Some Don'ts:
- Don't ignore factors that colour customer perceptions
- Don't ignore the process that the customer actually experienced
- Don't ignore specific incidents, good and bad, that the customer experienced
- Don't use narrow rating/scoring of 1 to 3
- Don't use 'smiley' faces
7.2 Analysing Customer Surveys
- Beware of averages. Don't set the objective to average.
- There is no such thing as an average customer
- Beware of analysis paralysis
- Don't waste effort trying to rationalise poor results
- Be honest and share the results

7.3 Four Survey Tools
- Critical incident technique
- Improtance-Performance
- Customer processing framework
- Determinants of service quality