Posts written by TGG

Sustaining Improvements: The Power of a Lean Management System Software

TGG
5.19.2023

In today’s fast-paced world, sustaining improvements is paramount. With a unified software system, businesses gain the ability to effortlessly track and measure progress. From streamlining processes to optimizing workflows, this cohesive approach empowers organizations to make data-driven decisions, foster innovation, and achieve long lasting success. Harness the power of a single system and unlock your company’s full potential to sustain the waves of the economy.

What makes sustainability difficult?

Hiring new managers & employees
Changes in customer needs
New competitors in your marketplace
New software & new equipment

All of these ‘changes’ in our management systems make sustainability of results difficult. One solution? Lean management software that allows you to complete *simple audits that keep your organization on track and making money.

Compass is a suite of tools that allow measurement, standardization, governance, audits, and learning to occur within a Lean Management System that is customized to your business. You select the tools that you need and allow Compass to do the rest.

Let us help you make the improvements stick.

https://www.guthriegroup.com/software/compass/

LSW Software

TGG
5.16.2023

In today’s digital age, software has become an indispensable tool for improving productivity and efficiency. With the right software, individuals and organizations can automate repetitive tasks, collaborate in real-time, and analyze data to make better decisions. From project management to customer relationship management, there are software solutions for almost every task imaginable. By leveraging software, individuals and organizations can save time, reduce errors, and improve their overall performance. The key is to choose software that is user-friendly, reliable, and tailored to the specific needs of the user.

One of our proprietary software solutions is our very own TggLSW. TggLSW is a web-based software that integrates directly with Microsoft Outlook and allows you to build strategic alignment through defined roles and responsibilities.

Our process in 5 steps:

Build Strategic Alignment
Build Local LSW Outlook Calendars
Assign and Download Tasks into Outlook
Analyze Each Category Using Data from Outlook
Plan-Do-Check-Adjust… Make Improvements

Call us today to get a FREE demo on this software and to learn more what it could do for your business!

Do you have inventory challenges?

TGG
4.18.2023

Do you ask yourself:

What should I stock? How Much, of each type should I stock? Should I store Finished Goods, Work in Process (WIP) or Raw Materials?

You could benefit from our Runner, Repeater, Stranger Event

These were the questions posed to a manufacturing company during a recent Runner, Repeater, Stranger Inventory Analysis engagement.

The objectives of this engagement:

Have enough inventory to ship, consistently, to Customers.
Improve transparency of data and accuracy of information
Build more trust in the process and create a system they can all utilize.
Increase profitability.
More independence from factory orders

During the analysis tgg and the company:

Reviewed 18 months of shipped volume.
Corrected misidentified ‘strangers’ and modified the data.
Computed RRS classifications and Kanban min/max classifications.
Initiated initial stock order.

By the end of this four-week engagement the company had:

1+ week lead time (down from 4+ weeks)
45% Inventory reduction ($ and SKU’s)
75% Inventory accuracy (up from 25%)
Lean overview training
Increased refresh rates for both inventory & spare parts from every 24 hours to every hour
Reviewed info inventory codes.
Reviewed current ways to check inventory.

Graphs and Report Outs

The below graphs represent the data from the analysis. This side-by-side comparison for each type (Runner, Repeater, Stranger) shows weekly shipped orders on the left with the coefficient of variation on the right.

Doing More with Less

TGG
2.24.2023

Technology can be invaluable for businesses looking to reduce labor costs and save time. By streamlining processes and automating repetitive tasks, businesses can save money and increase efficiency. In this blog, we will explore some of the ways that technology can be used to reduce labor costs and save time in businesses.

One great way to reduce labor costs is to invest in automation. Automation can aid businesses in reducing costs associated with hiring and training new employees, as well as reducing or even eliminating the need for repetitive and time-consuming manual tasks. Automation can also help improve the accuracy of tasks and reduce the amount of time required to complete them.

Automation: https://www.guthriegroup.com/consulting/develop-your-enterprise/transactional-consulting/pc-process-mapping/

Another way to reduce labor costs and save time is to use cloud-based services. By hosting applications and data in the cloud, businesses can reduce the need for expensive hardware and IT staff while improving the speed and accuracy of their operations. Additionally, cloud-based services can be easily scaled up or down as needed, allowing businesses to quickly adjust to changes in their environment.

