Unit 2 : Customer service and the Supply Chain

Unit 2

Introduction to Customer Service and the Supply Chain.

Defining what is meant by Customer Service and how it differs from historic approaches. Using Empirical methods to identify key process factors, rather than uncritically accepting pre-existing ideas.

The emphasis during this session is to get the team to conceptualise the whole supply chain, not just the role of their function.  A failure in any link of the chain is a failure for the whole chain : whether they are responsible or not!

Amongst the things we cover are…

1. What is the customer looking for from our organisation in terms of service?

• Attributes of a successful Customer Service function.                     
• Understanding Customers Wants and Needs.

1. The supply chain : what are the links in the chain?
2. What happens at the linkages in the chain : how do stakeholders interact?

Followed by a Lean Simulation exercise (Stickle Brick game) where a lot of the concepts explored later in the course will be exposed!

Amongst things we introduce in this session are:

• Mapping the customer network :

•  
  1. The ‘end’ customer – who receives the product (or  service)
  2. Who you provide ‘output’ for within your organisation
  3. Who is reliant on what you do to be able to complete their part
  4. Who are you a customer of ?

• “Value” as defined as any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for.

• “Lean,” from the perspective of the customer who consumes a product or service.

• Discuss various approaches to Lean thinking in the context of the management of all types of operational and administrative activities.