Tips, Tricks & Tactics with proven Quality & Efficiency Principles which makes Daily Production Standards Possible and your plant a huge success.
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The following tips are free... Try them out, and make sure that your company errors on the better side of caution on problems identified below...add up your savings per operator, machine or process each day, and Then sign up today.
• Your company deserves and needs a continuous improvement advocate, who is skilled and masterful with the art of engaging teams through proven practices in tangible ways directly and indirectly.
• The suggestion box hasn’t worked, and it was never meant for a box to murder good ideas and bury them.
• Ask anyone on your staff if they want to be the continuous improvement manager…its likely that you’ll get no takers, unless it’s a job perceived to be a worth more money for a leader moving up with a sizable wage, an easier job than they’ve got.
• Dig up those old coffers or coffins of ideas, we’ll dust them off, and see if there’s some life left in them yet. Knowing what has been thought of before, and maybe never tried, or never gave it a chance to work, or it just never took off for any number of reasons…is logged as a failure widely known. We’ll help you get past this one too. You may be closer to some quick and easy solutions to help you get started right away.)
• From within, you may need a thick skinned Superman or Superwoman, to get past the obstacles and paradigms’ they know already exist, while single-handedly taking on a familiar culture that THEY may have a hard time budging, let alone moving…after they’ve been a part of it, and even contributed to or helped shape its current state.
• Adding to their duties, probably won’t work unless you are Super-Human. Give a little bit to everyone to do…and it may seem like assigning multiple roles and capacities, prioritizing and managing additional responsibilities…which may end up…just going nowhere fast or effectively.
• Send your situation for review for a Remote Advocate Support Professional and get an email response, tip or suggestions that addresses your situation, pose suggestions and an actionable plan to move forward.
• Working independently and decisively while building strong teams who seek and find continuous improvement opportunities.
• Remote Trouble Shooter Requests: Solving quality or efficiency problems objectively, subjectively completely and effectively...may not be possible on the phone, however don't underestimate the power of an extra set of ears, a picture, video and a good description of the problem, to help stop the bleeding.
• Hearing your description of a challenge can spark a similar idea proved to work in a similar situation.
• A new tack, a way to check something else or maybe a simpler way of something you tried which came close to a fix, can be tweaked a little to work temporarily until the permanent repair or corrective change is made.
• The possibilities are endless for the good of your company, which begin with one simple phone call, or email away.
• The suggestion box hasn’t worked, and it was never meant for a box to murder good ideas and bury them.
• Ask anyone on your staff if they want to be the continuous improvement manager…its likely that you’ll get no takers, unless it’s a job perceived to be a worth more money for a leader moving up with a sizable wage, an easier job than they’ve got.
• Dig up those old coffers or coffins of ideas, we’ll dust them off, and see if there’s some life left in them yet. Knowing what has been thought of before, and maybe never tried, or never gave it a chance to work, or it just never took off for any number of reasons…is logged as a failure widely known. We’ll help you get past this one too. You may be closer to some quick and easy solutions to help you get started right away.)
• From within, you may need a thick skinned Superman or Superwoman, to get past the obstacles and paradigms’ they know already exist, while single-handedly taking on a familiar culture that THEY may have a hard time budging, let alone moving…after they’ve been a part of it, and even contributed to or helped shape its current state.
• Adding to their duties, probably won’t work unless you are Super-Human. Give a little bit to everyone to do…and it may seem like assigning multiple roles and capacities, prioritizing and managing additional responsibilities…which may end up…just going nowhere fast or effectively.
• Send your situation for review for a Remote Advocate Support Professional and get an email response, tip or suggestions that addresses your situation, pose suggestions and an actionable plan to move forward.
• Working independently and decisively while building strong teams who seek and find continuous improvement opportunities.
• Remote Trouble Shooter Requests: Solving quality or efficiency problems objectively, subjectively completely and effectively...may not be possible on the phone, however don't underestimate the power of an extra set of ears, a picture, video and a good description of the problem, to help stop the bleeding.
• Hearing your description of a challenge can spark a similar idea proved to work in a similar situation.
• A new tack, a way to check something else or maybe a simpler way of something you tried which came close to a fix, can be tweaked a little to work temporarily until the permanent repair or corrective change is made.
• The possibilities are endless for the good of your company, which begin with one simple phone call, or email away.
Spoiling Clients: “A Relationship Building Art Form” © by Rickey Bates
Subject: How to Get "Referrals, More Work and Early Notice on Client Jobs." (The key is HOW WELL you do the work you already have now.)
Assessing and Organizing Client Jobs, from “First Contact.”
Help Clients get work to you better and faster:
Not all clients are as organized as you. Some clients who tend to be chronically late; are frequently the same ones who want miracles to get their jobs done, regardless of “How Little Notice” they give you “To Do the Job.” Don’t be quick or too hasty to always say, “Yes” on any request. Your company strives to run“Back to Back Jobs,” involving “Quick Changeovers” on “Uniquely Modified Equipment requiring designated Steps to achieve each proper "Set-Up. ” If costs are increased by delaying or shifting work from preplanned schedules, these should be charged back to the appropriate client. Also, you may not want to call them back too early right away until the incurred additional costs are tallied.
Conduct business like a "Genuinely Interested, and Concerned Friend."
This is a great way to be seen; in anyone's eyes. To work with someone like this, makes a job and work, seem more like fun, when both people are working hard to figure things out. The same holds true with any client relationship, without loosing a bit of professionalism. In fact…it enhances your credibility in the eyes of "Such Beholders."
KEEP TABS ON JOB PROGRESS: It's a basic ingredient to "Sweeter Running Jobs."
Additional things to always question yourself and the job about:
"DETAILS & TIMELINES"
These practices are in everyone’s best interest and there is no better assurance to inspire initiatives on everyone’s part...to make sure that “Your Job,” for “Your Client(s)” always run well. This manner of work also helps keep you informed of time frames, dates and the impending schedules, allowing great updates on your jobs for clients. The benefits of this will quickly roll-over to you, on all your other jobs too. This works for you, when you’re unable to be there “In-person” to watch your jobs run. Following up on each issue guarantees and unbridles limitations and helps embed even more success principles throughout each team member’s job and performance.
If you already do these things, then congratulations on being a “Pure Artist” at heart.
You’ve mastered this skill of spoiling clients who look forward to many more joint successes on all of those next big jobs…which they’ll be bringing to you directly…and they'll be just a little bit earlier from now on. “Well done!!”
Subject: How to Get "Referrals, More Work and Early Notice on Client Jobs." (The key is HOW WELL you do the work you already have now.)
- Exceptional bonds with clients must be forged and nurtured continually by all contacts within the company. Once confidence and trust are initially earned, it hinges on every next job. Understanding this ensures the increasing odds of getting every next job, which may lead to even larger jobs with them and their clients, peers and associates.
- Building each client's confidence in you is a never ending journey traveled on the backs of each job. This means "Being There" for "Your Clients—Always"…and in bigger ways than they thought you ever could be. This is confirmed by every job they give you to do for them!! Clients are sensitive and ever-aware of how important they seem to be "To You" and your company.
- Keep the clients comfortable with this relationship. This is always gauged by them during and after each phone call. Great relationship building dialog is continually built stronger, or made weaker with every interaction. This is a critical key in preventing any sense in the client’s mind, of anyone in your company who may assume a posture of taking them for granted. If a client ever suspects this to be true; they can just as easily call someone else who’d be more than happy to “Show Them” and “Tell Them,” just how happy they are to have their business.
- Gather and know the costs of each job, including parts, equipment, manpower and labor time, and ensure profit margins are accurate allowing for a standardized cushion to prevent unforeseen mishaps which may create loss or cause a delay.
Assessing and Organizing Client Jobs, from “First Contact.”
- Always have a Production Schedule “Close-At-Hand.” Know the current and future work already scheduled or slated for production of any kind. This is the best tool and source to consider your response before making any commitment.
- Double-Check and call the client back before committing the additional work for the client to make sure that each word you give them will be doable and true. “Well-Run” companies frequently say, “Yes” to everything. This is only a bad practice when you are wrong. So, be sure by “Confirming All Details.” This includes all prep, start dates, operations, details, steps and costs; where advisement and confirmation is necessary and appropriate. This should be done with all vendor related contacts and in-house departments for each function and operation.
- Make a habit of being realistic and practical. This is essential to your company’s added layer of protection which ensures it’s good name and reputation in the industry. Be prepared when calling clients back to confirm all questions and exchanging all commitments and agreements covering point by point. Call them back once you’re sure that you can give them the “Good News” with confidence, reassuring them that “All will be slated to be handled for them as agreed.” This will be followed by their “Sigh of relief,” as you become once again, a “Trusted Hero and Valued Extension” of their company!!” Now stay close to that "Your Job" that backs up your word."
- Develop creative ways to keep this standard “Mindset,” It continually works well to ease any client anxieties about your ability, their schedule and yours, and helps them appreciate you. They'll realize the value of efforts and extents to which you went to...to slot their work into your company’s schedule--for them!! This thought remains long after they hang up the phone.
- After giving your commitment, do what you say, and do it better and more efficiently, completing the job sooner than expected, and call them back with that great news once the job wraps. On first-time, unique or difficult jobs posing challenges, your client may want to visit around the start of the job. Inform each department’s manager of the visit. Don't dread this process, just be prepared for this possibility, and you'll see this act alone, will do wonders to keep things on schedule.
Help Clients get work to you better and faster:
Not all clients are as organized as you. Some clients who tend to be chronically late; are frequently the same ones who want miracles to get their jobs done, regardless of “How Little Notice” they give you “To Do the Job.” Don’t be quick or too hasty to always say, “Yes” on any request. Your company strives to run“Back to Back Jobs,” involving “Quick Changeovers” on “Uniquely Modified Equipment requiring designated Steps to achieve each proper "Set-Up. ” If costs are increased by delaying or shifting work from preplanned schedules, these should be charged back to the appropriate client. Also, you may not want to call them back too early right away until the incurred additional costs are tallied.
