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03/15/2012 12:29 PM
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I recently started working in a big company where I conduct sevral lean projects.
One of those is the implementaion of a visual communication board for the customer service. There are several tasks in the customer servie, answering calls, order management, complaint management etc.
Today there is no visual communication, KPI´s and other informations are shared in monthly team meetings only. I´m not sure which information is importatnt to the employees. It should be motivative and the main goal is a change in thinking: which problems did we have yesterday and what can I do better today?
My first thoughts are to implement a communication board with 4 parts:
1. Strategic information like targets for 2012 and vision of customer service
2. Strategic KPI´s which are refreshed monthly like stock availability... (these are KPI´s which are communicated to the employees in team meetings but which are difficult to be influenced by employees in the customer service)
3. Operative KPI´s: these are kpi´s which can be deduced out of the strategic kpi´s and can better be influenced. Therefore it makes sense, to refresh these numbers daily so we can have a look at the morning and try to do things better.
4. Further information like best practice sharing
Do you have any more suggestions?
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03/16/2012 12:57 PM
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Your 4 parts seem like an excellent starting point. Here are two advices:
1. Visual tools is tied to lean management activities (daily huddles, gemba walks,...). Therefore, you should ask yourselves: what do we need to put on this board to support these activities ?
2. A tool is only good if it is used by the workers. Make sure you build it from the workers perspective - and as much as possible, WITH them. And be ready to modify the boad. It wont be perfect the first times. Let the board and the team evolve in their understanding of Lean operations.
Hope it helps.
Jonathan
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03/16/2012 12:57 PM
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Stefan,
The trick with good visual controls is much the same as designing a good dashboard for a car. The question you need to ask is "Exactly what information do we need, in what order?" A good visual control will give you just what you need - clearly and at a glance. You need to resist the temptation to add additional information that although nice, isn't really needed. All that does is add clutter and confuse things.
Tom
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03/16/2012 12:57 PM
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It looks like you have the idea. Since I do not know your company structure, current practices or morale, here are some thoughts.
I think that the most important thing is that the visuals should be relevant to them and why they might care about it. Depending on how much of the information you introduce is new to them, this may not be apparent at first, but over time with consistent communication this will become clearer.
You might consider a combination of the big-picture and the local level KPIs (depending on your organizational structure it could be a corporate or divisional level - something that demonstrates that they are part of the whole ) Even though the big picture KPIs may not be in their direct control, the team members are affected by how the company performs and they contribute to that performance.
At the mid-level ask: "Is stock availability relevent to them? What should they do with that information?"
Can you link local KPI performance to customer satisfaction, profitability, etc? As you note, refreshing them on a daily basis is effective, and you can demonstrate trends over time and learn why they are good - or not.
A best practice item is great. and rather than give them a list that they may read (or not) , perhaps choose one behavior per week/ month that is the focus for everyone. You can define what it looks like and then invite comments, ideas and further improvements for that item.
Ideally, the customer service management, supervisors, etc will all participate in the discussion of the material you post and support it in day-to-day conversations - without that it is just info on a wall.
FInally - as tempting as it is to tell people everything, the best start is to pick the key KPIs at each level, so that everyone knows them and how the team and company is performing to them.
Good luck
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03/19/2012 09:52 AM
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Hi,
It appears you have the foundation of some meaningful visual management and it will be far more effective than the 'none' that currently in place.
I wrote a piece on effective vis man, here:
http://leansecrets.co.uk/how-e...our-visual-management/
Feel free to have a look and if you have any questions please dont hesitate to get in touch with me
Cheers
Lee
www.leansecrets.co.uk
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03/19/2012 09:52 AM
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I recomend you to read the book
Creating a Lean Culture: Tools to Sustain Lean Conversions,
David Mann (Author)
i think is a really good way to define a good model.
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03/20/2012 04:13 PM
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Hi
In my company we are in the same situation. We use a standard white board with a Activity planner that shows all the projects, activities or work that each team member is working on, it also shows the availability (holidays, days off, trainings, etc) of the people and we review it once a week (we are a really small team) but, there are teams that have a briefing every morning in front of this "Departamental Board" as we call it.
You can also add your Montlhy KPI's, Six Sigma project status board and Company communications.
As someone already mention, what ever tool you use, is only going to be as useful as the way you use it together with the team
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05/03/2012 12:32 PM
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Hi,
I should offered this on my previous reply, with it being a customer service environment, I have found a large %age of this demand is due to failure, I.e the user isn't aware of something etc, therefore I would encourage the use of a demand trend/run chart, a visual to identify the main root cause reasons for that demand underneath e.g. Pareto and then a tool to capture the main reasons and instigate some problem solving activity. All visuals should drive an action. I have examples of what I mean form some of my current clients, contact me if you would like a copy.
Cheers
Lee
www.leansecrets.co.uk
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05/14/2012 03:03 PM
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Hello Stefan
I do a lot of work in service customer service environments and I agree with Lee's thoughts above. I recommend holding a call agent workshop and brainstorm / fishbone the variety of call types received. Group / affinity diagram these so you have a structured hierarchy of call demand, including Value Demand (new sales call) and Failure Demand (customer did not receive product/service, follow-up call, information etc., i.e. the customer is calling because something wasn't done right the first time). Concisely and simply state the 'operational definition' of each type of call, and embed in the call process either in the IT system or in a sampling check sheet method. With this information analyze demand, by volume and mix. Take Value Demand and improve the call center process, however with the failure demand use the visual board, huddle time and regular problem solving workshops to drill into root causes. You do not want to work on improving call center processes for Failure Demand, instead identify the upstream failure point and improve it. I see all the time managers using call handling times for all calls (value and failure) which is like doing the wrong thing righter.
Use the visual management board to understand, communicate and plan for demand variation. Also potentially look at genuine service agent quality such as complaint closure steps, eg. getting back to customers, as well as studying the flow (time) of that work so constraints can be improved.
I typically use visual team calendars, information often hidden away in electronic calendars.
Also team quality (e.g. ISO 9000) actions or corrective actions from audits, which could include risk items also, these things often get overlooked.
What about a future-state value stream map if the work areas has conducted this work. This can help focus improvement efforts on the right constraint to flow and quality.
Lastly A3's if in use for larger problem solving efforts, remembering visual management and A3's are change management levers by increasing visibility and communication.
Regards
Kevin Ryan
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05/21/2012 11:09 AM
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Basically, we should care of our customer service , so that there trust and respect could be maintain. The successful of your company is depends on how you deal a honest and dedicated to your work. This would be bring the successful of your company and specially to your own self.
Edited: 05/21/2012 at 11:09 AM by Lean Moderator
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06/05/2012 09:26 AM
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As for part 2 (building a tool from workers' perspective), I would recommend that you express your KPI in a way that is understandable by the workers.
It is better to set target that expressed in say cases, trolleys, bags per day than to reduce takt from 0,25' to 0,17'.
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