Applying ‘lean’ principles to reducing information overload
What can service-led organisations gain from mirroring the world’s most successful manufacturers?
Toyota is a great example: Their approach to lean manufacturing is yielding larger profits whilst delivering excellent customer value and employee satisfaction.
They work on the principle that sustainable improvement comes from reducing waste. Everyone within the company, from the executives to workers on the factory floor, take an active part in meeting this challenge.
Reducing waste by focusing on efficiency.
In world-class organisations people focus on increasing efficiency. By fixing anything that gets in the way of turning costly raw materials into finished products for paying customers, they aim to eliminate waste.
In a services environment this equates to the time and effort you put into taking a client enquiry through to completion; or in turning a new idea into a deliverable product or service. Every unnecessary delay or extra work is waste and represents missed opportunities.
Reducing waste by cutting information overload
One of the biggest sources of wasted time and resources is information overload. Most of your staff, for example, spend over two hours each day just ‘doing email’. Much of this is ‘internal spam’: cc’d documents that they feel they ought to read; or messages that bounce back and forth because they are unfocused and unclear.
When a member of staff is overloaded by information that is not central to their job, they are not only wasting time; studies show that they also become demoralised and so less able to perform well and innovate.
Practical lean approaches that increase value
The well-developed principles that are guiding Toyota to world-class efficiency can also help transform productivity in services organisations in the public and private sector.
By applying lean principles to email, you and others throughout your organisation can win back around three weeks a year of productive time; time to be innovative; time to get on with the real work.
| The aim |
The high efficiency route |
|---|---|
| Avoid ambiguity and make the required action clear. |
Use a cue at the beginning and/or end of the subject line to help the recipient react at a glance. Ask us about the High Efficiency @ email cues for action. |
| Understand properly, through direct observation. |
Never settle for an imprecise, incomplete account sent to you by email. Often it’s quicker and more efficient to see for yourself or to discuss issues with people face-to-face. If in doubt, don’t email. |
| Eliminate wasteful overproduction. |
Challenge those who send emails with information that ‘I thought you might like’ to only work on things that ‘I knew you would need’. |
| Level out the workload |
Learn how to set priorities, schedule activities and reduce distractions. |
| Get it right first time |
Create emails that work at a glance. Spell out the action that is required and when. |
| Do not tolerate poor internal or supplier quality. | Apply a minimum standard. Insist on clear language. Audit regularly. |
To discuss how to reduce your costs by taking a lean approach to emails contact us today.