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What Does Office Work Have to Do With Production?

Following the trail of order fulfillment

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Bruce Hamilton
Mon, 04/22/2024 - 12:03
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I was asked to lead a workshop in the sales order department of a manufacturer that we had helped with process improvement on the factory floor. Those efforts had positively reverberated across the company in the form of fewer late and expedited orders. Still, sales order employees were wondering why we were picking on the order department. “Why don’t you just stay in the factory where the problems are?” asked Harry, the order department manager.

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“Yes,” I responded, “there are still many opportunities in the factory. But can we take a quick walk through a sales order to watch the process?” With some reluctance, Harry agreed, but offered, “There’s really not much to see. This is office work; we’re not building anything.”

I didn’t attempt to dispute, but thought to myself, “Yes, you are, you’re building the order that the factory needs to produce the product.”

“Well, let’s go see,” I said. “Can we start with the last step in the process?”

Off we trekked to the sales order entry, Harry still protesting that there would not be much to see: “She’s just keying in orders.”

 …

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Comments

Submitted by Dr. Susan O. Schall (not verified) on Mon, 04/22/2024 - 09:42

Great Example!

Had similar situation with a client ~12 years ago.  R&D and Marketing cold not understand Production delays, I helped them see the impact of R&Ds too tight specifications had on getting materials in the quantities needed and the impact of Marketing's customization of labels had on getting labels from the printer in time for packaging.  Everyone points their finger at production - it is the most visible, and don't understand their role.  Production can do little without the collaboration of almost every other function in the organization.  The real work happens horizontally across the organization not vertically down the functions.

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Submitted by Alan Metzel on Mon, 04/22/2024 - 10:06

Oh so true

Great example of unseen roadblocks! The entire organization is part of the process.

There is a story that I heard many years ago about President Kennedy's first visit to NASA. Somewhere during that visit, he met a janitor and inquired what he did. His reply, “I'm helping to put a man on the moon Mr. President.” I have heard this story repeated over the years, and cannot attest to its authenticity, but those (11) words speak volumes.

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Submitted by Shaik- (not verified) on Tue, 04/23/2024 - 02:09

Always true of office work

Times we see the sales people dominating in the company and feel they are the ones running the company. They are unwilling to cooperate or share to keep up secured in this way. And boosting often oneself as an important people in the company to take all those provisions and incentives.  

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