Reference no: EM132598831
BSBMGT516 Facilitate Continuous Improvement - Gamma Education
Assessment Task 1:
1. Explain the importance of establishing a formal system and process to support continuous improvement
2. Explain at least two key elements of a formal continuous improvement system.
3. Explain how the Plan, Do, Check Act Cycle can be used to support effective continuous improvement. Explain each part of the cycle in your answer.
4. Explain how brainstorming with staff can be used for effective continuous improvement.
5. Explain the relationship between continuous improvement and knowledge management
6. Explain the importance of continuous improvement as part of a quality management system.
7. Discuss why the goals of lean manufacturing and sustainability are synonymous.
8. Discuss the relationship between performance management and continuous improvement within an organisation.
Assessment Task 2: Continuous improvement project
Task summary
This assessment task requires the student to conduct research to establish a continuous improvement system and processes for a case study organisation, E-OfficeWorx, including developing a continuous improvement policy and two continuous improvement tools.
They are also required to prepare and deliver a presentation to staff on the new continuous improvement system and processes and to incorporate suggestions for improvement based on staff feedback.
Instructions
Carefully read the following:
E-OfficeWorx is an independently owned and operated company based in Campbelltown, NSW. The company has been in operation for 2 years.
The company supplies a wide range of stationery, office supplies, furniture, business equipment and computer supplies for large and small office environments, including home offices. There are no retail
stores, and customers order online through the company's website or through a Customer Service Centre that operates 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm. Orders are distributed from a warehouse that is also located in Campbelltown.
The company has recently undertaken a strategic planning process with its vision identified to be the leading online supplier of office supplies.
The company employs a number of staff including the General Manager, Sales and Marketing Manager, Finance Manager and Human Resources Manager. There are 20 customer service staff in total, a Warehouse Manager and 10 warehousing staff. All of the Managers and Customer Service Staff operate out of the head office and all warehousing staff, including the Manager, are located at the Warehouse.
Turnover of Customer Service Staff is currently high at around 30% annually.
You have recently been appointed as the new Operations Manager. The General Manager has advised you that, although the company's key values include a strong commitment to quality, customer service, sustainability and a satisfied workforce, there are no formal systems or processes in place for continuous improvement to ensure that the company meets its overall vision and values.
The General Manager would like you to research and implement a new continuous system and processes to address all aspects of the company's operations, from staffing to customer service to health and safety, as well as embedding continuous improvement into the company's culture. He has also indicated that he would like you to consider how the company can introduce more sustainable practices both within the company and in relation to products and would like this integrated into the continuous improvement system.
The General Manager has indicated that he would like a formal continuous system and processes fully implemented within the next three months.
He also advises that there are some issues within the company that he is hoping that a continuous improvement system and process will help to solve. These are:
• An average of two customer complaints are received each month.
• Complaints generally relate to the following themes:
o Customer service staff are unable to provide adequate product advice.
o Customer service staff are not friendly at times.
o Lengthy wait times on the telephone to discuss products or chase up deliveries.
o Differences between delivery time stated and actual delivery time.
• There also appears to be some further issues relating to the time in responding to complaints and identifying and implementing procedures to address systemic issues identified through complaints.
• High staff turnover.
• Lack of supporting document to assist with overall quality such as staff training manuals.
• The company is just about to expand and introduce a new line of products being hospitality and restaurant supplies. This will mean the establishment of an additional department with more staff employed. Procedures need to be streamlined and consistent across the organisation.
Complete the following activities:
1. Conduct continuous improvement systems and processes research
The first part of this assessment task requires you to conduct research to Identify options for continuous improvement system and processes for E-OfficeWorx. Make notes on your research, which you will then use to develop a continuous improvement policy and two continuous improvement tools for E-OfficeWorx, as well as a presentation for staff about the benefits of continuous improvement and to provide training in the new continuous improvement processes and systems.
Your research should include identifying:
• The benefits of implementing continuous improvement systems and processes across the company.
• Continuous improvement models that may be suitable for the company, such as the Plan Do Check Act, Six Sigma or TQM approach to continuous improvement. You should research at least two models and identify the best one to use at E-OfficeWorx.
• Ways of building in continuous improvement into business systems and procedures including performance management, sustainability, health and safety and knowledge management and to address existing issues within the company.
• Continuous improvement tools (for example, continuous improvement register and forms, flow charts) that can be used as part of a continuous improvement system. Identify and describe at least four.
• Strategies for encouraging staff to participate in continuous improvement decision-making.
• Strategies for ensuring that staff are informed about continuous improvement processes, as well as the outcomes of continuous improvement processes.
• Mechanisms that can be used to obtain feedback from customers, suppliers and staff.
• Ongoing mentoring and coaching processes that can be used to ensure that staff are able to implement and support continuous improvement processes.
• Strategies for ensuring continuous improvement in sustainability.