- There is hope in dealing with clients who constantly press and close your required window of time allotments to do their jobs. The level of trust of your “Client-Company Relationship,” determines the ways and means you can help them.
- By helping them, you help yourself and your entire company--immensely, but make sure you do it with their interests “Front & Center” always!!
- Have you ever thought that the customers “Just Sit On Jobs,” which collect dust while waiting in their “Out-Box” for some details that may be insignificant to you? Some clients consistently overlook opportunities to give you a “Heads Up” about the “Up-Coming” work. It happens more than people think and there are countless reasons, and you’ll know none of them, because frankly; they are none of your business anyway--but they can all effect you and your company’s schedule.
- Another reason jobs are simply “Waiting in the Wings” is just “Simple Approval,” which may be nobody's fault. If you are smart, sharp and do your job well and professionally, you can make a good habit of finding creative ways to tactfully help with any issues or concerns while staying in touch with your clients. Take note of your own schedules around periods of time, when your clients jobs just happen to show up. Spotting those times is a trick to boost great change in any working relationship…and "It's Only" a mere thought and phone call away!!
- When clients get a surprise and timely call from you just to “Touch Base,” they may be in the throws of frantically rushing around to meet their normal deadline and your quickly shrinking window of opportunity to run their work through your company smoothly. Just hearing "What they are having to deal with," can “tip you off” about their situation, allowing time to advise team members, helping them and you adapt to and adjust to pending schedule demand changes in that will alter designated department production schedules. Keeping everyone "In the Loop," can never be "Over-Rated," or "Over-Emphasized!!"
- When all clients feel your company is just a phone call away from providing additional help or insight and collaboration, helping them tend to their interests; you’ll start getting more advanced notice on all jobs from most clients.
- When you make yourself available, offering to help them in times like these in a professional manner, they will appreciate your initiative and courtesy call. This offer to “Help Them” will be remembered, the next time a similar “Bump in the road” or “Hitch” happens to delay any adequate or advanced job notification times or dates.
- They will feel more comfortable giving you an “Early Heads Up” and may even tell you when they’ll be ready for you, and what must happen on their end, before you actually get the job.
- Your skill as an Analyst, Coordinator, Department Manager or Customer Service Representative, will be appreciated when focused on any concern which the client is comfortable in discussing with you...in advance.
- Back to the benefits of this close working relationship with your clients; They Love to get good news confirming a job is wrapped. Once it’s off their plate and mind, your prompt allows them to do the same thing alerting their own officers of the success. When this happens, you’ve just helped them, by getting a “Pat On The Back.”
- You and your company look good and they will too, when they send you a reply of thanks, and send their note or forward the an email you sent or one that states the same thing…about your work...to their boss. “Kudos-all Around” go to every player within such a “Great Cycle of Service,” within your ability and responsibility to help preserve, build and help control.
- Imagine the clout you’ll have gained them, with this consistent type of quality service? You don’t always “Have to Be Superman,” who “Saves the Day,” but neither did “Clark Kent.”
Conduct business like a "Genuinely Interested, and Concerned Friend."
This is a great way to be seen; in anyone's eyes. To work with someone like this, makes a job and work, seem more like fun, when both people are working hard to figure things out. The same holds true with any client relationship, without loosing a bit of professionalism. In fact…it enhances your credibility in the eyes of "Such Beholders."
- Don't just call to push a client, on anything, any time. They'd rather have your help, not the irritation of stating the obvious…that they are late. In fact, they'd rather you'd never called, but just sat and waited until they were ready. This is the first sign that they may start getting irritated…"By the Sound of Your Voice." Don't go here at all. Do the opposite: "Thank them for what ever they are trying to do…to get the job to you "As Soon As They can," and again, let them know that "You are in their Corner." Have you ever offered to pick the work up from them? Try it when they are ready of course. Costs like this may be eaten up front, charged back to them, or they may be simply be recovered by the time it saves the company on this job, or other staged work around other jobs. The client's normal reaction from such thoughtful service? That's easy…most of the time; it's "A BIG THANK YOU."
- Don't seek recognition from clients, since you are hopefully being paid well for the jobs you are being asked to do. The last thing a customer service or account representative should do, is “Come-off” like they are superficial or transparent, by asking for some “Pat On The Back.” This a complete turnoff to clients as well as peers and coworkers, but you can sure relieve the anxieties of a concerned client. This is the payoff that everybody seeks and deserves when the good work is done and jobs are “Wrapped,” and “Put to Bed.” Give yourself sufficient time and a bit more, to make sure you can do the job perfectly to prevent any surprises or last minute glitches.
KEEP TABS ON JOB PROGRESS: It's a basic ingredient to "Sweeter Running Jobs."
- Keeping Track of Progress Should Be Automatically Expected by Everyone, ANYTHING Less than this; allows a degree or two of lost control, and too often…it costs so much more!!
- A service industry standard is always assuming that you continually strive to keep all commitments, that you are always early, and that you do every job better than expected. There is no great mystery to great collaborations that yield greater success. It’s mostly courtesy compounded to the “nth degree,” whenever possible.
- Build on your own skill sets and ability for continuous improvements of each process. It can speed up the achievements of success beyond measure. Striving for this takes you well beyond the obvious “Daily Minimum of Requested & Required Services” for and on behalf of each client.
- Reviewing daily and notes and checking off all details on commitments and pursuing this work early, is just the normal part of so many more means and ways to serve them greater. People love working with people who enjoy working this way...with everyone. Doing it consistently without distinction is a balancing act. It more closely resembles "A Passion for Perfection Attitude" which grows, glows and multiplies as it spreads to include others in a similar light. Look for people like this, and gravitate towards them by becoming this type of person, and you'll realize how easy it is to spot them…most anywhere. Be like this, and you'll be the one others will normally seek out and find to work with "First," and "Always," when given half that chance.
Additional things to always question yourself and the job about:
"DETAILS & TIMELINES"
- Look for any wasted effort, time-wasting tasks, careless lapse of procedures overlooked or inconsistency. Start tracking jobs better while keeping pertinent notes of any changes to the point of realize anything unnecessary. It will then become engrained within your very being, as being too important to ever overlook any critical detail.
- Continue this efficient and effective method of practice, right along with all the other great habits you'll be more tuned to notice, develop a taste for, and acquire as you make them all "Your Own." This will make you and your company successful "Time After Time," on "Job After Job."
- Clarify and confirm all vague details or questions early and alway "Be Specific."
- Order anything needed “NOW” and allocate or arrange a back-up plan or extra spares when and where it may be needed.
- Get a commitment on all deliveries well in advance in writing or by email whenever possible, and stay on top of delivery dates.
- Start the jobs before each clients job early or at least on time, and try to finish each job early, including shut down, cleanup and change-overs.
- When details are clear review them all with appropriate leadership and even the people who’ll be doing the work at time (just to give them a heads-up too) before the job starts.
- Have a Quick Kick-off meeting before the job starts with all parties together or individually where necessary and appropriate.
- Review the job with all parties early, touching base with the people "Who will actually be doing the work." (Use discretion with this practice by going through all proper chains of command, to have these actions blessed and endorsed, to gain greater and more collaborative teams of players “On All Fronts!!”)
- Limit and minimize any tendency of resentments or rivalry's between departments, by involving and invoking a spirit of "Respectful Inclusion of All Players in Each Department. Invite the sincerely interested Leadership from Sales, other Coordinators and Supervisors who should be there “On-Hand” when the job starts to work out any kinks to ensure it starts and runs perfectly.
- This is a great aid to preparation, and keeping good people in the loop and adequately supported with any “Quick-Job, Kick-Off Meeting.”
- Tell people that they are welcome to contact you with any question, concern or potential problem. This confirms your willingness to respond to any issue. People value other people, who are sincerely interested in and care about problems other people may have to deal with, Be ready to rise to these occasions, because they will do this, and may start by testing your sincerity and ability to "Test Your Metal" or just to see if your "Word are Good" and if they "Mean Anything…to Them." Don't worry about being bugged to much, because good people calling on you means there's little chance they'll ever abuse this invitation you’ve so graciously offered them.
These practices are in everyone’s best interest and there is no better assurance to inspire initiatives on everyone’s part...to make sure that “Your Job,” for “Your Client(s)” always run well. This manner of work also helps keep you informed of time frames, dates and the impending schedules, allowing great updates on your jobs for clients. The benefits of this will quickly roll-over to you, on all your other jobs too. This works for you, when you’re unable to be there “In-person” to watch your jobs run. Following up on each issue guarantees and unbridles limitations and helps embed even more success principles throughout each team member’s job and performance.
If you already do these things, then congratulations on being a “Pure Artist” at heart.
You’ve mastered this skill of spoiling clients who look forward to many more joint successes on all of those next big jobs…which they’ll be bringing to you directly…and they'll be just a little bit earlier from now on. “Well done!!”
St Louis President, CEO’s, CFO, Manufacturers: “Tips for the Day”
President, CEO, CFO, Plant Managers in a production environment: “FREE Tips for the Day”
Do you have the big picture of yesterday’s production along with all of the facts? If so… great.
put’s some skin in the game for any failures that went unnoticed or unchecked.
handled during the day, and before work shut down. This should be accompanied with any related challenges, clearly described and identified, which should have been handled according to policy, best practices and procedures. Otherwise, you should have been informed before it was too late. Each day’s work should stay “in check,” or the next rung of leadership should be informed.
If you need 3000 per hour to hit 24,000 to hit your target 100% of standard, for each 8 hours run, do you have numbers, less start-up time, down-time, waste or spoilage which then accurately reflect actual production output? These too should be at your fingertips? It’s good to know sooner than later…if say, 5 machines, or a few shifts of work only hit 22,000 each for an average of .91% of standard.
