The New Year has begun and and so have
the resolutions. Quite often resolutions involve work
goals. With the New Year comes an opportunity to
make 2007 even better than 2006. Has someone
raised the bar for you in 2007? Whether you were
part of the planning process or not, it’s time to take
action.
Waste Not, Report Not?
Reduction of waste is a quick way to improve your
bottom line. Under the strictest definition, waste is
anything that does not add value. Of course, it is
your customer who defines what is valuable.
It has
been estimated that 95% of all lead time activity is
non-value added. Generally, reporting activities fall
into
that category. Yet reporting is usually necessary
and can highlight other areas for improvement.
For efficient reporting:
- Make certain your reports have meaning and are
actionable.
- Look for areas where data is already being
recorded but is not used.
- Automate data collection and reporting.
Report automation can usually pay for itself in about
6 months. A well designed system should easily
generate new reports as metrics change.
If flat revenue growth is a possibility in 2007, an
increase in efficiency can help sustain your bottom
line. In my new role, I will help dozens of clients with
improving their efficiency this year.
Here’s to a more efficient new year,
John
