A- A- A+ Ask the machine operators directly what they see and believe is wrong with their machines, the pieces of equipment that they work on every day. Of all people, they are the best to ask this question. They personally know since they work there every day. Ask these operators on a regular basis …
A- A- A+ Ask employees to report items not completed or problems unresolved at the time they are leaving. Was a customer to be called back? Was there a vendor coming by to pick up a payment? Did all of the mail (regular and overnight) get mailed today? Are there any overnight packages that need …
IDEA: Have employees check with supervisors at shift end. Report all open problems. Read More »
A- A- A+ Run and watch the list of all open customer orders that have not been shipped. How old are these open unfilled orders? If the customer is late picking up their ordered product, that is ok. That is different than lying to a customer. If a large new order from a new customer …
IDEA: Track unbilled open sales orders for potential problems. Read More »
A- A- A+ Offer prizes and money awards to those maintenance personnel who fix your machines everyday (maintenance personnel). Reward good ideas from participants who tell you how to make a lighter product, how to make a more attractive product, how to reduce the product’s cost, how to reduce required maintenance and machine down time, …
IDEA: Hold a contest for your maintenance guys. Get product improvement ideas. Read More »
A- A- A+ Install buzzers throughout the plant and invite employees to hit their buzzer when they stopped from working or progressing. If they are out of material, waiting on a forklift, have equipment down and not working, missing tools or some other reason they cannot continue to do their job. It does not have …
IDEA: Add buzzers in your plant and quickly discover your production’s ‘pinchpoints’. Read More »
A- A- A+ Take the time and question your production people as to what makes them stop doing their job and thus making less or no money for the company? Here are a few questions to consider asking all of your production/office personnel every day: What makes you stop doing your job? (What deadline are …
A- A- A+ Issue an overtime report (OT) everyday explaining which employee worked the most hours for that previous day? You might ask about the top five or top ten people if you wish (you decide on the selection). Just start the process and find out why someone worked 12, 14 0r 16 hours yesterday. …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleWhen companies invite suggestions and ideas, some put boxes up on the wall and the comments will start pouring in. This does not always happen given that the very people who may be the focus of service problems may have access to the …
GPI 172 – Suggestion boxes on the wall at work are worthless to get honest ideas. Read More »
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleAsk this of everyone and you will discover a number of policy problems, organizational issues and questionable manager and supervisor functions that are currently missing or failing in your company. Question any profit center, high margin product line or luxury service your firm …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleStart a discussion about any machine in the shop by asking questions. These questions can also cover office equipment, construction equipment, tanks, relay stations, service yard equipment, vehicles, delivery vans, etc. The necessity to discuss a machine applies to nearly every asset owned …
GPI 137- Ask the expert, themachine operator, not his boss. Read More »
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleIf you are serious about exposing pinch-points immediately within your operations to find problems that plague your business operations, add buzzers through your plant. It may sound ridiculous but giving your employees the ability to draw attention to those points in your company …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleAsk the machine operators directly what is wrong and what keeps them from increasing production. Most of the time their supervisor has too many people to know all of the problems. Go straight to the experts; ask your operators. Remember, you will not …
GPI 268 – To find out what is wrong with your machines, ask the operators. Read More »
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleWhen machines are sold and shipped around the country, many maintenance personnel work and repair these machines over years of use. These guys know these machines very well. They are fully aware of their design flaws and how much better or worse they …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleDo your employees leave at the end of the day without formally checking in with the supervisors? Consider these ideas to cover, that take very little time, but convey a lot of potential issues to resolve. Employee comments at the end of the …
GPI 315 – Do your workers check in with their supervisor before leaving? Read More »
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleAsk your maintenance department at what point they know when a production machine is down (not operating). How does anyone know that your machines need repair? How quickly are problems spotted, reported and resolved? Who’s responsible or is your current reporting process faulty? …
GPI 314 – How long does it take to get your machines fixed and why? Read More »
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleMost offices have one large printer/scanner/email copier for many employees to share. All of the copies/incoming faxes accumulate in a side bin. After a few minutes they become difficult to sort, identify and distribute, given that they are coming from many different desks. …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleMost companies do not buy individual printers for employees; it is too costly. Normally one printer/copier is purchased for 5 to 10 people from various departments and backgrounds which then quickly results in lots of misplaced copies (i.e. where no one is put …
A- A- A+ Save this Article(0) Please Log In to save this articleAsk your employees who or what is holding them up. Ask a healthy sampling of company employees every few months what department or position holds them up from doing their job? You might also ask who or what seems to be detrimental to …
GPI 214 – What is holding up production? Your employees know so ask them ASAP. Read More »
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