Who should be aware of these numbers and use them to encourage great performance? Anyone who can make those numbers go up or down! These are objective, hard numbers which can help screen plausible reasons or excuses for low production. Bad numbers equals a need for your staff’s immediate response to troubleshoot and solve problems quickly. Once checked, vetted and confirmed the speed at which each relative boss is informed of a persistent or chronic problem ad delay…should be clocked with an egg timer. Target numbers are commitments which must be hit by using all of the skill and awareness the company can muster. “No Surprises” is a key notion that everyone should keep in mind. (Doing this will help minimize the all too common “Catch-all Excuses tossed out to those, who should not be expected to forgive without good reason.” “Oops”, I didn’t know, or someone didn’t say they were having a problem. There’s no replacement for effective status reporting.
There’s no replacement for knowing that everyone keeps you up-to-date on progress. Encourage advanced notice of critical trends after the supervisors have tried, and hit a wall that they can’t find their way around it, before time is wasted.
Nobody wants to be surprised by deficient numbers hours after the point where you should have been informed of the problem. This must be common knowledge that even the operators adhere to religiously. This rule of thumb makes a plant manager powerfully effective, as well as anyone else who exercises this right, privilege, responsibility and authority.
4. Employee Evaluations: Are all employees current on their performance evaluations? Are their any employees known to be chronically deficient, and have all steps been taken, or notices as to which action to take next, and has that been followed up on to note the performance change or lack thereof? Do you have objective hard measurable and understandable data which is being properly, appropriately and effectively relayed and conveyed to the right people in a timely manner? Do you have subjective data properly identified which specifies the parameters and standards and measurements for each of the company’s employee expectations…by which they are being evaluated?
5. Inventory, Preparation and Production Plan Management: Inventory is accurate, well stocked for production forecasts and being monitored? Are your change overs amazingly smooth, fast, well executed, complete, accurate and being tested and confirmed in a timely, appropriate and consistent manner?
So, if you are missing any of these critical elements which you have the authority to make sure that you have from each of your reports, I encourage you to ask them in a way which will get them back to you, as soon as you can, as often as you see fit, and them charge those who provide them, to be mindful to exercise their influence so as to achieve the positive changing impact which will follow the design of these measurement tools which steward each critical factor impacting the daily growth and success of your company.
If everyone is busy, fantastic, and congratulations, however stay informed on what people are busy with. Hopefully they are hustling in a productive way with “The Good” of making all jobs on machines and processes reach and surpass all expectations,…and not dealing with “The Bad” or “The Ugly.”
The countless ways this could happen…come in too many forms to list but here are a few: They could range in variety and may include, but not limited to: poor planning or communication, bad hand-offs, shoddy preparation, an “Oops” or an occasional or chronic mistake, lack of training, guesswork, bad calls, poor oversight or a lack of insight or foresight or just some bad judgement call, or it could be another alien discovery your staff recently encountered which just tried to crawl up the back of your company’s neck to inhale its head.
Be well, good luck, and I’m hear if you need me. Rick
If you moved your stock from Boing to Levis recently and retired, please toss my number to the folks you’ll miss and wish well on your way out.
President, CEO, CFO, Plant Managers in a production environment: “FREE Tips for the Day”
Do you have the big picture of yesterday’s production along with all of the facts? If so… great.
- Do you have Daily Standards Set “In-Place” for each machine and process and are they being monitored and utilized effectively by all appropriate parties, including yourself?
- In addition to yesterday’s work performance, do you have or get the count summaries for the previous weeks, months, quarter or year’s performance according to your standard of each job, machine, employee...and are they accurately reflected in a clear, concise and accurate spread sheet report?...
- CHECK THE REASONS FOR LOW COUNTS, AND REPORTS ON WHAT WAS DONE OR NOT ABLE TO BE DONE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM:
- Alert Others of the problem: People frequently forget yesterday’s performance issues which resulted in low quality or poor production, just because the shift is over, should not be just dropped or ignored, because it’s late in the day.
- Supervisors may get too busy, or forgets to handle or cannot handle a chronic problem to the point of repair or fix: If not completely and correctly handled that day, then that supervisor just “Set-Up” the other shift with a problem, especially if they never even told them about it. (This can happen if a supervisor felt embarrassed or did not have a good reason for checking, fixing or completely handling a problem the right way through corrections, and if they gave a heads-up to the next shift, instead of letting them discover it for themselves, that first supervisor would be marked for dropping the ball.) It’s pretty obvious…the number of games which can be played, even when, and sometimes especially when everyone is so busy.
- Production Capacity Drop Continues until it’s fixed: Nobody should intentionally allow the company’s capacity drop intentionally even in effect, due to negligence if it wasn’t even pursued. If nothing could be done and it was checked and things were tried, it’s responsible, and it then should be reported forward. It should be tackled in the new light of the next day, or with fresh eyes on the next immediate shift. Yesterday’s oversights in failing to handle today’s issues, are tomorrows cautionary tale of lessons which should be learned…the first time, so this doesn’t repeat itself again.
put’s some skin in the game for any failures that went unnoticed or unchecked.
handled during the day, and before work shut down. This should be accompanied with any related challenges, clearly described and identified, which should have been handled according to policy, best practices and procedures. Otherwise, you should have been informed before it was too late. Each day’s work should stay “in check,” or the next rung of leadership should be informed.
If you need 3000 per hour to hit 24,000 to hit your target 100% of standard, for each 8 hours run, do you have numbers, less start-up time, down-time, waste or spoilage which then accurately reflect actual production output? These too should be at your fingertips? It’s good to know sooner than later…if say, 5 machines, or a few shifts of work only hit 22,000 each for an average of .91% of standard.
Who should be aware of these numbers and use them to encourage great performance? Anyone who can make those numbers go up or down! These are objective, hard numbers which can help screen plausible reasons or excuses for low production. Bad numbers equals a need for your staff’s immediate response to troubleshoot and solve problems quickly. Once checked, vetted and confirmed the speed at which each relative boss is informed of a persistent or chronic problem ad delay…should be clocked with an egg timer. Target numbers are commitments which must be hit by using all of the skill and awareness the company can muster. “No Surprises” is a key notion that everyone should keep in mind. (Doing this will help minimize the all too common “Catch-all Excuses tossed out to those, who should not be expected to forgive without good reason.” “Oops”, I didn’t know, or someone didn’t say they were having a problem. There’s no replacement for effective status reporting.
There’s no replacement for knowing that everyone keeps you up-to-date on progress. Encourage advanced notice of critical trends after the supervisors have tried, and hit a wall that they can’t find their way around it, before time is wasted.
Nobody wants to be surprised by deficient numbers hours after the point where you should have been informed of the problem. This must be common knowledge that even the operators adhere to religiously. This rule of thumb makes a plant manager powerfully effective, as well as anyone else who exercises this right, privilege, responsibility and authority.
4. Employee Evaluations: Are all employees current on their performance evaluations? Are their any employees known to be chronically deficient, and have all steps been taken, or notices as to which action to take next, and has that been followed up on to note the performance change or lack thereof? Do you have objective hard measurable and understandable data which is being properly, appropriately and effectively relayed and conveyed to the right people in a timely manner? Do you have subjective data properly identified which specifies the parameters and standards and measurements for each of the company’s employee expectations…by which they are being evaluated?
5. Inventory, Preparation and Production Plan Management: Inventory is accurate, well stocked for production forecasts and being monitored? Are your change overs amazingly smooth, fast, well executed, complete, accurate and being tested and confirmed in a timely, appropriate and consistent manner?
So, if you are missing any of these critical elements which you have the authority to make sure that you have from each of your reports, I encourage you to ask them in a way which will get them back to you, as soon as you can, as often as you see fit, and them charge those who provide them, to be mindful to exercise their influence so as to achieve the positive changing impact which will follow the design of these measurement tools which steward each critical factor impacting the daily growth and success of your company.
If everyone is busy, fantastic, and congratulations, however stay informed on what people are busy with. Hopefully they are hustling in a productive way with “The Good” of making all jobs on machines and processes reach and surpass all expectations,…and not dealing with “The Bad” or “The Ugly.”
The countless ways this could happen…come in too many forms to list but here are a few: They could range in variety and may include, but not limited to: poor planning or communication, bad hand-offs, shoddy preparation, an “Oops” or an occasional or chronic mistake, lack of training, guesswork, bad calls, poor oversight or a lack of insight or foresight or just some bad judgement call, or it could be another alien discovery your staff recently encountered which just tried to crawl up the back of your company’s neck to inhale its head.
Be well, good luck, and I’m hear if you need me. Rick
If you moved your stock from Boing to Levis recently and retired, please toss my number to the folks you’ll miss and wish well on your way out.
CRITICAL CLOSE TOLERANCE SCAREY JOBS TURNED INTO WIN/WIN SUCCESS, IN THE PRINT AND MAIL INDUSTRY.
HMMM Blog Posts 07/20/16
High Dollar Profits and High Dollar Losses happen one person and one operation at a time. You can’t be everywhere all the time--nobody can. But, your policies and the standards by which “You Choose To Operate,” should be “Ever Present & Everywhere with Everyone...ALL THE TIME!!” This article was written to address and “Speak to This Topic.”
Hidden, "Built-in” Positive & Negative Manufacturing Incentives
© by Rickey Bates, High Marks Manufacturing Management
Weak supervisory skills and practices are largely at fault for failing to promptly and sufficiently address chronically low producers. Bold and sometimes difficult employees who repeatedly fall short of the mark must be advised and at times confronted about their unsatisfactory level of performance, in some timely and appropriate manner.
An accurate assessment of the problem should be identified, clarified and reviewed with the employee “Right Away!!” Asking an employee "How's it going?" and getting back a "It's getting better…" may not always solve the problem. Approaching employees who are already well aware of their low production can be tricky, but it must be done. So let's just deal with consistently low producers, or those experiencing great challenges on some jobs.
Simple and probing questions to determine each factor responsible for low production should be a familiar process for employees. Senior or skilled employees who normally achieve standards. However, doing this the right way is sometimes difficult...in “The Heat of the Battle” during “Peak Production Times,” with “Demanding Clients,” with “Critical Time Constraints.” Understanding and Wisdom goes a long way to helping people Spot and Solve a few Hidden causes for problems.
Consistently low producers “Weigh-Down’ companies that struggle to move forward and grow. Nobody should just be “Waiting-To-See” if a person or their production gets better—”By Chance.”