• Knowledge management strategies to ensure that insights and experiences from the business's activities are captured and learnings are accessible to all staff. You should identify and describe at least two strategies that may be suitable for E-OfficeWorx and explain why.
E-OfficeWorx
Continuous Improvement Policy
3. Develop two continuous improvement tools.
You are also required to develop a minimum of two of the continuous improvement tools as identified through your research. These should be referred to in the continuous improvement policy and included as attachments.
SUBMIT THESE TOOLS WITH THIS ASSESSMENT
4. Develop continuous improvement presentation
Use the results of your research to develop an information and training session for the team about the new continuous improvement systems.
You are required to develop a PowerPoint presentation that includes graphics to support your explanations of the content. Plan your presentation to last for at least 15 minutes.
Your presentation should address:
• The benefits of implementing continuous improvement systems and processes across the company.
• The continuous improvement models that you have identified as most suitable for use in E- OfficeWorx, and that are the basis of the policy you have developed.
• An outline of your policy.
• Continuous improvement tools (for example, continuous improvement register and forms, flow charts)
• Strategies for encouraging staff to participate in continuous improvement decision-making.
• Strategies for ensuring that staff are informed about continuous improvement processes, as well as the outcomes of continuous improvement processes.
• Mechanisms that can be used to obtain feedback from customers, suppliers and staff.
• Ongoing mentoring and coaching processes that can be used to ensure that staff are able to implement and support continuous improvement processes.
• Strategies for ensuring continuous improvement in sustainability.
• Knowledge management strategies to ensure that insights and experiences from the business's activities are captured and learnings are accessible to all staff.
5. Send an email to the General Manager (your assessor)
The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.
It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachments, and seek their feedback and ask for the time, date and place of your presentation.
Attach the following to the email.
• Research notes.
• Continuous improvement policy
• Continuous improvement tools (x2)
• Continuous improvement PowerPoint presentation
Your assessor will also organise 2 other students to attend the presentation in the role of staff members. Your assessor and students roleplaying staff members will also ask questions, so be prepared to respond.
6. Conduct continuous improvement presentation
The final part of this assessment requires you to present your continuous improvement presentation.
Deliver your PowerPoint presentation to the team, addressing all the required content. Advise your team that they may ask questions at the end of the presentation.
During your presentation, you will need to demonstrate effective communication skills including:
• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding
• Asking questions to identify required information
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques to confirm understanding
7. Update the continuous improvement policy
Revise your continuous improvement policy so that incorporates the feedback that you received during your presentation.
Name this document Revised Continuous Improvement Policy.
8. Send an email to the General Manager (your assessor) .
The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.
It should summarise the feedback you received at the presentation and explain the revisions that you have made to your continuous improvement policy.
Assessment Task 3: Customer service improvement project
Carefully read the following:
Assume that, as part of the implementation of the continuous improvement system, that the company implemented a formal customer survey with the results shown below.
The survey was sent to a random sample of customers to be completed through survey monkey. The survey was sent to 75 customers and 49 were returned.
As this was the first customer survey, customers were asked to respond to 4 general questions only. Customer survey findings are as follows:
Overall satisfaction with E-OfficeWorx
• 26 totally satisfied
• 18 somewhat satisfied
• 4 dissatisfied
• 1 totally dissatisfied
Industry benchmarks show that the average number of customers who indicate that they are totally satisfied is 42%.
Ease of doing business with E E-OfficeWorx
• 20 totally satisfied
• 19 somewhat satisfied
• 8 dissatisfied
• 2 totally dissatisfied
Industry benchmarks show that the average number of customers who indicate that they are totally satisfied with ease of business is 47%.
Customers who said they would purchase products from E-OfficeWorx again are:
• 42 totally satisfied
• 6 somewhat satisfied
• 1 dissatisfied
• 0 totally dissatisfied
Industry benchmarks show that the average number of customers who indicate that would purchase products again is 72%.
Customers who said they would recommend E-OfficeWorx to others
• 38 totally satisfied
• 8 somewhat satisfied
• 3 dissatisfied
• 0 totally dissatisfied
Industry benchmarks show that the average number of customers who indicate that they would recommend the company to others is 63%.
Complete the following activities:
1. Write a continuous improvement report
Analyse and report on results provided in the case study information.
Review the survey data and provide a report to the General Manager (your assessor) on the results.
Also include your recommendations for actions based on your analysis. Your report should be between half a page and one page.
Your report must be written in clear and concise English and include:
• An analysis of the overall results against industry benchmarks for overall customer satisfaction, ease of doing business and customer loyalty. You should convert the findings into bar charts that clearly shows the results of the survey and in percentages. If you are not sure how to do this, use word help to find out how to create charts in word.
• Your overall analysis of how the company is performing in terms of customer service.
• Your recommendations for future customer surveys. Include at least two recommendations.
2. Send an email to the team (your assessor).
The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.