Cloud based services: Put your Lean transformation data with tgg. https://www.guthriegroup.com/software/compass/

Finally, businesses can save time and reduce labor costs by investing in analytics. There are very little problems that we cannot solve with RCFA.  Whether the problems are operational, capacity, or financial, we can aggressively move your team to smooth uninterrupted flow.

TGG will work with you and your team through the following steps:

1 – Develop problem statement
2 – Scope the problem
3 – Set the Target
4 – Identify root causes (Get data!)
5 – Identify solutions
6 – Implement solutions
7 – Evaluate the solution
8 – Standardize the solution

This tool requires data analysis capabilities and moves us deeper into numerous tools within Lean Six Sigma.

By collecting, storing, and analyzing data, businesses gain insight into their operations, allowing them to make better decisions and improve process efficiency. Analytics also help businesses identify opportunities for improvement and cost savings, as well as areas where additional staff or resources may be needed.

Analytics: https://www.guthriegroup.com/consulting/develop-your-enterprise/transactional-consulting/root-cause-analysis-transactional/

In summary, there are several ways that businesses can use technology to reduce labor costs and save time. By investing in automation, cloud-based services, and analytics, businesses can save money and increase efficiency. TGG’s tools allow you to identify root cause of excessive email. How much time do you spend each day processing email? Submit your problem statement today!

How problem solving and teamwork can increase safety and productivity within a business

TGG
2.2.2023

Structured problem-solving, teamwork and increased productivity are the foundational elements of any successful business. At TGG, we understand the importance of these concepts and strive to help our clients achieve the highest levels of success. In this blog, we will discuss how implementing effective problem-solving and teamwork strategies can aid businesses in increasing their overall productivity.

Structured problem-solving begins with identifying the root cause(s) of the issue before attempting to develop a solution. By taking the time to fully evaluate the problem and determine the root cause(s), businesses can avoid costly mistakes and focus their efforts on finding the most effective resolution. Additionally, implementing teamwork strategies can help businesses to effectively collaborate, increase their overall safety, and implement the best solutions. Teamwork allows for the sharing of ideas and perspectives, which can lead to creative solutions that wouldn’t have been identified by working solo.

Once the root cause(s) have been documented and a solution identified, it is important to quickly implement the new processes and update the documentation. This ensures that the issue is resolved in a timely manner and productivity is unhindered. Additionally, it is important to measure the solution’s success to ensure it is working. This can be accomplished by tracking metrics. Those might include but are not limited to employee morale, customer satisfaction, and employee productivity. By tracking these metrics, businesses can make adjustments and ensure that problem-solving and teamwork strategies are effective.

At TGG, we understand the importance of structured problem-solving and teamwork, and how they can empower businesses to become more productive. We strive to help our clients implement effective solutions to meet or exceed their goals and achieve success.

Runner, Repeater, Stranger Event

TGG
5.11.2021

Which inventory should you stock? How much, of each type, should you store in raw materials, work in process, and finished goods? How often should you schedule production? What is your stocking strategy?

These were the questions posed to a manufacturing company during a recent Runner, Repeater, Stranger Inventory Analysis engagement.

The objectives of this engagement:

Have enough inventory to ship, consistently, to customers
Improve transparency of data and accuracy of information
Build more trust in the process and create a system they can all utilize and build
Increase profitability
More independence from factory orders

During the analysis tgg and the company:

Reviewed 18 months of shipped demand
Corrected misidentified ‘strangers’ and modified the dataset
Computed RRS classifications and Kanban min/max classifications
Initiated initial stock order

By the end of this four-week engagement the company had:

Lean overview training
Increased refresh rates for both inventory & spare parts from every 24 hours to every hour
Reviewed info inventory codes
Reviewed current ways to check inventory

Graphs and Report Outs

If you had difficulty answering any of the above questions, the Runner, Repeater, Stranger (RRS) Inventory Analysis might be just the tool for you. With this thorough statistical analysis, tgg can help your organization not only answer ‘how much inventory’, but also create a standard run strategy and schedule to maintain these levels. Move from 4+ weeks of lead time with 25% forecast accuracy to 1+ week lead with 75% accuracy.

