| The current economic downturn has affected various | | | | both processes and products. Amongst the various |
| sectors, including some that were earlier thought to be | | | | methods used to implement this approach, process |
| recession-proof. Fierce competition and constantly | | | | improvement and information management are most |
| changing circumstances compel every company to | | | | valued. Improved information flow can be achieved |
| focus their energies on sustaining business and | | | | through process mapping and electronic information |
| improving productivity. To overcome these challenges, | | | | management tools that enable real-time processes to |
| some organizations have taken short-term measures | | | | be shared and analyzed with the relevant |
| such as restructuring or downsizing. | | | | departments. This will improve the visibility of |
| However, such measures do not necessarily equate | | | | information in the organization and break down barriers |
| to success during a recession. If businesses are to | | | | between various departments - A key ingredient to |
| prosper, they must find and implement real methods of | | | | TQM. |
| improving quality to gain the competitive edge in a | | | | 3. Increase Customer Focus - An increase in customer |
| declining economy. One proven way to gain the | | | | focus aims at creating a system that captures |
| all-important competitive edge is to embed a culture of | | | | customer information, correspondence, purchase |
| continuous improvement in the organization. | | | | history and improves collaboration with customers. This |
| Continuous improvement is a process-oriented | | | | information helps your customer service department or |
| approach to manage the business in which the | | | | sales team identify and target the 'customer needs'. |
| processes are constantly evaluated and improved in | | | | Consequently, improving the existing processes in |
| the light of their efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility. | | | | these departments and enhancing the customer |
| Implementation of continuous improvement | | | | experience. Many organizations, for instance, go a long |
| methodologies can help companies sharpen their focus | | | | way towards increasing customer focus, simply by |
| on customers and processes to minimize inefficiencies. | | | | ensuring that critical customer-related information is at |
| With various methodologies and systems available in | | | | the fingertips of their sales team. Only good quality |
| the market, selection of the right one is driven by the | | | | customer service is likely to result in repeat purchases |
| needs of the organization and its capacity to | | | | and positive referrals. |
| implement such strategies. Though there are many | | | | To stimulate change and make continuous |
| approaches to beginning a continuous improvement | | | | improvement as an organization strategy, the |
| plan, few have proven successful over time: | | | | management team also needs to be committed, as |
| 1. Quality Circles - This concept incorporates small | | | | they are the ones who lead and inspire project teams. |
| voluntary groups who are trained to identify, analyze | | | | Each organization is dynamic in its behavior. Therefore, |
| and solve work-related problems, then present their | | | | choosing the right mix of approaches to achieve your |
| solutions to the management team in order to improve | | | | continuous improvement goal will depend on the |
| performance of the organization and motivate | | | | capabilities and resources of the team. |
| employees. One of the tools commonly used for | | | | Conclusion |
| making the quality circles successful is process | | | | Process mapping is a critical step in driving your |
| mapping. Process mapping is used to map new and | | | | continuous improvement plan throughout the |
| existing processes in order to create insightful analysis. | | | | organization. Process mapping tools like Allclear are |
| This analysis provides an objective view of each | | | | designed to help you map and analyze key business |
| process, which, in doing so, helps illuminate the goals | | | | processes and share these with the project teams. |
| and output. With process maps, your employees can | | | | The first step to continuous improvement is visibility of |
| get the "big picture" and use it to plan a continuous | | | | information and intrinsically knowing what matters most |
| improvement path. | | | | to the bottom-line; process maps let you achieve all |
| 2. Total Quality Management (TQM) - This is a | | | | this quickly, simply and efficiently. |
| management approach focused on ensuring quality of | | | | |