Futuríveis
terça-feira, abril 12, 2005
Lean consumption ?
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The answer to all these problems, they say, is lean consumption. An excellent idea, you may think. Rather than buying all these defective products and services, we should try to do without them. How much do we actually need, after all? We managed perfectly well before personal computers, personal digital assistants and the rest came along. It is far friendlier to the environment and easier on the wallet to do without.
But that is not what the writers mean by lean consumption. Their idea is an extension of lean production, as practised, pre-eminently, by Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer. If that jogs the memory, it is because Mr Womack and Mr Jones were, with Daniel Roos, the authors of a celebrated book, published in 1990, called The Machine that Changed the World, which was all about lean production.
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Mr Womack and Mr Jones argue that the same principles can be applied to solve consumers' problems today.
How would it work? Take helplines, for example. At present, they serve the same function as the western car companies' reworking areas: they try to solve problems after they have occurred. They do not do it very well either. Helpline workers are rewarded for their "efficiency", in other words how many callers they deal with - which is why they are so eager to move on to the next one. Helplines should do more than help people with problems, the writers say.
The helpline staff should use the calls to identify common problems, which can then be solved - the equivalent of the stopping of the Toyota line.
There is a big opportunity, too, for companies that can manage consumers' lives. Companies such as Toyota rely on a smaller number of suppliers than their competitors, using those that understand their needs best.
"This same concept can be applied to the process of consumption," the writers say. "For example, why can't a single provider solve your computation and communication problems by evaluating your specific needs and then determining the best equipment, software and services? The provider could then obtain, install, maintain, upgrade and replace the required items for a standard fee, with no unpaid work or hassle for you. And why can't another solution provider put the vehicles in your driveway, then maintain, repair and dispose of them as appropriate, for a simple usage fee, without consuming any of your time or attention?"
They stress that they are not talking about "concierge services", which are "actually a step backward into a world where the well-to-do hire staff to cure their consumption headaches, which are caused by broken processes". The integrators they are advocating could improve the processes, eliminating problems and lowering the cost of lean consumption. Let us hope it happens soon. Now for that dreaded call to my broadband provider.
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FT.com
The answer to all these problems, they say, is lean consumption. An excellent idea, you may think. Rather than buying all these defective products and services, we should try to do without them. How much do we actually need, after all? We managed perfectly well before personal computers, personal digital assistants and the rest came along. It is far friendlier to the environment and easier on the wallet to do without.
But that is not what the writers mean by lean consumption. Their idea is an extension of lean production, as practised, pre-eminently, by Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer. If that jogs the memory, it is because Mr Womack and Mr Jones were, with Daniel Roos, the authors of a celebrated book, published in 1990, called The Machine that Changed the World, which was all about lean production.
...
Mr Womack and Mr Jones argue that the same principles can be applied to solve consumers' problems today.
How would it work? Take helplines, for example. At present, they serve the same function as the western car companies' reworking areas: they try to solve problems after they have occurred. They do not do it very well either. Helpline workers are rewarded for their "efficiency", in other words how many callers they deal with - which is why they are so eager to move on to the next one. Helplines should do more than help people with problems, the writers say.
The helpline staff should use the calls to identify common problems, which can then be solved - the equivalent of the stopping of the Toyota line.
There is a big opportunity, too, for companies that can manage consumers' lives. Companies such as Toyota rely on a smaller number of suppliers than their competitors, using those that understand their needs best.
"This same concept can be applied to the process of consumption," the writers say. "For example, why can't a single provider solve your computation and communication problems by evaluating your specific needs and then determining the best equipment, software and services? The provider could then obtain, install, maintain, upgrade and replace the required items for a standard fee, with no unpaid work or hassle for you. And why can't another solution provider put the vehicles in your driveway, then maintain, repair and dispose of them as appropriate, for a simple usage fee, without consuming any of your time or attention?"
They stress that they are not talking about "concierge services", which are "actually a step backward into a world where the well-to-do hire staff to cure their consumption headaches, which are caused by broken processes". The integrators they are advocating could improve the processes, eliminating problems and lowering the cost of lean consumption. Let us hope it happens soon. Now for that dreaded call to my broadband provider.
...
FT.com
posted by CMT, 3:12 da tarde
