KaizenTip 106: Going Off the Rails

This week's KaizenTip comes to you from Steve Marriott of Kaizen Training.

When was the last time you were frustrated by being on the receiving end of a ‘policy’ or procedure, which in essence has good intentions - and by its’ inflexibility has become another problem in itself?  Last month?  Last week? Yesterday? Whatever your response, I guess it was more recent than you expected.

On a recent rail trip I was amazed by the number of issues such a simple activity could create.

Leaving my car at the station car park I was greeted by a sign informing me that ‘This car park is for the use of rail travellers ONLY’ and to pay for my parking when purchasing my ticket. ‘Fair enough’ I thought – obviously they may have had problems with pay and display machine reliability or theft

Thinking no more of it I found the ticket office and duly requested a return ticket to London. To this I was informed I could only get a one way. Upon further enquiry I was informed that because ‘some people’ purchased return tickets and simply used them until they got checked, the rail company now had a policy to not issue return tickets.  Duly buying my single ticket I headed for the train… forgetting to get my parking ticket. Being the fallible human I am, I only noticed this mistake upon arrival in London. Wanting to pay for my parking (or fine) I tried to contact the station. Only to find there is no direct dial number!

Get the picture? One by one, seemingly great solutions to previous problems were now becoming problems in themselves. A solution can only remain a solution so long as it serves us AND remains flexible enough to accommodate non-typical events and ‘human’ error.

Take a look at your organisation through the eyes of a customer.  Better still – speak to a selection of your customers.

Review your recent customer complaints - and the things that your people gripe about - and take action!