Background
The Director of the Transportation Equipment Distributor had executed an effective growth strategy that within a couple of years, the company the company’s sales increased by 400 percent. This was a remarkable sales performance. What was more impressive was the realization that the organization had outgrown its Sales and Support Methodology.
He recognized that the growth caused issues in his sales processes. However, he didn’t know how to eliminate the inefficiencies. Sales representatives should be working with their customers in a positive way, adding value and closing deals. Instead, he noticed the reps completing lots of paperwork.
Implementing Lean Tools to find and remove this administration (non-value-added) job was the best solution.
Lean and Re-engineering ways to redesign a procedure.
One approach is, to begin with, a “clean sheet of paper” and create the method you would like to use. This idea was popularized by the author of “Re-engineering the Corporate” in the 1990’s early years. It became trendy but was then quickly dissolved.
There are many issues that come with this method. The first is that the new process requires a lot of time to design because each step is contested by team members who want to defend their own territory. It is not unusual for projects that were reengineered to take between 6 and 2 years to finish. The second reason is that the new method was usually not successful due to the fact that it didn’t incorporate the existing information systems in the company. It’s too complicated to begin from scratch.
Lean is a Lean method that is much more simple and more efficient. The process is mapped. Then, we identify and eliminate those steps that are not value-added. The new procedure is essentially an old procedure but with the non-value-added methods removed. Lean projects are completed within four weeks and are able to sustain improvements.
Current State Process Flow Mapping sales process for the Distribution Company includes:
Making proposals
Configuring orders
Customizing the standard product (coming directly from the manufacturer) to meet the requirements of the customer
Delivering
Billing
Paying commission
Sales Representatives
Sales Management
Sales Support
Parts Department
Service Department
Accounting
After completed, the Current State Process Flow Map was completed, we inspected each stage and asked two questions:
Does the customer appreciate our taking this step?
Does it hinder Sales Representatives from having more time with their customers?
If the task doesn’t bring value to the client or prevents Sales Reps from selling, we deem it to be a job that could be eliminated or reduced.
We eliminated these tasks with no value out of our Process Flow Map and created actions items that either stopped them altogether or decreased the amount of time required for them. Then, we analyzed each process to determine how much time we were saving for the Sales Representatives as well as the Sales Manager. These actions are listed below.
Savings for the Sales Manager
Sales Manager approves payments to vendors. This should be managed by the Accounting department (13.8 hours saved per year)
Sales Manager reviews lease details for Sales Reps Sales Support has the ability to perform the same (1.7 minutes per year)
The sales Manager checks the prep sheet for missing information. It should be entered into the systems for IT, and not on paper, which needs complete information before saving (2.5 hours each year)
Savings for Sales Reps
Sales Reps write proposals, mailing proposals filling out the vendor-option form bid information sheet, financing forms, contracting for mailing, updating databases for used equipment, filling out market share forms, and proofreading proposals.
All of this is accomplished through Sales Support Admin
Sales Reps create bids by hand upon the specifications of the client
Make use of IT System to kick outbids Based on Sales Support’s input of customer requirements
We have eliminated 219.8 hours of work or time annually performed by each Sales Representative through eliminating the following ten tasks.
Results
Eliminated Sales Representatives from administrative work using Information Systems of the company or shifting the tasks to Sales Support Administration
Each Sales Representative received 5.5 weeks of additional selling time per year.
In the next two years, gross profit margins grew by 40 percent.
This project was about identifying tasks that are not worth the effort Sales Representatives perform in order to eliminate them or shifting them to lower-paying sales support staff. There were ten tasks that Sales Representatives had to perform for each customer inquiry that was removed from their daily work. While this might not seem like a substantial reduction in the number of steps, however, we have made 5.5 weeks of extra selling time for each Sales Representative.
Sales Reps must be selling and not just doing paperwork. This Lean project allowed time for the sales representatives to be more in touch with customers, gaining an understanding of their needs and adding value. As a result, they completed deals at more significant profits.
Very neat article. Will read on…
I really like and appreciate your blog post.Really thank you! Really Cool.
Thanks-a-mundo for the article post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
Im obliged for the article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.
Thanks a lot for the post.Really thank you! Great.
I cannot thank you enough for the blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
Great, thanks for sharing this blog article. Keep writing.
Very informative blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
Im thankful for the blog article.Really thank you! Really Cool.
Major thankies for the blog post.Much thanks again. Really Great.
Im grateful for the blog post.Really thank you! Will read on…
Great article post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Awesome post. Want more.
