No matter who you are, asking this question and considering it candidly can lead you to consider improvements that make us “leaner.”
One definition of being “lean” is to make sure the customer doesn’t pay for anything that doesn’t add value. Practically, that is a tough objective to achieve. We have waste and inefficiency that is hard to eliminate. But, a lean organization chases value every day. Add value and eliminate waste.
So, is business easy with us? Is it easy to order? Do we deliver what’s ordered? Are we on time? Is it a joy to interact with us? Are issues resolved quickly? Can they count on us 100% of the time? Do are products perform as expected? Do we bill accurately?
You get the drift. Anytime we encounter a situation which evokes customer frustration, we need to move heaven and earth to correct them. Anytime we feel a little embarrassed by something we’ve done to inconvenience a customer, we need to address it as a team and fix it. Anytime we see waste recurring, we need to figure out a way to stop the practices that cause the waste.
The customer concept extends beyond those who pay invoices. We all have a customer. We all exist to provide a valued output for somebody.
Who’s your customer? How are we working together? What can be better?
Thinking how to serve your customer puts the emphasis in the right place. Creating a regular dialogue on how you can serve your customer better is a value creation strategy.
If you haven’t had an “ease of business” discussion lately, it’s a good one to have.
Get some feedback. Endeavor to focus on the issues that arise. Focus on them until you’ve made the issue better. Do it again.
