Exploding Six Sigma Myths

Six Sigma doesn't improve the customer experience. It may seem that Six Sigma turns the focus away from the customer because it is driven by data. In so many companies, quality improvement is driven by the latest customer complaint, or some manager's latest issue. This may seem like you are being responsive to the customers, but such an ad hoc and scatter-shot approach is inefficient and ultimately doomed to failure. The question you need to ask is what data is presented to the organization in order to select improvement projects? Without the right data, how can you succeed? Unless the approach is systematic and the solution driven by measurement and analysis, there is little hope for lasting quality improvement.

Six Sigma is oriented toward the solution of problems at their root cause and the prevention of their recurrence, as opposed to attempting to control potential causes of failure on a project-by-project basis. Six Sigma inspired process redesign will change the way a company thinks about how they do their work and deliver their services. So many companies are focused on short-term financial goals. The “show me the money” attitudes of shareholders and the stock market shift focus away from the customer. Six Sigma, on the other hand, is clearly focused on the customer. It accomplishes this because it centers its attention on the end results and long-term cultural change.

Six Sigma is not just about number crunching and finances. All of the numbers are just data used to reach the real goal of Six Sigma: helping increase quality and service for the customer. Companies need to figure out what their customers want and need. One thing any customer of any business in any industry wants is a better experience. Quality and efficiency don't only help the financial bottom line, they help the customer experience.

Companies need to remember that their first and final allegiance should be to the customer. By embracing Six Sigma, a company can achieve greater quality and efficiency in the flow of information and interaction between people, especially interactions with customers. Transforming the process of these flows will yield quality results for the customer experience.

Six Sigma is just another fad. There have been so many quality improvement fads over the years. It is not surprising that people are now a little jaded. The weakness of many of these fads is that they have the superficial appearance that something profound is happening, yet the substance is not there. A whole bunch of numbers and graphs on spreadsheets are not enough to bring about substantial and lasting quality improvement in an organization. The fads sell themselves as cheap and easy quick fixes. The reality is that there are no quick fixes to significant process improvement. Six Sigma understands that.

Six Sigma is neither a fad nor a quick fix. The data and descriptive statistics that Six Sigma mines out of a project are real data and meaningful data. You use data to create actionable goals, analyze and determine the root cause(s) of defects, and then measure the results to shows how those goals were achieved. The data determines the causes of the problems that need improvement and how to eliminate the gap between existing performance and the desired level of performance. Tools are put in place to ensure that the key variables remain within the acceptable ranges over time so that process improvement gains are maintained. The changes brought about through Six Sigma are real, significant, and long-lasting.

Also, Six Sigma is not a simple 1-2-3-you're done process. It is a “way of life.” It is a multi-level, cyclical movement toward continual process improvement. Six Sigma is a time-consuming and high-energy process. Companies develop a long-term plan that outlines the move from current performance levels to Six Sigma performance levels, with tangible, short-term goals in between.

Successful Six Sigma programs are built on a solid organizational foundation. The organizational structure and system needs to be clearly identified and communicated to the entire organization to successfully implement Six Sigma Quality. Becoming a Six Sigma organization doesn't just happen. Planning and training goes into setting up a successful Six Sigma organization. Employee roles and responsibilities must be established and clearly communicated to all.

The more Six Sigma projects your company completes, the more involved you become with more mature and meaningful projects than when you began. Six Sigma becomes part of the core of your business. It isn't a quick knock-off program; it keeps growing and changing as your business needs grow and evolve. The other fads didn't last at your organization, but Six Sigma will.

www.6sigma.us/ Peter Peterka is the Principal Consultant in practice areas of DMAIC and DFSS. Peter has eleven years of experience performing as a Master Black Belt, and has over 15 years experience in industry as an improvement specialist and engineer working with numerous companies.

Related Information of Interest:

7 Tips To Keep Your Pet Safe On Halloween
Children aren't the only ones who should be closely
monitored on Halloween. The holiday can be a scary and
dangerous time for your pet as well.

By following some simple tips you can keep your pet safe and
comfortable without infringing on the family fun:

1. Don't put costumes on your pets unless they are used to
it. Wearing clothing can make pets uncomfortable and even
sick.

2. Candy is for humans and not for their furry friends.

3. Chocolate is toxic to animals. It can make them very sick.
Make sure that the "after Halloween" candy is put away so
your pet can’t get it--especially the chocolate. We hear
from owners every year of pets they had to take to the
emergency room because they managed to find the candy and
eat it. Give them a pet treat instead.

4. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten some Halloween
candy contact your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. Some candies,
especially chocolate, can be life threatening. If you can’t
reach your veterinarian you can call the ASPCA’s Poison
Control Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at (888) 426-
4435.

Caution: A $50 consultation fee may be applied to your
credit card.

5. Costumes may look strange to people, but just imagine
what they look like to a dog or cat. Animals aren't used to
seeing that kind of thing, and it could frighten them. So,
it's best not take them trick or treating.

6. If your pet isn’t good with strangers, it’s best to put
her in a separate room away from the door, so she won’t be
bothered by the presence of strangers.

7. If your pet is going to be free in the house, with the
door being opened repeatedly, there is more of a chance that
your pet can get outside. So, remember to make sure he is
wearing his license tags. That way, if he does get away,
there is a better chance of getting him back home sooner.