Supervisors also cannot “Look the Other Way” or purposefully “Give Breaks” without good reason. Supervisors know this, but sometimes their appreciation for the person, their previous work, or special circumstances may test this working relationship when a supervisors gives benefit of the doubt, while this may do little or nothing but allow further damage that only delays possible “Wonderful Solutions,” which could be “Employed Now.”
Continual awareness of production “Output” “Requires Answers and Reasons” for low production. This also helps prompt creative, timely and appropriate ways to “Come to the Aid” of the Company, by promptly spotting the low production and causes for “Dips in Performance.”
Monitoring production doesn’t have to put employees “On-the-Defensive” or “Offend” them...like you’re “Watching Over Their Shoulder--Constantly.” Sincere interest and concern “On the Company’s Behalf” is expected, and understandable to all employees. The manner in which it’s handled, is key to turning the situation around. Many times, minor or simple adjustments in some equipment, processes or even procedures may do the trick. So the longer it’s left “To Chance” for things to “Work Themselves Out by Themselves” just doesn’t make any sense--for the company, the supervisor or the employee(s).
Teams of employees are acutely aware of production output and standards, and frequently even more-so than supervisors. Thus, when they notice low output being tolerated and that it’s “Not being attended to...” other employee production performance will drop as well.
When a supervisor overlooks signs of low production, ignoring their effects; they’re actually “Blessing” or at least “Excusing” what is going on!! They “Leave Things to Lay” allowing them to go on at “The Same Pace” by failing to alter the current course by “Not Tending to Opportunities” to offer options, solutions and give direction or directives, failing to “Lend a Hand.”
Everyone has a bad day, but a “Bit of help” or minor assistance, advice, insight, or just a helping hand for period of time--may just be all the magic that does the trick to solve the problem. Either way with any action of the above things will change, because things will be learned and people will be appreciating one another with a mutual respect and regard...to work through a problem. This too others will see.
At times--supervisors see other employees “pitching-in” to help another coworker. This speaks well for both employees. The awareness and helpful manner of one employee’s willingness to come to the aid of another employee; says they are a wise leader on the team. They spotted someone in a situation who they deemed worthy of “Offering and Giving” such help...and at times at their own peril while possibly working twice hard to keep up their own production. “Stranger Things Have Happened...so Don’t be too quick to jump to the conclusion that folks are just visiting and wasting time.
A Summary Point worthy of Emphasis
“Recognize, Acknowledge and Privately and/or Openly Express Appreciation and Regard for all Initiatives supporting growth.” This Collaboration, Communication and Cooperation, can’t be bought and paid for...this is something earned, and deserved. Building a plant full of team mates and work crews who operate this way...is priceless, and a company’s greatest hidden friends behind the scenes should be “Sought For,” Discovered” and “Treasured.”
These types of employees are in your manufacturing plants right now just waiting to be discovered, and this potential and desire is hidden within “All your employees.” Overlooking this principle for any period of time, in any department or employee can be too costly, having an unknown “Tolling Effect” on any company’s operations and “Bottom-Line.”
Endorsing all the “Greater Good” in “Best Practices” may just start from; “The Top Down,” “The Bottom-Up” and everywhere “In-Between” too!! Is anyone looking for it, can anyone spot it and will anyone thank employees for exceptional performance...today, tomorrow?
Good and bad practices grow exponentially, compounding and also spreading like a virus or good news. Great Leadership chooses which ways in which to operate. Failing to choose one way or the other...is also a choice which pays dividends or increases losses whenever and wherever people work.
These issues handled correctly with some prompt, appropriate, tact and “A Bit of Insightful Class,” demonstrates and proudly display “Monumental Signs” of “Best Manufacturing Methods and Practices.”
Final Thoughts: How will you know if you have this type of environment with great cooperation, collaboration and communication throughout the plant and company? Walk through them, look, watch, ask thoughtful and thought provoking questions, but only if you’re sincerely interested in hearing the answers, and ready, willing and able to do something about what may come right “Back At You.” Sometimes you may get weak in the knees for a few seconds, but it’s the natural cost and a needed investment, for this level of consistent standards for success. Enjoy yourself, and make someone else’s day...by the way. Learn something from them and pass it along...and it doesn’t matter from who, it’s a good mode to "Just Be In.”
If something...anything is missing or "Going South" on a job, this is one way to to help reassure people that “It’s Ok to open up, vent (constructively and tactfully...hopefully). But directness is an under-rated but sometimes harsh reality of things sometimes...before they get better, by change.
Walk through 10 plants of any kind this way, and the “One’s Who’ve Got It Right” and “Those Who Aren’t Quite There Yet,” will be “Abundantly Clear.” Inquiring Minds, engaging in this kind of generous and sincere dialog, will read the plant’s levels and standards on this subject and those of even greater detail, the closer you look at all operations. Plus…who knows, you may even notice more smiles!!
May these words inspire even greater thoughts and applications of your own throughout your company along the way to your next noteworthy and successful journeys…together.
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Tips, Tricks, Tactics and Strategies 101: To keep your company "In the Black!!"
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Introduction: Impact on plant quality and efficiency.
July 14, 2016
To: Plant Operations Manager
℅: Corporate Human Resources
Dear Human Resource Manager,
This is a gift to Plant Operational Management designed to rapidly improve plant efficiency through tips offered which help impact change in quality and efficiency. These tips and advice which may be "Well Known," are not always able to be "Properly and Effectively" acted upon without the right staff, support or methodologies, which must include a specific "Action Plan."
Please resist the urge to toss this in the can or hit delete, for your plant’s sake. The content discussed targets any critical strategies to aid in the cohesive cooperation, collaboration, communication and commitment of employees, to identify and control plant wide production, achieving high standards, and better controls of related performance factors. “Heightened Awareness” of the current effectiveness of operations, is the first rule and guide needed to set higher marks to achieve in each department.
Identifying what's possible and achievable is the next step. Once this is known, the plan to attack and reach those marks can be set in motion. That plan can and should push all the right buttons to “Create,” “Encourage,” “Inspire” and “Insist” on “This Level of Daily Standard of Quality and Efficiency. People in all jobs truly want to be a member of a team that functions this well in this way together.
“Initiatives” too often are “Grazed Over,” and get “Lip Service” through concurring assumptions by multiple parties, that "ALL Things Are Fine,” when in fact they more frequently are not when processes are left to run unchecked for any period of time. Follow-up is an On-going Best Friend to Progress. Without Follow-up and Accountability measures to check what's happened recently, compared to what was possible, greater success opportunities are more frequently missed than made, and "They Fall by the Wayside.”
For this reason, “Strategic Embedding of Thought and Themes” are kept general in nature, to aid the increased efforts of the widest range and types of “Large Plant Manufacturers,” in the St. Louis area.
Directors and plant managers have the right to choose wisely what interests them, and helps them better run the plant. One tip that prompts a change, may be all that is needed to make the plant more profitable.
All departments including Human Resources Departments, play a key role in helping plant managers achieve greater success by supporting all programs aimed at plant improvements. This is one of those keys. Employee Performance, Development and Review is an on-going process, and which helps governs the improvement cycle which can minimize staff turn over, by retaining and keeping the most skilled, experienced and capable staff members, having them "Keyed" and "Tuned-In" to practical strategies which ensure company success.
Also, the inclosed content should be of "Special Interest and Concern" to all C.E.O.'s, C.F.O's, and Board Members, who depend on being "In-The-Black," when those Dividends, Earnings, Quarterly, Proxies and Annual Reporting times come back around to stare them right in the face. Don't forget...They also have the power, right, authority and privilege to say, it's time for a change, and they can and should have all the best information necessary to help them make the greatest positive changes.
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Please take a moment to confirm your interest and corresponding response regarding this subject and these topics, tips and strategies:
The High Marks Manufacturing Management topics:
Email your response, question, related or non-related concern: ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
What are the deliverables and advantages of hiring me as a Corporate Trainer?
Immediate Resources Put To Work For Your Company: An Ally to Work for You, according to your wishes, commands and directives charged to impact positive change.
Your plant manager or representative for plant operations; simply states what’s happening and why, explaining the depth, scope and effects upon the company. It does not matter if it's a potential problem, or a new challenge, or a chronic and on-going problem.
This is an overview from a “Bottom-Line and High Level Prospective," and an important “Key” to initiating the "Noted and Marked Change Process Assessment."
Next: Clarify the general or specific details, scope and understanding of the challenges. Once these details of the picture are stated and captured, it establishes and engages immediate response on the company's behalf according to their wishes.
The action plan is developed, returned for review and consideration, while being adapted and adjusted as the company sees fit.
According to a timeline plan of events, options are identified, described in detail, weighted, tested, reviewed, agreed upon, then the solutions are approved and implemented accordingly.
Problem Assessment:
Excerpt from:
Issue 21; June 20,2016 Newsletter:
Strategic Plant Change Strategies and Themes Run Far, Wide and Deep!
There are endless ways to speak to a point or say the sam thing a different a topic... but for the points and following story, consider this way of thinking about how All you Say and Do both For and With your staff—which actually align strategies with all those who work "For You!"
What's priceless here, is your power ability and right as a trusted agent fighting for the entire good of your company, "You ARE the GREATEST SINGLE AGENT OF CHANGE!! Finding and implementing those "Best Methods," finding those BETTER Ways to get them even BETTER ALIGNED to YOUR WAY OF THINKING…especially when you are "Not Watching" is priceless!!
This story is designed to help engage your mind, drawing attention to, and creating an acute insight and awareness for new, creative and applicable means and methods, to initiate and implement change in your own plant.
MISTAKES DON'T JUST HAPPEN, they are born from one or more collective breaches conceived from some cumulative flaw(s) causing only slight difficulties at first, before they turn into one or more break downs in the system like a machine and this includes machines, but problems with processes work in much the same manner.
