DMAIC

The abbreviation DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. It employs data to stabilize, optimize, and improve business processes. It is also used to solve problems in corporate processes and designs. Defining the problem, project goals, consumer requirements, improvement possibilities, and actions are all part of the define phase (Dhamija et al. 1). It entails selecting a method for the team to identify the project as well as designing a roadmap that covers the output and input procedures. The measured phase consists of measuring process performance by developing and implementing a transparent data collection approach that ensures the gathering of important data. The analyzing stage involves the process of analyzing the causes of poor performance in the project. The use of analysis tools such as ANOVA aids in finding the cause of the problem. The improve phase comprises of enhancing the project performance by eliminating the objectives of the dismal performance. A pilot study is done to test the viability of the proposed solutions. The control phase involves controlling the current and future execution of the project. The DMAIC process focuses on the quality and improvement of the business project through objective problem-solving (Prashar 104). It is a technique that provides a structured procedure that can be used to improve an existing process. Thus making it possible to find a solution to the current challenges.

Context

Lean six sigma is a management tool that is used in the creation of value for their customers through the elimination of waters and enhancing the value that customers receive. The six sigma aspect of the methodology is used in solving the problems or defects that tend to arise from the production process (Jirasukprasert, et al 13). In the service industry especially in the context of a call center, identifying the issues that may clients face, and making decisions that could reduce the wastes that are realized from the process is crucial in improving customer satisfaction levels and reducing the costs that a form has to incur in customer care. Originally, lean six sigma was used in the manufacturing sector with the intent of eliminating or minimizing the wastages in the manufacturing sector. The lean six sigma needs to identify the management process that is redundant and further set up strategies that could be used in eliminating the wastages in time and resources (Knight 3). The case of the six sigma is based on the information data from two departments of an organization that tend to detail the performance of the organization about handling the of the customer complaints. According to the case study, and evaluation of the data that has been collected by the organization, improvement in the resolution ration and reduction in the number of customers calling over the same complaint is the primary objective of the six sigma process. Additionally, streamlining of the process that is involved in the call data center and reduction in the operator turnover are additional objectives that the call center has to address (Al-Aomar and Shereen 1). The benefits that are environed through the process tend to have an advantage to the organization and the individual customers.

Define/measure Phase

The methodology that is used by the management of the company is DMAIC, whose primary intent is the continuous improvement of the work operations of the customer care service (Koski et al 2). The definition stage outlines the requirements of the customers and what they would like to see in the process of improving the company’s operations. The primary condition that the customers have is the ability of the firm to efficiently handle the complaints that they have without having to call repeatedly. Therefore, extending the time that the customer care representatives have on call and further ensuring that they adequately meet up the demands of the customers is an efficient way of meeting the customers’ needs. The goals of the project are to minimize the number of repeated calls from the same customer regarding the same issue. Therefore, the objective that would help in meeting the goal is to improve the capacity of the customer care representatives in meeting the needs of the customers. The resources that are needed in enhancing the ability of the customer care representatives including setting aside training fees and setting aside funds for internal coaching to improve the capacity of the internal staff to handle the complaints that are raised by the customers. The organizational support is needed from the senior management with the chief executive officer taking the initiative of analyzing the way through which the customer care representatives handle their customer complaints and the existent needs. The issue of additional recruitment of staff in the customer care department requires the input of the senior management. The top management needs to develop the milestones for accomplishing the objectives such as analyzing the existent needs, designing of training programs and improving the capacity of the customer care departments.

Analyze phase

The measurement is crucial in gathering of data to determine the extent to which the problem is severe and defining the defects that are identified in the customer care process. The customer is a crucial asset to any organization to whom the organization has to focus on their satisfaction. Based on the case that is under analysis, the more extended duration that the customer care representatives have to hold on call is a defect that ought to be objectively analyzed by the management of the company. Severity of the problem can be identified commission a longitudinal study over three months and recording data of the repeated calls that customers make over the same issue and the rate of resolution of customer resolutions. Where there is an ascending or constant trend, the defect is severe and calls for a change in strategy on how the management is dealing with the issue. However, where there is a downward trend, there is an affirmation that the administration is taking the appropriate measures to address the customer complaints and the programs that have been made by the management ought to be scaled up. Benchmarking is a necessary initiative that ought to be undertaken by the administration to find the best practices in customer care. The benchmarking process would require examining a company that has the same scale of customer complaints.