Click here to learn more about the RRS Analysis or contact us!

A place for everything and everything in its place

TGG
4.21.2021

We’ve all been there. You’re walking the floor on the hunt for a specific tool or searching the hundreds of folders on your computer trying to remember where you saved that one file. You can spend half your workday just searching. That’s a lot of wasted time and non-value steps.

Enter…5S.

This simple, yet foundational Lean tool can help you radically eliminate the non-value steps in your manufacturing and transactional processes, resulting in a more productive team. It’s all about waste elimination through workplace organization.

Recently one of our consultants taught a two-day 5S event for a fire damage restoration company. See what the owner of the company had to say below.

“Pick-ups and deliveries are 45% of the billable work ERS performs for its customers and a critical part of the service we provide. Being able to find the right tool and materials needed for every job is an essential part of an efficient pick-up and delivery. We were not organized to do that and were wasting time on every job searching for tools and materials. The 5S event lead by The Guthrie Group resulted in a well-organized storage system that is self-sustaining and best of all it ensures an efficient pick-up and delivery on every job! I would highly recommend utilizing The Guthrie Group’s services to help your business improve its efficiency.” – Mike G.

Curious what each S in 5S stands for? Visit Manufacturing 5S or Transactional 5S to learn more.

If you’re interested in a 5S event at your company, contact us today!

Would you survive in the subarctic?

TGG
3.8.2021

Your small plane has crash-landed in the deserted wilderness of the subarctic and you must decide the importance of each item in your possession as it relates to your survival. Are you better off as an individual or with a team?

This is the premise of our Survival Simulation, which was run at an annual training event for Nissan Canada. Due to COVID, this event wasn’t held in-person, so on Friday, December 11th nearly 100 Nissan employees joined a Zoom call from their various home offices to participate in this fun, challenging, and educational activity. Utilizing “breakout rooms” participants were still able to experience the small group collaborations which are vital to this exercise.

After the exercise, students took the Group Styles Inventory (GSI) assessment. This assessment highlights team behavior features that help (or hinder) a team’s performance in a way that makes it easier for the individuals to discuss scenarios to overcome team interaction obstacles and achieve a more effective teamwork dynamic.

The Survival Simulation along with the GSI assessment made for a perfect team-building experience that left participants with a new understanding of the importance of team dynamics.

This is just one of the numerous training simulations we offer as part of our consulting services. You can read more about some of our simulations here or contact us to discuss how we can help with your team building.

Operational Excellence & Process Transformation Summit

TGG
3.9.2020

TGG Board Member, John Biedry, was the chairperson for the Operational Excellence & Process Transformation Summit held in Boston, Mass in November 2019. Knowing the important role Lean plays in operations and processes, he invited our President Zack Guthrie to be a speaker at the event. John also spoke at the event (pictured below).

Zack was one of 25 speakers and led two sessions during the three-day conference. The first was on our “tgg Playbook” which lays out the four components of Lean transformation: Enterprise Alignment, Develop Scientists, Process Confirmation, and Continuous Results. The second session focused on Leader Standard Work (LSW) and the importance of strategic alignment.

Interested in learning more about our Playbook? Visit this page to learn about the tools tgg utilizes that make up each of these four components.

Would you like to have Zack speak at one of your events? Contact us today!

Team Building at Nissan

TGG
2.12.2020

In November of 2019, Zack and Phil traveled to Canada to facilitate a team-building exercise as part of a large training event for Nissan field staff. They ran our PROD Simulation, which teaches Lean concepts in a fun and interactive way, with over 50 members of the technical sales team. By the end of the training team members had the skills to identify areas of waste and find opportunities for process improvements.

For more information on the PRODSim, visit https://www.guthriegroup.com/product/prodsim/

If you’re interested in team-building exercises or Lean Six Sigma training contact us today.

Define your Problem Statement.

The first step towards breaking your organizational log jams is identifying and verbalizing the challenge you're facing. What are you trying to solve? This simple Problem Statement exercise can have profound implications for your team. It helps you define the issue and gives TGG some sense of where the soft spots could be in your Order to Cash process. We invite you to take a few moments to fill out this form. A TGG consultant will contact you shortly to discuss your Problem Statement and provide some insight on how we may be able to help.