All natural senses should be engaged when driving a car, and working, everything runs better, when none are compromised or not being employed. Some can be discovered by hearing something unusual, or by seeing something that doesn't look quite right, or by feeling a vibration, smelling something like burnt rings, or a singed wire, and so on. Often more than one sign could have been seen, but one that is caught will lead to the discovery of the others, until you track them down to get to the source and core problem. A common correlation is normally found between the length of time the problems went undiscovered and the degree of existing damage has been done, which is also relative to the time, energy and cost of the repair.
There is no better preventative manner to save these costs, than having the full attention of the employees monitoring and paying close attention to what's working good, and what might be right...may be well worth the time it takes to check it, or ask a mechanic to check out, before it gets much worse to the point it may crash and go completely down for a long time. If a full time mechanic is there, with the right part, and able to work on it, it's going to be easier to do it before it goest down. If anything is missing like a few parts which have to be ordered, pending availability and the shipping and arrival time delay, or the mechanic is busy elsewhere and cannot dedicate the time to for lengthy or involved repair, or if you don't have a mechanic on-site, one thing that you could have had going for you all along, which could have saved a lot of pain no matter what else can't be done now is...the operator catching signs of problems, and shutting it down, or running it slower or easier and watching it closer until that time...could have, would have and should have, served the company well, by saving them additional unnscessary higher repair costs.
Some seasoned or senior operators who are more skilled at trouble shooting a machine, than some of the mechanics who repair them, Many mechanics can find better ways to make machines run but if it puts out work they have to put away, or tend to, they will run it easier and slower than the senior operators who will get it back up to speed to make up for the down time of after the repair.
Paying attention can't be over emphasised. Operators are cued for warning signs. They want to solve them early and fast.
It's great when mechanics and operators collaborate and teach each other things, and have that level of comfort and mutual appreciation, but it's never perfect in most cases, however the respect and appreciation for each other's job should remain constant.
"Mistakes are the Second Name Given," to things Previously Known As: "A gut feeling." "A simple notion," "A Slight Sign" of "Trouble On The Horizon," that was never previously addressed and pointed out…by name!! Foresight is engaging the search through the "Collection of Collaborative, Cooperative, Communicating, and Controlling Focus of the Best Minds and Eyes YOU CAN FIND, EMPLOYED BY YOU… Standing THEIR Watch on behalf of you and your company!!" Them doing this, truly makes your company their company too. This is your power whenever and wherever you can't always be.
Whether a mistake is One of a Hundred or Thousands, chances are, it could have been foreseen or at least caught by multiple people, departments or process controls which were already in place.
Oversight, assumptions, distractions, lack of attention to detail, poor work habits or methods, ineffective control measures or even faulty or poor quality material play in the arena, and they all are enemies of success. Awareness and exceptional training of work habits, methods, and confirmation of skill, ability and initiative, helps prevent errors from slipping through the cracks.
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Don’t assume what this EMPOYEE and ALL the Other employees ALSO assumed, or took for granted...as it turns out normally, many people had the chance to catch it, and missed it!!
(Recalling the story reported from internal company sources.)
This is the story of A Plant Manager who has to say “Oops” to his most important client, friend and previous employer, when “His Worse Nightmare Comes True,” and then; “HOW HE” Rises to the occasion to “Discover” and “Get To the Core of the Problem” and “How HE Starts Fixing IT RIGHT NOW. ” The Overall Outcome and Story of That Success, depended on every thing that happened next.
The names of both companies and all the people have been changed, to honor a historically amazing relationship service-providing company, and the entire staff and plant of people who collaborated to resolve and moved on, after such a critical and embarrassing “Mishap,” "Incident," "Oversight," and "Big-Time Oops."
TWO PHONE CALLS FROM HELL:
A well known public figure who used to employ our plant manager, whose efficiency and effectiveness proved critically important many times over in years past.
This man was head of a large corporation, who switched a different company to become the head over our other client company.
We were we were running “Hot and Heavy” doing campaigns for both companies at the same time.
There was a problem discovered, so he called his old “Right-Hand Man” on marketing matters, to see what was going on.
Phone call #1, To a very good Executive Secretary:
“Ring...Ring!!”
The client gave his name, explained the problem...
...you are putting “New Campaign Material” into the campaign for “My Old Company.” Not only this, but you are also putting the material from my “Old Company” into the campaign for my “New Company.”
The secretary asked his name again, got it, and then summarily “hangs-up-on the guy,” as being some “Crank-Caller.” (He is world famous)
Some time goes by, maybe a few hours later, he calls back and asks for the plant manager, and finally gets through to him.
Here is that the call that makes things...“Go-Boom.”
Phone call #2, To the same...very good Executive Secretary:
“Ring...Ring!!”
This time the client spoke a little bit louder, a little slower, and was apparently upset and even seemed rude to the secretary.
He explains the problem again: “This is ______ again, and I want to speak to (Plant Manger) NOW! Tell him who it is...now will you do that please?
She figured her boss could “Take Care Of This Guy” that’s telling her this “Far-Fetched,” story, because this guy just had to be some “Wacko.”
She buzzes her boss, “...There’s this guy who says he’s “__________,” with some ridiculous story about Client A, and “Client B’s Jobs,” and he was so...interrupted by the plant manager who says, “Put him through right now!!”
“The Boom”
It was his friend, arguably the famous and powerful man in the industry calling our company, his friend and previous V. P., to tell him HE that we were “Screwing Up.”
It was true. We were putting 1 of the 7 inserts for Client A was going with Client B’s campaign, and 1 of the 7 inserts for Client B was going into Client B’s insert.
This potential “Multimillion Dollar-Game Changing Mistake” occurred due to many people failing to make the distinction between “Two Small Codes” which looked very “Similar.”
Both components were properly identified but the two codes were so similar that it required redesign, engineering and process criteria control change which included close review and/or restructuring to prevent “This Type of Mistake” from “Ever Happening Again.”
The components looked so similar in color, weight, printing, stock size, type and code by design. It’s as similare as the followng example:
The “Capital “Eye” and a “Lower case “Ell.”
e.g. I vs. l
Note: This equivalent of this singular difference sent everything and everyone spinning and seemingly spiraling out of control. Not only these two clients, but also every other client who happened to "Get Wind of This," this act could have given all of them good reason to leave our company. The procedural changes that followed were not only applied to these two clients, but they also carried much farther and deeper into the production control processes of each and every client to a greater degree from this point on. All work was double-checked and containments procedures were implemented.
This rather famous and important man and client who made this call worked for one of the “Big 3 Motor Companies," and later switched to one of the others.
The secretary among other things was asked, not to ever screen calls involving anything to do with plant quality or efficiency, even if they say they are “Bugs Bunny!!”
Though I’m not Bugs Bunny, I may as well be, because there are many learned lessons put to good use for other companies. Wise, skilled and experienced people help companies grow, by controlling losses, and expediting their growth. These issues are real, and dealt with every day, or allowed to effect your company behind the scenes, and these and many more like them, each day of revenues. In other words, please forward this for the benefit of the plant, your plant manager, and for the good of the company, striving to achieve perfection within your competitive niche and industry.
Please keep this in mind as the story unfolds:
Our plant manager was the NICEST, SMARTEST, WISEST AND MOST PATIENT MAN THAT EVERYBODY WORKED TO KEEP HAPPY BECAUSE EVERYONE RESPECTED HIM, AND KNEW HOW GOOD A MAN HE WAS, by the way he ran the plant and interacted with all employee at every level. Everyone knew he was approachable and sincerely interested in the total welfare of the company’s interests, the entire plant, and every employee who worked there. This was how people thought about the man before, during and after, and possibly even more-so, from this point on.
THE PLAN STARTED PRETTY FAST...AFTER A FEW BRIEF WORDS FROM OUR PLANT MANAGER.
In his directive, there was no pause, period or lower case. letters in this directive. No breath was taken, and there was no “Please,” certainly no “Thank You’s,” but I’ll leave it to your imagination to visualize the imagery of the emphasis, volume and clarity. Some of said, there may have even been smoke coming from his ears and nose with nostrils flaring.
There was a broken phone, loud sounding doors, the loud sound of many feet going “pitter patter,” people being called over the P.A. System on Max Volume, a plant full of employees with their most studious faces on busily working and checking there codes for a something wrong.
Rumors were being whispered alluding to “The Rapture,” or something very close to it, and it’s the first time that there wasn’t a smile to be found in the entire plant. We were all wondering...and a bit concerned and waiting to hear what happened, and were wondering if what ever had just happened, was still happening on the job, that we are on or was working on recently. Everybody saw “Writing on the wall,” but nobody could read it yet.
The sum and substance of the Plant Managers Change Order helped people get moving along quite well.
“Quick Critical Response” & “Corrective Action Summary”
Who or How Many People Made The Mistake?
It could be argued that; “All” of the following could have had a hand in preventing this mistake, and therefore the blame could be laid in varying levels, and be shared by all of them who worked on, required to inspect and “pass or fail,” and “approve or reject” the components: (In No Particular Order: Responsibilities)
How Did This Happen?
How Fast Was The Change Order Made? Immediately (Before the Plant Manager Hung-up the Phone)
How Fast Was The Change Process Started? Immediately Upon Change Ordered
How Fast Was The Change Implemented? Immediately After Change Ordered
What Was The Change Process? All possible parties identified and involved in immediate changes within their roles and areas of responsibility(s)
What Were The Changes? Too Many To List
How Many Were Disciplined or Fired? None
How Many Clients Were Lost? None
How Many Operational Changes Were Made? Too Many To List
What Was The Impact Of Operational Changes? Plant Awareness, Foresight, Planning, Cooperation, Cooperation, Collaboration, Teamwork, Quality, Efficiency, Initiative on Everyone’s Part was brought to an All Time High going forward throughout the plant and beyond, throughout other unknown job roles, duties and functions. The entire corporation.
What Was The Impact On Quality? Improved and Increased
What Was The Impact On Efficiency?
Improved and Increased
What Was The Impact Company Revenue? Increased
If you have New Hires, or a full-time staff of temporary employees, or nonunion workers who may need training or a few more guideline, job aides or personal instruction; we are here to help. If you have a supervisory training need, to collect performance data, or write better criteria to be measured, contact us.