The analysis stage entails the determination of the issues that exacerbate the problem and the corrective measures that ought to be taken up to address the issue presented to the management. The incompetence of the customer care representatives to solve all the complaints to the customer is the superficial issue that is faced by the management of the company. Additionally, the inadequate link-up between the customer care staff and the technical staff of the company to address the critical concerns that the customers have further exacerbates the issue. Therefore, there is a need for the company to develop appropriate timelines through which an issue needs to be resolved to ensure that the customer is accordingly advised when he or she raises a complaint. Furthermore, the inability to track each claim that has been raised by the staff and offering of reference number to each complain that has been recorded leads to lack of accountability amongst the employees who have been assigned the issue to seek a solution to the complaint raised.

Improve

Based on the data that has been collected from the customer survey, there is need to categorize the issues that are faced by the customers and finding a lasting solution to the problem. Some of the crucial measures that ought to be undertaken including training of the customers on how they would solve the issues of the clients within a shorter time without compromising the quality standards are crucial to the process improvement. Therefore, there is need to rotate the staff from branch A and branch B and organize for a different forum where the employees can share their best work practices that could enhance workflow within the company. The improvement of the operations of the company can further be realized through the integration of customer service charter in the customer care software that is used in the call center to facilitate the accuracy of feedback that is granted to the clients with a clear indication of the time it will take to resolve the conflict. The hiring of the additional staff to ensure that the existent staff members are not fatigued while delivering on their mandate is also a crucial undertaking that could enhance the performance of the customer care representatives in delivering in their mandate.

Control

Maintaining the gains that have been realized with the newly introduced changes is critical in ensuring that the change proposed is permanent. Therefore, there is needing to quarterly evaluate the adequacy of the current staff to meet up the needs and demands that have been laid by the existent staff. Merging the software that is used by the customer care agents and the control and the technical employees is a permanent basis for ensuring that the demands of the customers are regularly met. Furthermore, there is need to use a tracking code that is sent to the client by text and email to facilitate the tracking of the clients. The tracking code for each complaint is to be added to the profile of each employee to determine the number of successful claims that have been handled by each staff. Such would motivate the customer care agents since the promotion is to be pegged on the number of successful complaints that has been handled by each employee. Finally, the establishment of a feedback system from the clients and the employees would further facilitate the determination of additional adjustments that are needed based on resources and capacity to enhance the process. Improvement of quality of work delivery can only be realized through regular monitoring of the performance of each staff and asking the staff to share their thought on the improvements that are needed (Prashar 105). Good faith from the senior management is crucial in ensuring that proposed changes are implemented.

Works Cited

Al-Aomar, Raid, Saeed Aljeneibi, and Shereen Almazroui. “Reducing Operational Downtime in Service Processes: A Six Sigma Case Study.” Industrial Engineering, Management Science and Application (ICIMSA), 2016 International Conference on. IEEE, 2016.

Dhamija, Amit, et al. “Sigma Level Improvements in MIG Welding using DMAIC Approach.” Sop Transactions on Statistics and Analysis 1.1 (2014).

Jirasukprasert, Ploytip, et al. “A Six Sigma and DMAIC application for the reduction of defects in a rubber gloves manufacturing process.” International Journal of Lean Six Sigma 5.1 (2014): 2-21.

Knight, Antrameka. “Lean Process Improvement: Creating the Business Case for Reorganization.” Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation 2015.4 (2015): 1-8.

Koski, Aapo, et al. “Implementing Continuous Customer Care: First-hand Experiences from an Industrial Setting.” Software Engineering and Advanced Applications (SEAA), 2016 42th Euromicro Conference on. IEEE, 2016.

Prashar, Anupama. “Adoption of Six Sigma DMAIC to reduce cost of poor quality.” International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 63.1 (2014): 103-126.