Operations Management
At times, managers (and even leaders) become too focused on the internal organization and develop ad hoc systems or processes based on isolated problems. Invariably, this slows down the product manufacture or service delivery to the customer but it covers the managers’ back sides.
The manager should not be in the organization just for a soft ride. Sure, risk management is a necessary evil but it should never be an excuse for sub-par delivery because you can bet revenue and profit will suffer as a result. This is the opposite of elegant design. Here’s a test.
When was the last time you visited your company website or store strictly as a customer? How was the experience? How many extra steps did you find in completing your transaction? What annoyed you? What impressed you? How were you treated? Did you feel human or like a loose nut on an assembly line?
Ideas
* At least monthly, test the major company services or products by walking through the maze to buy * Partner with a few customers to streamline the purchasing cycle
Resist Excessive Department Specialization (silos)
Someone once said, “Customer Service is not a department,” and yet the natural evolution in many companies can be where individual work areas become kingdoms to themselves. Everything within that department or division is about that department or division, not about the organization.
In order to have elegant design, department silos must be taboo. Notice I said “silos.” It doesn’t necessarily mean to go native in some sort of company commune but there must be healthy, working relationships between all areas. Yes, all. Let’s face it, customers can be mighty unpredictable at times. Excessive departmentalization increases the chances of an unhappy customer experience because the organization’s system cannot react let alone carry out the routine.
Ideas
* Make part