Very good blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
I am so grateful for your post.Thanks Again. Want more.
Major thankies for the blog post. Great.
I appreciate you sharing this article post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Enjoyed every bit of your blog article.Really thank you! Awesome.
Great, thanks for sharing this article post.Really thank you! Fantastic.
I am curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be utilizing? I’m having some minor security issues with my latest website and I would like to find something more secure. Do you have any recommendations?
Im grateful for the article post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic post. Want more.
Im obliged for the blog.Much thanks again.
I loved your article.Thanks Again. Want more.
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!|
Appreciate you sharing, great blog.Really thank you! Want more.
Really appreciate you sharing this blog post. Cool.
Very good article. I certainly appreciate this site. Keep writing!|
Thanks so much for the article post.Much thanks again. Cool.
Thanks for the article post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Enjoyed every bit of your post.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.
Hey, thanks for the blog article.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Say, you got a nice blog post. Cool.
I value the blog.
Im thankful for the blog.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Thanks for the blog article.Thanks Again. Will read on…
Im thankful for the post.Much thanks again. Will read on…
Simply desire to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is just great and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the gratifying work.|
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say fantastic blog!|
Really enjoyed this article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
I have read so many posts regarding the blogger lovers except this post is genuinely a good piece of writing, keep it up.|
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my permission. Do you know any methods to help stop content from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.|
This is one awesome blog post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Muchos Gracias for your blog post.Really thank you! Really Cool.
I truly appreciate this blog.Really looking forward to read more. Really Great.
Enjoyed every bit of your post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…
Muchos Gracias for your blog.Really thank you! Will read on…
I value the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
Every weekend i used to go to see this web site, for the reason that i wish for enjoyment, since this this website conations genuinely good funny data too.|
Im thankful for the blog.Thanks Again. Will read on…
Hey, thanks for the blog post.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Having read this I thought it was rather informative. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this article together. I once again find myself personally spending way too much time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worth it!|
Thank you for your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.
Muchos Gracias for your post.Much thanks again. Cool.
I cannot thank you enough for the blog post. Will read on…
Wow, great article.Really thank you! Awesome.
Enjoyed every bit of your blog post.Much thanks again.
Thanks-a-mundo for the blog article. Much obliged.
At this time it sounds like Movable Type is the best blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?|
My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on a number of websites for about a year and am concerned about switching to another platform. I have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into it? Any help would be really appreciated!|
Excellent article! We are linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the great writing.|
I really liked your blog article.Thanks Again. Cool.
magnificent issues altogether, you just received a brand new reader. What would you recommend in regards to your post that you made some days in the past? Any positive?|
Im grateful for the post. Fantastic.
Fantastic blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Want more.
Really informative blog post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
I am really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.|
all the time i used to read smaller posts which also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph which I am reading at this place.|
Great blog post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Very informative blog.Thanks Again.
wow, awesome blog post.Thanks Again. Really Great.
I appreciate, cause I found just what I was looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
Thanks-a-mundo for the blog post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
I truly appreciate this blog post.Much thanks again. Great.
I appreciate you sharing this article post.Really thank you! Awesome.
A round of applause for your article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
Thanks for the blog post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Hey, thanks for the article post.Really thank you! Want more.
Thanks-a-mundo for the blog article.Thanks Again. Really Great.
Great blog post.Thanks Again. Great.
Hello from explainer video company india, just became alert to your blog through Google Explainer video Company india, and found that it’s truly informative. I?m going to watch out for brussels. I?ll appreciate if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers! https://classifiedonlineads.net/536/posts/3-Services/27-Other/2860339-Explainer-Video-Company-India.html
I cannot thank you enough for the blog post. Great.
Buy Drugs
Porn site
Porn site
Thank you ever so for you blog article.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Buy Drugs
I think this is a real great article post.Really thank you! Much obliged.
https://www.songtaneye.com/
Pornstar
A round of applause for your blog article.Thanks Again. Will read on…
Viagra
Pornstar
Sex
Great, thanks for sharing this blog.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Buy Drugs
Viagra
Porn
A big thank you for your blog post.Thanks Again. Great.
Scam
Buy Drugs
Viagra
I cannot thank you enough for the blog post.Really thank you! Want more.
Sex
Scam
A round of applause for your article.Much thanks again. Will read on…
Porn
Major thankies for the blog.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
Scam
wow, awesome blog post.Thanks Again.
I am so grateful for your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.
Sex