Category Archives: Customer focus

Jeff Bezos: Innovation, Experiments and Long Term Thinking

Posted on September 4, 2013 by John Hunter

Jeff Bezos, bought the Washington Post. He has long showed a willingness to take a long term view at Amazon. He is taking that same thinking to the Washington Post: In my experience, the way invention, innovation and change happen … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Customer focus, Innovation, Process improvement | Tagged Bezos, business, business model, Customer focus, experiments, long term thinking, PDSA, Quality tools | 2 Comments

Stated Versus Revealed Preference

Posted on July 9, 2013 by John Hunter

My father provided me a good example of the flawed thinking of relying on stated preference when I was growing up. Stated preference is, as you might deduce, the preferences voiced by customers when you ask. This is certainly useful … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Popular, Psychology | Tagged Bill Hunter, Customer focus, food, Popular, Psychology, Quality tools, Statistics, theory of knowledge | 8 Comments

Quality Processes in Unexpected Places

Posted on March 25, 2013 by John Hunter

This month Paul Borawski asked ASQ’s Influential Voices to explore the use of quality tools in unexpected places. The most surprising example of this practice that I recall is the Madison, Wisconsin police department surveying those they arrested to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Customer focus, Data, Innovation, Management, Process improvement, Public Sector, Respect | Tagged ASQ Influential Voices, Creativity, Customer focus, customer service, leadership, Lean thinking, Madison, Process improvement, Public Sector, respect for people, Systems thinking | 5 Comments

Software Process and Measurement Podcast With John Hunter

Posted on February 25, 2013 by John Hunter

In my podcast with Tom Cagley, Software Process and Measurement Cast: John Hunter on Management Matters, as you might expect there was a bit of a focus on software development and agile software development as related to the ideas I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Customer focus, Deming, Six sigma | Tagged agile management, Books, build capability, Deming, John Hunter, lean management, management, Management Matters, podcast, Software Development, Systems thinking | 2 Comments

Customers

Posted on December 12, 2012 by John Hunter

Customer focus is critical to succeed with management improvement efforts. Few argue with that point, though my experience as a customer provides plenty of examples of poor systems performance on providing customer value (usability, managing the value stream well, etc.). … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Deming, Management | Tagged curiouscat, Customer focus, customer service, Deming, gemba, Innovation, management, quote, Systems thinking, value stream | 11 Comments

Customer Focus by Everyone

Posted on August 7, 2012 by John Hunter

There are many critical elements to a management system. One that is fundamental, yet still poorly executed far too often, is creating a system where all staff can focus on enhancing value to the customer every day. If your enterprise … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Deming, Management, Systems thinking | Tagged build capacity, Customer focus, customer service, Deming, management, Systems thinking | 6 Comments

Simple Customer Care: Communicate

Posted on July 17, 2012 by John Hunter

Some management issues are hard. You are often balancing priorities. Sometimes though it is extremely simple: either you have concern for customers and take actions to back that up or you have some concern but don’t do anything about it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, IT, Management | Tagged bad customer service, bank, Customer focus, customer service | 2 Comments

Customer Focus

Posted on July 9, 2012 by John Hunter

Customer Focus is at the core of a well managed company. Sadly many companies fail to serve their customers well. To serve customers, a thorough understanding of what problem you solve for customers is needed. The decisions at many companies, … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Deming, Management | Tagged continual improvement, Customer focus, leadership, management, Systems thinking, tips | 8 Comments

The Customer is the Purpose of Our Work

Posted on April 9, 2012 by John Hunter

A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Management, Psychology, quote, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged aim, Customer focus, customer service, food, Psychology, purpose, quote, respect for people | 6 Comments

Eliminate the Waste of Waiting in Line with Queuing Theory

Posted on December 15, 2011 by John Hunter

One thing that frustrates me is how managers fail to adopt proven strategies for decades. One very obvious example is using queuing theory to setup lines. Yes it may be even better to adopt strategies to eliminate as much waiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Data, Management, Process improvement, Quality tools, Statistics, Systems thinking | Tagged Customer focus, evidence based management, management, Process improvement, Quality tools, research, Systems thinking | 2 Comments