Lean Six Sigma in 2016

By Laura Frazer, Principal : Project Services, Change & Transformation

The first question EVERY client asks before they get started on a LSS journey is “what’s in it for me”?

In an uncertain economy where capital expenditure is tight and competition is increasing, process excellence still remains critical for businesses who are looking to continuously improve and optimise processes in pursuit of better quality, efficiency and lower costs.

2015 saw traditional business improvement methods remain relevant to meet the traditional drivers of process excellence. However it also saw a new driver emerging: the dawn of the age of the customer. Now this is nothing new, though as technology continues to change the way customers interact with businesses, a good process is no longer enough. It’s all about the customer experience the process delivers that adds sustainable customer value.

While many Australian businesses realise adopting a customer centric approach within process excellence is key to productivity and efficiency, many still continue to build internally focused processes that fail to consider the experience customers have when they interact with their products and services channels.

Many of our forwarding thinking clients are adopting this customer centric approach to process improvement, which has led to continued need for talent in this space. This can be seen most notably in the Retail, Insurance & Health sectors with many in their infancy or mid-way through the journey towards process excellence.

To thrive as market leaders and innovators, companies and organisations need to adapt to the pace of change and improve agility. In 2016 we expect to see a continued focus on the customer which will in turn dominate people, processes and tools in business improvement.

Here’s to the customer.

Laura Frazer

T.  +61 3 9008 5105  |  M.  +61 432 605 199  |  E.  lfrazer@ampersand.com.au