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Reflections on 2011
Bob reflected on the past year. It was a good one for him and his company. Customer orders were 99% on time.
Employees were happy being able to make decisions based on accurate, current information. Bob had successfully listened to his associates and made the right improvements.
He saw a parallel to the automotive industry. Henry Ford had gained improved efficiency with the assembly line. Bob knew computers had changed business forever with the ability to input and store endless amounts of data. But that was just the beginning for both.
The automotive industry started using robots in the assembly lines. Robotic operations replaced manual repetitive processes. The results were better speed and better quality at a reduced cost. This allowed the US automotive industry to get back in the game. Bob's automation of information flow also reduced hours of manual processing that had, in the past, sometimes been delayed or inadvertently missed.
Productivity was up 17%. The Company's overall cost, including software and training, was less than the original budget for the year. The original budget had projected additional headcount that wasn't needed. Through analysis of current systems (with outside professional help), The Company was able to make changes that will bring value for many years to come.
Bob remembers back to the first day he started working for The Company, excited to finally work for the company of his dreams. As you know, The Company was not what he expected. Now it is that dream company and more, due largely to Bob's vision and forethought.
The president, Jim Strong, approached Bob with a smile. "Bob," said Jim, "your ability to see what was wrong with our systems and your decisive action in addressing the issues has made us much stronger and more profitable. We really didn't know what we didn't know. Thank you!"
With that, Jim gave Bob a handshake and wished him a happy New Year. Bob said he was happy to have been given the chance to make a difference.
Jim and Bob walked down the hall toward the exit, looking forward to the long New Years weekend, and ... a very profitable 2012.
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