Please respond to the 2 peers listed below:

Process Performance Impacts Competitive Advantage

Identify one key process that is within the value stream map you shared in Week 2. Include specific references to this week’s course materials, specifically Operations Management Reading: Process Analysis, to support your response.

• What process metrics are used in this process?
• Describe any shortcomings such as delays, bottlenecks, or quality issues in the process.

#1

Peter A 

RE: Week 3 Discussion

COLLAPSE

Hello Class,

Identify one key process that is within the value stream map you shared in Week 2.

One key process that is within my company’s value stream map would be providing the correct solution to the customer’s requests and needs. According to “Value Stream Mapping”, Karen and Mike states that “wherever there is a request and a deliverable, there is a value stream” (1, pg 20). Through Verizon’s Telesales department, we continuously receive different requests regarding bill payment, replacing phones with insurance, buying new phones, changing phone plans, and so forth. The key process in responding to these requests is by providing the most optimal solution that is valuable to both the customer and the business.

What process metrics are used in this process?

The process metrics used in the process are:

-Average Handle time: the average time it takes to handle each customer (ideally under 600 seconds).

-Key Progress Indicator: Recorded progress of overall performance such as number of new lines, upgrades, connected devices (ipads, watches, MiFi’s, etc), and accessory sales

-Rep Interaction Scores: Scores based on customer experience via surveys for every customer interaction by the rep.

Describe any shortcomings such as delays, bottlenecks, or quality issues in the process.

The biggest quality issue in the sales process are the frequent operation errors with the software system we use. The software that we use is called OMNI. OMNI is widely used across the nation and has multiple platforms that are used based on the department’s functionality. For us, we use OMNI Telesales. About every 20 guests helped, the software begins to glitch, leading to payment failures and longer process times to meet the customer’s needs. Not only does this affect average handle time, the inconvenience can lead to a lower interaction score which reflects on Verizon’s brand.

Thank you,

Peter A

References:

1. Martin, Karen and Osterling, Mike. Value Stream Mapping: How to Visualize Work and Align Leadership for Organizational Transformation.

#2

Crystal James 

RE: Week 3 Discussion

COLLAPSE

Good afternoon everyone, 

One key process metric that is used in my example is process time.  “Process time… is the time it takes people to complete the process tasks to transform an input into an output for one unit of work” (1).  To review, the value stream map I discussed last week was answering call bells.  The process time would be from the time the bell rings at the nurses’ station to the time it takes someone to answer the resident.  The process should take under two minutes; however, I have received complaints that it can take up to 1/2 hour.   

The panel for the system is at the nurses’ station and it the room number lights up to tell you which room is ringing the bell.  There is also a light above the door that illuminates when someone in the room has rung the bell.  Working on the units, people have learned to block out noises or are so focused on the task at hand that sometimes they do not hear the bell right away.  An example of a delay can just be a slower response time in hearing the bell.  It takes a few seconds before it registers that a bell is even ringing. 

I remember being on the unit one day when a resident’s bell was ringing.  There was a nurse directly across the hall from the resident; however, she never stopped what she was doing to assist the resident.  I assisted the resident and went to discuss what just happened to the Administrator.  He responded that if a nurse is passing medications, he/she should not stop to answer call bells.  I guess passing medications would be the bottleneck because it limits the output of the process (2), answering the call bell in a timely fashion. 

Crystal

Source

1. Karen Martin and Mike Osterling. 2014. Value Stream Mapping.  

2. Roy D. Shapiro. 2013. Process Analysis.