Business Automation and Software Blog

Top 6 Process Manufacturing Management Inefficiencies

Posted by Robert Baran on Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 05:29 PM

Efficiency. When you look at all the ways that an organization tries to improve their business, they all come down to a single goal. Efficiency. The investment in the most recent technologies such as phone systems, computers, and business management software is done with the explicit hope these investments will increase organizational efficiency. Similarly, investing in training is done with the expectation that the training will result in a smarter staff, one that makes fewer mistakes and takes less time to do routine tasks.

Although these two investments – technology and training – are quite different, they both have the same ultimate goal: Efficiency. In other words, “the ability to do one’s job faster and smarter than before”.

Faster and Smarter. Almost all corporate initiatives can trace their desired results to either (or both) of these goals. But “Faster and Smarter” is becoming more difficult for businesses to achieve.

In the “old days” (1970s thru the 90s), it was easy. Businesses looked outside of their walls, in search of fast technologies to support their internal processes. Manual processes were replaced by automation, and “old” automation was replaced by newer and faster automation.

This is no longer the case. Today’s companies already have fast technologies in place. Investing in a newer technology that processes data one millisecond faster than an old technology is not the answer.

Companies must stop looking outside of their own environment, in search of fast technologies. Instead, companies must begin to look inside their own business, in search of slow processes that can be improved.

These slow processes are referred to as a company’s Latencies.

Once Data Latencies are identified, organizations can begin to implement processes (and technologies) specifically designed to address them. This paper will detail the six most common areas for Latency within an organization, and will explain not only how they can be identified, but the processes and methods required to reduce them.

Although every business has its own unique set of business processes and challenges, it is possible to identify six “generic” areas of business activity that typically contain Latencies. These areas are:

  • Executing Redundant Tasks
  • Identifying and Responding to “Trouble Spots” (Exception Management)
  • Profiling & Loyalty-Building
  • Monitoring and Processing Incoming Email
  • Generating and Distributing of Reports
  • Integrating Data Analysis & Response

Over the next few months we will be going over each of these in more detail. Stay tuned for some great information on how you can identify, define, and reduce each of these latencies in your manufacturing environment.

Need more efficiency in your organization? Learn more about our Process Manufacturing solutions.

If you would like to receive our complimentary whitepaper housing all 6 of the most common business latencies with tips discussing how to overcome them and improve efficiency, download it below.

Complimentary Whitepaper ► ► Working Smarter and Faster The Top 6 Business Latencies

Topics: business intelligence, business management software, organizational efficiency