Supervisors and managers are spread thinner now than in days and years past, and they may need a little help supporting to stay at the “Top of Their Game.” You don’t want any of them spinning their wheels, or pulling their hair out. Sporadic, variant or occasional training that each of them do, in addition to on-going quality-checks must be done in a days time.
At times it is even unreasonable and unrealistic to expect and assume, that they can deliver, track and document all instruction verbatim to the highest standards of consistently. They are normally the key people on the front lines as the busiest people in charge of most critical and timely decisions. They should not be divided, but they can be very well supported.
Companies no longer allocate huge funds for training, but that doesn’t mean, training is no-longer needed. The lapse of training oversight, has compounded and increased this need exponentially.
Note: Improving quality, production efficiency and employee performance, reduces every training investment, and pays dividends long after excellent training methods and techniques are put into place.
With years of experience training thousands of employees, and as many over a thousand per year to improve quality and efficiency, we’re serving companies who’d like the advantages of having their own means to minimize “bottom-line costs” and exceed client expectations.
Please contact me for a free phone consult or to arrange an on site evaluation audit of training needs.
Rickey Bates
Free Tips to Help Your Company Become
Operations Manager & Plant Manager
AS LARGE PLANT MANAGERS, YOU CAN WEILD GREATER POWER TO GET ANY HELP YOU NEED, AND MORE IS JUST WAITING TO BE PUT…TO GOOD USE!!
Summary: CHOICE ONE:
1. CATCH IT AND FIX IT FIRST
2. LET SOMEONE ELSE CATCH IT AND TELL YOU ABOUT IT, WHICH FORCES YOU TO HAVE TO FIX IT AND PAY MUCH MORE FOR IT LATER.
Plant managers have the unpleasant obligation and task to take responsibility for mistakes. but it is much safer to implement a higher state and standard of attentiveness and awareness, through initiatives that track production quality and efficiency.
It’s impossible to check everything, but looking for signs of something that’s not quite right-- goes a long way toward preventing the damage from missing the signs "Before They Morph” into some "Full-Blown Crisis."
Failures happen, but when all parties involved are not actively seeking answers, monitoring production and quality control, then one or many things may be wrong, and they more often than not…always do!!
Consequences for inaction are too costly and involve many parties doing pennants, eating crow. This is involves numerous and very creative and profuse apologies and assurances. This happened here, and all those promises...were all kept. (We'll never know the amount of "Groveling Involved," but suffice it to say…that it must have been considerable!!
The changes that were ordered and followed. They were vast, deep and many, and done at the highest rate of speed humanly possible. The embarrassment of a Plant Manager though unbearable was necessary and all too humbling, but it happens every day behind very large and "Slammed Closed Doors." This proceeds the greatest speed of changes known to "Mankind." This is how clients are retained and what must be done on the Plant Manager Level, and even Higher…just to deal with such critical mistakes and retain clients.
The damage done, due to mostly "Winking At" signs of a problem(s) or trend(s) which could save many headaches if caught and dealt with "On-the Spot," is crucial to "Keeping things Running—Smooth As Silk." Overlook it most anywhere— and it can continue to slip through the cracks.
This "Mode" of "Environmental Change Attitude in the Workplace," this type of insight and "Call to Action for Change, " is unmistakably present in the best Plants throughout each department, when they work together to this end, all the time, with everyone, this well.
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HMMM Blog Posts 07/20/16
High Dollar Profits and High Dollar Losses happen one person and one operation at a time. You can’t be everywhere all the time--nobody can. But, your policies and the standards by which “You Choose To Operate,” should be “Ever Present & Everywhere with Everyone...ALL THE TIME!!” This article was written to address and “Speak to This Topic.”
Hidden, "Built-in” Positive & Negative Manufacturing Incentives
© by Rickey Bates, High Marks Manufacturing Management
Weak supervisory skills and practices are largely at fault for failing to promptly and sufficiently address chronically low producers. Bold and sometimes difficult employees who repeatedly fall short of the mark must be advised and at times confronted about their unsatisfactory level of performance, in some timely and appropriate manner.
An accurate assessment of the problem should be identified, clarified and reviewed with the employee “Right Away!!” Asking an employee "How's it going?" and getting back a "It's getting better…" may not always solve the problem. Approaching employees who are already well aware of their low production can be tricky, but it must be done. So let's just deal with consistently low producers, or those experiencing great challenges on some jobs.
Simple and probing questions to determine each factor responsible for low production should be a familiar process for employees. Senior or skilled employees who normally achieve standards. However, doing this the right way is sometimes difficult...in “The Heat of the Battle” during “Peak Production Times,” with “Demanding Clients,” with “Critical Time Constraints.” Understanding and Wisdom goes a long way to helping people Spot and Solve a few Hidden causes for problems.
Consistently low producers “Weigh-Down’ companies that struggle to move forward and grow. Nobody should just be “Waiting-To-See” if a person or their production gets better—”By Chance.”
Supervisors also cannot “Look the Other Way” or purposefully “Give Breaks” without good reason. Supervisors know this, but sometimes their appreciation for the person, their previous work, or special circumstances may test this working relationship when a supervisors gives benefit of the doubt, while this may do little or nothing but allow further damage that only delays possible “Wonderful Solutions,” which could be “Employed Now.”
Continual awareness of production “Output” “Requires Answers and Reasons” for low production. This also helps prompt creative, timely and appropriate ways to “Come to the Aid” of the Company, by promptly spotting the low production and causes for “Dips in Performance.”
Monitoring production doesn’t have to put employees “On-the-Defensive” or “Offend” them...like you’re “Watching Over Their Shoulder--Constantly.” Sincere interest and concern “On the Company’s Behalf” is expected, and understandable to all employees. The manner in which it’s handled, is key to turning the situation around. Many times, minor or simple adjustments in some equipment, processes or even procedures may do the trick. So the longer it’s left “To Chance” for things to “Work Themselves Out by Themselves” just doesn’t make any sense--for the company, the supervisor or the employee(s).
Teams of employees are acutely aware of production output and standards, and frequently even more-so than supervisors. Thus, when they notice low output being tolerated and that it’s “Not being attended to...” other employee production performance will drop as well.
When a supervisor overlooks signs of low production, ignoring their effects; they’re actually “Blessing” or at least “Excusing” what is going on!! They “Leave Things to Lay” allowing them to go on at “The Same Pace” by failing to alter the current course by “Not Tending to Opportunities” to offer options, solutions and give direction or directives, failing to “Lend a Hand.”
Everyone has a bad day, but a “Bit of help” or minor assistance, advice, insight, or just a helping hand for period of time--may just be all the magic that does the trick to solve the problem. Either way with any action of the above things will change, because things will be learned and people will be appreciating one another with a mutual respect and regard...to work through a problem. This too others will see.
At times--supervisors see other employees “pitching-in” to help another coworker. This speaks well for both employees. The awareness and helpful manner of one employee’s willingness to come to the aid of another employee; says they are a wise leader on the team. They spotted someone in a situation who they deemed worthy of “Offering and Giving” such help...and at times at their own peril while possibly working twice hard to keep up their own production. “Stranger Things Have Happened...so Don’t be too quick to jump to the conclusion that folks are just visiting and wasting time.
A Summary Point worthy of Emphasis
“Recognize, Acknowledge and Privately and/or Openly Express Appreciation and Regard for all Initiatives supporting growth.” This Collaboration, Communication and Cooperation, can’t be bought and paid for...this is something earned, and deserved. Building a plant full of team mates and work crews who operate this way...is priceless, and a company’s greatest hidden friends behind the scenes should be “Sought For,” Discovered” and “Treasured.”
These types of employees are in your manufacturing plants right now just waiting to be discovered, and this potential and desire is hidden within “All your employees.” Overlooking this principle for any period of time, in any department or employee can be too costly, having an unknown “Tolling Effect” on any company’s operations and “Bottom-Line.”
Endorsing all the “Greater Good” in “Best Practices” may just start from; “The Top Down,” “The Bottom-Up” and everywhere “In-Between” too!! Is anyone looking for it, can anyone spot it and will anyone thank employees for exceptional performance...today, tomorrow?
Good and bad practices grow exponentially, compounding and also spreading like a virus or good news. Great Leadership chooses which ways in which to operate. Failing to choose one way or the other...is also a choice which pays dividends or increases losses whenever and wherever people work.
These issues handled correctly with some prompt, appropriate, tact and “A Bit of Insightful Class,” demonstrates and proudly display “Monumental Signs” of “Best Manufacturing Methods and Practices.”
Final Thoughts: How will you know if you have this type of environment with great cooperation, collaboration and communication throughout the plant and company? Walk through them, look, watch, ask thoughtful and thought provoking questions, but only if you’re sincerely interested in hearing the answers, and ready, willing and able to do something about what may come right “Back At You.” Sometimes you may get weak in the knees for a few seconds, but it’s the natural cost and a needed investment, for this level of consistent standards for success. Enjoy yourself, and make someone else’s day...by the way. Learn something from them and pass it along...and it doesn’t matter from who, it’s a good mode to "Just Be In.”
If something...anything is missing or "Going South" on a job, this is one way to to help reassure people that “It’s Ok to open up, vent (constructively and tactfully...hopefully). But directness is an under-rated but sometimes harsh reality of things sometimes...before they get better, by change.
Walk through 10 plants of any kind this way, and the “One’s Who’ve Got It Right” and “Those Who Aren’t Quite There Yet,” will be “Abundantly Clear.” Inquiring Minds, engaging in this kind of generous and sincere dialog, will read the plant’s levels and standards on this subject and those of even greater detail, the closer you look at all operations. Plus…who knows, you may even notice more smiles!!
May these words inspire even greater thoughts and applications of your own throughout your company along the way to your next noteworthy and successful journeys…together.
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Tips, Tricks, Tactics and Strategies 101: To keep your company "In the Black!!"
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Introduction: Impact on plant quality and efficiency.
