Why do we need LEAN and 6 Sigma Projects?

As a consultant working with many companies over the last 20 years, there’s a common dialogue that I’ve become quite familiar with. Most companies prefer to be secured in their comfort zone. I start by asking the manager who calls me for support: "why do you want to run a 6 sigma or LEAN Project?

Manager: To increase the profits, but How?

Me: by making your customers happy, it’s a simple answer because you want them back again, even sometimes we allow our customers to return their goods for free; to guarantee their loyalty to our company and our products. Furthermore, we listen carefully to their comments; if defects were found and fix those defects.

Manager: but you are talking about more expenses which mean more loss, not profit!!!

Me: Here comes the role of 6 Sigma and LEAN Projects; make your customers happy by running your process right the first time. We reduce variation and eliminate MUDA is the Japanese word for waste.

Manager: So you will reduce waste…

Me: Wait a minute, is waste only realized in production? No, it’s at every stage even leadership; when you don’t gain the management buy-in and commitment to the process there’s a lot of MUDA taking place; in the form of loss of energy, material, people. Furthermore, loss of not making decisions at the right time and running around like a “headless chicken”.