Day to day business operations as well as any planning that business owners and managers might do for the future is always surrounded by uncertainty. This uncertainty arises from the reliance businesses have on fast-changing and ever-evolving technology, and from the ambiguity and increased competitiveness brought on by shrinking of world markets due to globalization.
The Darwinian theory of ‘survival of the fittest’ now applies more than ever to business organizations as they fight out amongst themselves for a better position in the food chain of the profit market.
And it is not surprising that many a times, companies that are willing to adapt, improvise and implement the best organizational strategies are the ones that progress in this game.
In this article, we turn our attention to one of the leading ways many successful organizations have been able to show resilience in face of the ambiguities they face i.e. implementation of Lean and Six Sigma programs in their management styles.
Organizations make use of Lean Six Sigma tools and methodologies to eliminate waste and ensure continuous improvements in their operations. Lean Six Sigma has been proven to work in diverse industries and business environments to produce positive results in business profitability and efficiency.
Following are the various fields where vigorous implementation of Lean Six Sigma programs can help businesses survive through times of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction (Operational Resilience)
Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction is one of the primary aims of Lean Six Sigma. Many businesses, especially new start ups, fall short because they fail to look at their operations from the perspective of the client. Customer loyalty and retention can only be produced if your business’ operations are geared towards maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
Supplier Management (Supply Chain Resilience)
Lean Six Sigma aims to implement processes that reduce defects on a continuous basis. At level Six of Lean Six Sigma, the defects have to be reduced down to less than 3.4 for every million operational output.
To be able to achieve this, you need a supplier who can meet your targets on a reliable basis. Using Lean Six Sigma techniques to select the best suppliers and develop them alongside your own business capability can provide tangible results.
Strategic Implementation (Leadership Resilience)
Lean Six Sigma can play an essential part in achieving the strategic vision of a business. If there is a new business that is in the initial steps of setting itself up, it can use Lean Six Sigma practices to move from the strategic phase to the implementation phase by employing techniques that lets it focus on optimal processes.
Time and Resource Management (Operational Resilience)
Lean Six Sigma methods are important in cutting away unnecessary processes that waste time and add to the preventable movement of labor. This results in more efficient business and more productive employees, for instance, by preventing processes that require the duplication of information.