July 14, 2016
To: Plant Operations Manager
℅: Corporate Human Resources
Dear Human Resource Manager,
This is a gift to Plant Operational Management designed to rapidly improve plant efficiency through tips offered which help impact change in quality and efficiency. These tips and advice which may be "Well Known," are not always able to be "Properly and Effectively" acted upon without the right staff, support or methodologies, which must include a specific "Action Plan."
Please resist the urge to toss this in the can or hit delete, for your plant’s sake. The content discussed targets any critical strategies to aid in the cohesive cooperation, collaboration, communication and commitment of employees, to identify and control plant wide production, achieving high standards, and better controls of related performance factors. “Heightened Awareness” of the current effectiveness of operations, is the first rule and guide needed to set higher marks to achieve in each department.
Identifying what's possible and achievable is the next step. Once this is known, the plan to attack and reach those marks can be set in motion. That plan can and should push all the right buttons to “Create,” “Encourage,” “Inspire” and “Insist” on “This Level of Daily Standard of Quality and Efficiency. People in all jobs truly want to be a member of a team that functions this well in this way together.
“Initiatives” too often are “Grazed Over,” and get “Lip Service” through concurring assumptions by multiple parties, that "ALL Things Are Fine,” when in fact they more frequently are not when processes are left to run unchecked for any period of time. Follow-up is an On-going Best Friend to Progress. Without Follow-up and Accountability measures to check what's happened recently, compared to what was possible, greater success opportunities are more frequently missed than made, and "They Fall by the Wayside.”
For this reason, “Strategic Embedding of Thought and Themes” are kept general in nature, to aid the increased efforts of the widest range and types of “Large Plant Manufacturers,” in the St. Louis area.
Directors and plant managers have the right to choose wisely what interests them, and helps them better run the plant. One tip that prompts a change, may be all that is needed to make the plant more profitable.
All departments including Human Resources Departments, play a key role in helping plant managers achieve greater success by supporting all programs aimed at plant improvements. This is one of those keys. Employee Performance, Development and Review is an on-going process, and which helps governs the improvement cycle which can minimize staff turn over, by retaining and keeping the most skilled, experienced and capable staff members, having them "Keyed" and "Tuned-In" to practical strategies which ensure company success.
Also, the inclosed content should be of "Special Interest and Concern" to all C.E.O.'s, C.F.O's, and Board Members, who depend on being "In-The-Black," when those Dividends, Earnings, Quarterly, Proxies and Annual Reporting times come back around to stare them right in the face. Don't forget...They also have the power, right, authority and privilege to say, it's time for a change, and they can and should have all the best information necessary to help them make the greatest positive changes.
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Please take a moment to confirm your interest and corresponding response regarding this subject and these topics, tips and strategies:
The High Marks Manufacturing Management topics:
Email your response, question, related or non-related concern: ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
What are the deliverables and advantages of hiring me as a Corporate Trainer?
Immediate Resources Put To Work For Your Company: An Ally to Work for You, according to your wishes, commands and directives charged to impact positive change.
Your plant manager or representative for plant operations; simply states what’s happening and why, explaining the depth, scope and effects upon the company. It does not matter if it's a potential problem, or a new challenge, or a chronic and on-going problem.
This is an overview from a “Bottom-Line and High Level Prospective," and an important “Key” to initiating the "Noted and Marked Change Process Assessment."
Next: Clarify the general or specific details, scope and understanding of the challenges. Once these details of the picture are stated and captured, it establishes and engages immediate response on the company's behalf according to their wishes.
The action plan is developed, returned for review and consideration, while being adapted and adjusted as the company sees fit.
According to a timeline plan of events, options are identified, described in detail, weighted, tested, reviewed, agreed upon, then the solutions are approved and implemented accordingly.
Problem Assessment:
- Accurate Data Collection and Real-Time Measurement Assessment: Critical Key Clarification and Depth of Understanding is proved, removing waste and negative influences identified as causing or contributing to any portion of the problem, gaining a true and clear view of controllable factors involved throughout the process. Desired controllable factors are drafted and checked.
- Problem and Opportunities Analysis: Options and Considerations
- Process Controls Reviews: Current and Future Immediate or Short Term Applications, while designing Long Term Process Controls with subjective data collection and management systems.
- Designing and Delivering Change Application: Written Procedures, Instructional Methods, Tracking and Accountability Assurances, Responsibilities and Follow-up Process Control Support Systems.
Excerpt from:
Issue 21; June 20,2016 Newsletter:
Strategic Plant Change Strategies and Themes Run Far, Wide and Deep!
There are endless ways to speak to a point or say the sam thing a different a topic... but for the points and following story, consider this way of thinking about how All you Say and Do both For and With your staff—which actually align strategies with all those who work "For You!"
What's priceless here, is your power ability and right as a trusted agent fighting for the entire good of your company, "You ARE the GREATEST SINGLE AGENT OF CHANGE!! Finding and implementing those "Best Methods," finding those BETTER Ways to get them even BETTER ALIGNED to YOUR WAY OF THINKING…especially when you are "Not Watching" is priceless!!
This story is designed to help engage your mind, drawing attention to, and creating an acute insight and awareness for new, creative and applicable means and methods, to initiate and implement change in your own plant.
- Underlying nagging issues need to be brought to the surface, where they can be properly dealt with, and so you can put problems to bed, before it’s too late, and wind up costing the company more money.
- Geared to focus plant-wide efforts and attention, by helping spark your own ideas on “How You Can” improve your bottom line efforts in all areas, plant-wide, right now!!
MISTAKES DON'T JUST HAPPEN, they are born from one or more collective breaches conceived from some cumulative flaw(s) causing only slight difficulties at first, before they turn into one or more break downs in the system like a machine and this includes machines, but problems with processes work in much the same manner.
All natural senses should be engaged when driving a car, and working, everything runs better, when none are compromised or not being employed. Some can be discovered by hearing something unusual, or by seeing something that doesn't look quite right, or by feeling a vibration, smelling something like burnt rings, or a singed wire, and so on. Often more than one sign could have been seen, but one that is caught will lead to the discovery of the others, until you track them down to get to the source and core problem. A common correlation is normally found between the length of time the problems went undiscovered and the degree of existing damage has been done, which is also relative to the time, energy and cost of the repair.
There is no better preventative manner to save these costs, than having the full attention of the employees monitoring and paying close attention to what's working good, and what might be right...may be well worth the time it takes to check it, or ask a mechanic to check out, before it gets much worse to the point it may crash and go completely down for a long time. If a full time mechanic is there, with the right part, and able to work on it, it's going to be easier to do it before it goest down. If anything is missing like a few parts which have to be ordered, pending availability and the shipping and arrival time delay, or the mechanic is busy elsewhere and cannot dedicate the time to for lengthy or involved repair, or if you don't have a mechanic on-site, one thing that you could have had going for you all along, which could have saved a lot of pain no matter what else can't be done now is...the operator catching signs of problems, and shutting it down, or running it slower or easier and watching it closer until that time...could have, would have and should have, served the company well, by saving them additional unnscessary higher repair costs.
Some seasoned or senior operators who are more skilled at trouble shooting a machine, than some of the mechanics who repair them, Many mechanics can find better ways to make machines run but if it puts out work they have to put away, or tend to, they will run it easier and slower than the senior operators who will get it back up to speed to make up for the down time of after the repair.
Paying attention can't be over emphasised. Operators are cued for warning signs. They want to solve them early and fast.
It's great when mechanics and operators collaborate and teach each other things, and have that level of comfort and mutual appreciation, but it's never perfect in most cases, however the respect and appreciation for each other's job should remain constant.
"Mistakes are the Second Name Given," to things Previously Known As: "A gut feeling." "A simple notion," "A Slight Sign" of "Trouble On The Horizon," that was never previously addressed and pointed out…by name!! Foresight is engaging the search through the "Collection of Collaborative, Cooperative, Communicating, and Controlling Focus of the Best Minds and Eyes YOU CAN FIND, EMPLOYED BY YOU… Standing THEIR Watch on behalf of you and your company!!" Them doing this, truly makes your company their company too. This is your power whenever and wherever you can't always be.
Whether a mistake is One of a Hundred or Thousands, chances are, it could have been foreseen or at least caught by multiple people, departments or process controls which were already in place.
Oversight, assumptions, distractions, lack of attention to detail, poor work habits or methods, ineffective control measures or even faulty or poor quality material play in the arena, and they all are enemies of success. Awareness and exceptional training of work habits, methods, and confirmation of skill, ability and initiative, helps prevent errors from slipping through the cracks.
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Don’t assume what this EMPOYEE and ALL the Other employees ALSO assumed, or took for granted...as it turns out normally, many people had the chance to catch it, and missed it!!
(Recalling the story reported from internal company sources.)
This is the story of A Plant Manager who has to say “Oops” to his most important client, friend and previous employer, when “His Worse Nightmare Comes True,” and then; “HOW HE” Rises to the occasion to “Discover” and “Get To the Core of the Problem” and “How HE Starts Fixing IT RIGHT NOW. ” The Overall Outcome and Story of That Success, depended on every thing that happened next.
The names of both companies and all the people have been changed, to honor a historically amazing relationship service-providing company, and the entire staff and plant of people who collaborated to resolve and moved on, after such a critical and embarrassing “Mishap,” "Incident," "Oversight," and "Big-Time Oops."
TWO PHONE CALLS FROM HELL:
A well known public figure who used to employ our plant manager, whose efficiency and effectiveness proved critically important many times over in years past.
This man was head of a large corporation, who switched a different company to become the head over our other client company.
We were we were running “Hot and Heavy” doing campaigns for both companies at the same time.
There was a problem discovered, so he called his old “Right-Hand Man” on marketing matters, to see what was going on.
Phone call #1, To a very good Executive Secretary:
“Ring...Ring!!”
The client gave his name, explained the problem...
...you are putting “New Campaign Material” into the campaign for “My Old Company.” Not only this, but you are also putting the material from my “Old Company” into the campaign for my “New Company.”
