Lean Nation,
In working with a client this week, our improvement team had an opportunity to have one of their customers tell a history of his experience. Over a 7 day period a perfect storm of activities occurred that nearly resulted in a serious medical emergency.
As this customer told his story about how navigated his way through the healthcare system, everyone he spoke with gave him the correct information. He needed to this, he needed to call here, he needed to show up here, wait for a call, etc..... And technically everyone response and direction given was correct.
The problem was the individual cycle times of the different tasks were not capable of meeting the needs of the system. As the saying goes, "every process is PERFECTLY designed to deliver the results it achieves." This example reflected this axiom in spades.
While the timing of the story was ideal in re-inforcing the impetus for change, the second part of my message is that there is no substitute for the value of direct customer feedback. Also remember that for each customer that complains, there are likely 9 more in the same situation. Because only 1 in 10 will make the effort to complain. You can be the remaining 9 will tell their family and friends, however.
So use your customer feedback not as a nuisance that must be dealt with and set aside, but as a treasure to be mined in delivering continuous improvement.
Lean Blessings,
Ron
Ron Bercaw
www.breakthroughhorizons.com
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