The key to a company’s ability to maintain an edge over the competition may be its successful process improvement initiatives. Many company executives are so fixated on rapid growth and profits that they overlook the importance of evaluating the processes they are implementing. The failure to focus on process improvement can lead to operational bottlenecks, poor service, and a low rate of customer satisfaction.
Taking on a process improvement initiative with process improvement consulting from ProGuide Management Resources can produce a number of tangible and intangible benefits for companies. The tangible benefits are quantifiable as they include reduced operating costs, higher revenues, and improved compliance with industry standards. Intangible benefits are more about an organization’s image, for example, an improved brand image, higher levels of customer satisfaction, and time savings.
The first and foremost requirement in a successful process improvement initiative is the participation of all employees, from managers and front-line workers to supervisors and executive teams. Any company training programs and tools should be consistent and accurate across all departments. The following suggestions are meant to help an organization conduct a productive process improvement initiative.
Improve Company Culture
It’s more important to build a process improvement culture than a process improvement program. If company employees value process improvement, they are more likely to exhibit the appropriate behaviors. When employees experience the connection between their efforts to improve processes and the company’s mission, they are more apt to be supportive of all of the company’s organizational goals.
Request Employee Feedback
The front-line employees are the obvious embodiment of your company’s processes. These are the individuals who answer the phone or help clients in person in spaces like shops, banks, and hospitals. They have firsthand information regarding procedural strengths and weaknesses. Suggestions and feedback from front-line employees play a vital role in improving your processes.