The secretary asked his name again, got it, and then summarily “hangs-up-on the guy,” as being some “Crank-Caller.” (He is world famous)
Some time goes by, maybe a few hours later, he calls back and asks for the plant manager, and finally gets through to him.
Here is that the call that makes things...“Go-Boom.”
Phone call #2, To the same...very good Executive Secretary:
“Ring...Ring!!”
This time the client spoke a little bit louder, a little slower, and was apparently upset and even seemed rude to the secretary.
He explains the problem again: “This is ______ again, and I want to speak to (Plant Manger) NOW! Tell him who it is...now will you do that please?
She figured her boss could “Take Care Of This Guy” that’s telling her this “Far-Fetched,” story, because this guy just had to be some “Wacko.”
She buzzes her boss, “...There’s this guy who says he’s “__________,” with some ridiculous story about Client A, and “Client B’s Jobs,” and he was so...interrupted by the plant manager who says, “Put him through right now!!”
“The Boom”
It was his friend, arguably the famous and powerful man in the industry calling our company, his friend and previous V. P., to tell him HE that we were “Screwing Up.”
It was true. We were putting 1 of the 7 inserts for Client A was going with Client B’s campaign, and 1 of the 7 inserts for Client B was going into Client B’s insert.
This potential “Multimillion Dollar-Game Changing Mistake” occurred due to many people failing to make the distinction between “Two Small Codes” which looked very “Similar.”
Both components were properly identified but the two codes were so similar that it required redesign, engineering and process criteria control change which included close review and/or restructuring to prevent “This Type of Mistake” from “Ever Happening Again.”
The components looked so similar in color, weight, printing, stock size, type and code by design. It’s as similare as the followng example:
The “Capital “Eye” and a “Lower case “Ell.”
e.g. I vs. l
Note: This equivalent of this singular difference sent everything and everyone spinning and seemingly spiraling out of control. Not only these two clients, but also every other client who happened to "Get Wind of This," this act could have given all of them good reason to leave our company. The procedural changes that followed were not only applied to these two clients, but they also carried much farther and deeper into the production control processes of each and every client to a greater degree from this point on. All work was double-checked and containments procedures were implemented.
This rather famous and important man and client who made this call worked for one of the “Big 3 Motor Companies," and later switched to one of the others.
The secretary among other things was asked, not to ever screen calls involving anything to do with plant quality or efficiency, even if they say they are “Bugs Bunny!!”
Though I’m not Bugs Bunny, I may as well be, because there are many learned lessons put to good use for other companies. Wise, skilled and experienced people help companies grow, by controlling losses, and expediting their growth. These issues are real, and dealt with every day, or allowed to effect your company behind the scenes, and these and many more like them, each day of revenues. In other words, please forward this for the benefit of the plant, your plant manager, and for the good of the company, striving to achieve perfection within your competitive niche and industry.
Please keep this in mind as the story unfolds:
Our plant manager was the NICEST, SMARTEST, WISEST AND MOST PATIENT MAN THAT EVERYBODY WORKED TO KEEP HAPPY BECAUSE EVERYONE RESPECTED HIM, AND KNEW HOW GOOD A MAN HE WAS, by the way he ran the plant and interacted with all employee at every level. Everyone knew he was approachable and sincerely interested in the total welfare of the company’s interests, the entire plant, and every employee who worked there. This was how people thought about the man before, during and after, and possibly even more-so, from this point on.
THE PLAN STARTED PRETTY FAST...AFTER A FEW BRIEF WORDS FROM OUR PLANT MANAGER.
In his directive, there was no pause, period or lower case. letters in this directive. No breath was taken, and there was no “Please,” certainly no “Thank You’s,” but I’ll leave it to your imagination to visualize the imagery of the emphasis, volume and clarity. Some of said, there may have even been smoke coming from his ears and nose with nostrils flaring.
There was a broken phone, loud sounding doors, the loud sound of many feet going “pitter patter,” people being called over the P.A. System on Max Volume, a plant full of employees with their most studious faces on busily working and checking there codes for a something wrong.
Rumors were being whispered alluding to “The Rapture,” or something very close to it, and it’s the first time that there wasn’t a smile to be found in the entire plant. We were all wondering...and a bit concerned and waiting to hear what happened, and were wondering if what ever had just happened, was still happening on the job, that we are on or was working on recently. Everybody saw “Writing on the wall,” but nobody could read it yet.
The sum and substance of the Plant Managers Change Order helped people get moving along quite well.
“Quick Critical Response” & “Corrective Action Summary”
Who or How Many People Made The Mistake?
It could be argued that; “All” of the following could have had a hand in preventing this mistake, and therefore the blame could be laid in varying levels, and be shared by all of them who worked on, required to inspect and “pass or fail,” and “approve or reject” the components: (In No Particular Order: Responsibilities)
- The Host Company Supplied In-House USPS Quality Control Inspector, the Mail Room: Inspecting
- Supervisors: Planning-Set-Up, Sample Inspection
- Mechanics: Set-Up, Sample Inspection
- Analysts: Design/Planning, Start-Up Inspection, Hourly Samples,
- Clerks: Set-Up, Samples
- Quality Control Group Leaders: Training, Instruction, Inspection
- Training Department: Training, Instruction, Inspection
- Machine Operators: Inspection, Samples
- Table Workers: Inspection, Samples
- Shippers: Stocking the Machines: Inspection
- Account Coordinator: Planning,
How Did This Happen?
- Codes looked “Too Similar” and nobody saw it as a problem
- Carelessness failing to “Look Closely Enough to Spot the Errant Code”
- Failed to “Question, Confirm and Clarify or Reject the problem when the Spotted Suspect Discrepancy between the “Live Sample(s)” and the “Work Standard Sample”
How Fast Was The Change Order Made? Immediately (Before the Plant Manager Hung-up the Phone)
How Fast Was The Change Process Started? Immediately Upon Change Ordered
How Fast Was The Change Implemented? Immediately After Change Ordered
What Was The Change Process? All possible parties identified and involved in immediate changes within their roles and areas of responsibility(s)
What Were The Changes? Too Many To List
How Many Were Disciplined or Fired? None
How Many Clients Were Lost? None
How Many Operational Changes Were Made? Too Many To List
What Was The Impact Of Operational Changes? Plant Awareness, Foresight, Planning, Cooperation, Cooperation, Collaboration, Teamwork, Quality, Efficiency, Initiative on Everyone’s Part was brought to an All Time High going forward throughout the plant and beyond, throughout other unknown job roles, duties and functions. The entire corporation.
What Was The Impact On Quality? Improved and Increased
What Was The Impact On Efficiency?
Improved and Increased
What Was The Impact Company Revenue? Increased
If you have New Hires, or a full-time staff of temporary employees, or nonunion workers who may need training or a few more guideline, job aides or personal instruction; we are here to help. If you have a supervisory training need, to collect performance data, or write better criteria to be measured, contact us.
Supervisors and managers are spread thinner now than in days and years past, and they may need a little help supporting to stay at the “Top of Their Game.” You don’t want any of them spinning their wheels, or pulling their hair out. Sporadic, variant or occasional training that each of them do, in addition to on-going quality-checks must be done in a days time.
At times it is even unreasonable and unrealistic to expect and assume, that they can deliver, track and document all instruction verbatim to the highest standards of consistently. They are normally the key people on the front lines as the busiest people in charge of most critical and timely decisions. They should not be divided, but they can be very well supported.
Companies no longer allocate huge funds for training, but that doesn’t mean, training is no-longer needed. The lapse of training oversight, has compounded and increased this need exponentially.
Note: Improving quality, production efficiency and employee performance, reduces every training investment, and pays dividends long after excellent training methods and techniques are put into place.
With years of experience training thousands of employees, and as many over a thousand per year to improve quality and efficiency, we’re serving companies who’d like the advantages of having their own means to minimize “bottom-line costs” and exceed client expectations.
Please contact me for a free phone consult or to arrange an on site evaluation audit of training needs.
Rickey Bates
Free Tips to Help Your Company Become
Operations Manager & Plant Manager
AS LARGE PLANT MANAGERS, YOU CAN WEILD GREATER POWER TO GET ANY HELP YOU NEED, AND MORE IS JUST WAITING TO BE PUT…TO GOOD USE!!
Summary: CHOICE ONE:
1. CATCH IT AND FIX IT FIRST
2. LET SOMEONE ELSE CATCH IT AND TELL YOU ABOUT IT, WHICH FORCES YOU TO HAVE TO FIX IT AND PAY MUCH MORE FOR IT LATER.
Plant managers have the unpleasant obligation and task to take responsibility for mistakes. but it is much safer to implement a higher state and standard of attentiveness and awareness, through initiatives that track production quality and efficiency.
It’s impossible to check everything, but looking for signs of something that’s not quite right-- goes a long way toward preventing the damage from missing the signs "Before They Morph” into some "Full-Blown Crisis."
Failures happen, but when all parties involved are not actively seeking answers, monitoring production and quality control, then one or many things may be wrong, and they more often than not…always do!!
Consequences for inaction are too costly and involve many parties doing pennants, eating crow. This is involves numerous and very creative and profuse apologies and assurances. This happened here, and all those promises...were all kept. (We'll never know the amount of "Groveling Involved," but suffice it to say…that it must have been considerable!!
The changes that were ordered and followed. They were vast, deep and many, and done at the highest rate of speed humanly possible. The embarrassment of a Plant Manager though unbearable was necessary and all too humbling, but it happens every day behind very large and "Slammed Closed Doors." This proceeds the greatest speed of changes known to "Mankind." This is how clients are retained and what must be done on the Plant Manager Level, and even Higher…just to deal with such critical mistakes and retain clients.
The damage done, due to mostly "Winking At" signs of a problem(s) or trend(s) which could save many headaches if caught and dealt with "On-the Spot," is crucial to "Keeping things Running—Smooth As Silk." Overlook it most anywhere— and it can continue to slip through the cracks.
This "Mode" of "Environmental Change Attitude in the Workplace," this type of insight and "Call to Action for Change, " is unmistakably present in the best Plants throughout each department, when they work together to this end, all the time, with everyone, this well.
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