About the Author

James Kelly is the owner of Travelin Pets, a web site
specializing in providing information and quality products
for traveling pets and their owners.

Visit his website at: www.travelinpets.com
e-mail: tpservices@travelinpets.biz

Online degrees - Cutting through the hype
Online degrees ï¿½ Some questions you need to ask yourselfï¿½

ï¿½ Are they really easier?

If they are, then employers will soon learn this and will not consider applicants with a degree from an online university. If that happens then your time studying will have been totally wasted.

ï¿½ Why is there all this hype about online degrees, then?

They are very profitable for the institutions offering them. Thatï¿½s why so many online universities have sprung up.

ï¿½ Why do you see ads all over every website about the benefits of an online degree? WIFT? (Whatï¿½s In it For Them?)

Every time you click on one of those ads, the advertiser pays between $2 and $10 to Google or Yahoo, or a similar advertising program. Google or Yahoo take an unknown percentage, generally thought to be a third, and pass the rest on to the website owner.

Some ads pay website owners more than others, and Online Degree ads pay particularly well, partly because there are so many providers and the field is very competitive.

ï¿½ Why havenï¿½t you read this anywhere before?

The World Wide Web may be free, but website owners are on it to make a few bucks. Most sites have Google Adsense ads on them as part of the monetization process. One of the terms and conditions of having these ads on your site is that the site must not encourage visitors to click on the ads. You will never read this article on any site showing Google adsense ads, because its contents could be construed as ï¿½encouragement to clickï¿½

ï¿½ Why am I telling you this? WIFM (Whatï¿½s In it For Me?)

The links from this article and others like it lead to my websites and help them appear higher in search engines. One of the links also leads to a new education discussion forum that I am trying to grow by encouraging new members to join and contribute.

Pete Gallagher, taught Chemistry for 28 years. He has now left teaching to concentrate on writing. He has an education website with a forum that you are welcome to join. For general information on education degrees www.only-education-degree.info/online-education-degree.html ">this specialist resource site.

Paying Referral Fees to Designers as a Creative Subcontractor - Should You Do It?
Kirstin,

I am a faux finisher and I do some murals, too. When my clients ask me for referrals for designers, I give them names of people whom I think can help them. Should I let the designer know that I referred them?

- Arlene, Baltimore, MD

Arlene,

Not only should you let the designer know you referred someone to her, you should also ask for a referral fee or a percentage of the contract if she gets the client.

In the creative industry it is somehow "standard" for designers to get a percentage of contracts for murals, faux finishes, and other artistic work, but somehow it is not standard for the reverse. He who has the client's trust is the one who holds all the power. Should you be the one who the client trusts enough to ask for a referral, you should be rewarded for giving that referral.

If someone refuses to pay a referral fee or percentage for work you handed to them, then work with other designers or vendors. There are plenty of people out there who understand the value of a "hot referral" and are thrilled to reward people for them.
We all know how difficult and costly it is to get a new client and how much time and effort is spent on marketing and selling. If someone hands you a "hot referral" that leads you right to new business, you should reward that person with a check. Don't see it as a loss of income, see it as a gain in new business. Without the referral, you wouldn't have had the business. Most successful businesses - in every industry at every level - make a portion of their revenue from money paid to them for referrals, and you should, too.

-Kirstin

Kirstin Carey is the author of "Starving Artist No More: Hearty Business Strategies for Creative Folks". Kirstin knows that most creative professionals hate sales, contracts and discussing money. She consults creative folks on the business side of creativity so they make more money, attract better clients, and love what they do. Get proven strategies and insider secrets to help creative types like you get the business help you need at www.MyCreativeBiz.com

Conference Call Decision - Web Conference Calling Vs Offline Conference Calls
Conference calls have totally revolutionized the concept of communication. Web conference has taken the concept to the next level and challenges the worthiness of existing offline conference calls.

Web conference call is in its infancy and many people are not aware of its multifarious application. Initially, web conference call was used as an audio conference call and was limited to presentation calls. Live video conferencing became possible with the arrival of broadband. The right amalgamation of several features of Internet, computers and software has transformed web conference call to the level of face-to-face meeting.

The greatest advantage that web conference calling has over offline conference calls is that it gives real time interaction with several people. When implemented properly it is just like having a discussion in your conference hall. Unlike most offline conference calls, in web conference call the people engaged in conversation can share and exchange ideas by illustrating it on the whiteboard. This becomes very handy in cases where only drawings can clearly explain the idea. Since this is done in real time with the support of audio, the effect it has is far reaching and cannot be matched by offline conference calls.

Web conference calling is an ideal conference call service for business as it gives the opportunity to discuss issues and put them to vote and fix the issue on hand. This means that by sitting in your office in Manhattan through the conference call you can talk with your subordinates in any part of the world and discuss the business plans. There is no limit to the number of people who can take part in the digital web conference. Offline conference call has the limitation of number and when there are more than three locations it throws up several difficulties. The number of location is never a problem in web conference calling.

Conference call through web has certain limitations like web cam positioning. It also requires high amount of concentration from the participants. Most of the limitations associated with web conference call can be easily solved. Several business establishments now prefer web conference call over offline conference call as it saves money, time and energy.

We offer the best web conference calling info. Check it out on the Conference call services for business guide .