Lean concepts in customer care : adding value and reducing waste with proactive order status messaging

Abstract

Information technology (IT), operational efficiency, and a strong relationship with customers are three critical components to Dell's success over the last twenty four years. Information technology throughout Dell's history has enabled strategic advantages such as the direct sales model. Operationally, Dell has continuously striven to be best in breed in terms of having an efficient supply chain and manufacturing facilities. Dell's customers were delighted because Dell dealt directly with them without a middle man, quickly translating their needs into products and solutions. These three factors are interdependent and have driven Dell to a sixty billion dollar Fortune 50 company in less than a quarter century. Over the last few years Dell has begun to embrace a lean culture within its manufacturing and supply chain operations. These initiatives are above and beyond other continuous improvement initiatives such as Business Process Improvement (BPI) which traditionally has focused on cost avoidance. To date the lean concepts have not progressed far beyond traditional operational boundaries or the proverbial four walls of manufacturing. This thesis looks to apply lean philosophical concepts and tools in customer service and IT environments. The analysis included consumer call center call drivers identification and value stream mapping of online self help environments. The analysis pointed to the order management process and proactive order status messaging in particular as a thesis focus area. The author convinced high level leaders across Dell's support, IT, and logistics organizations to sponsor a kaizen event to bring all of the key stakeholders together to design an ideal state, end-to-end proactive order status messaging process.

(cont.) Stakeholders analyzed communication channels (phone, internet, email channels, etc.) and messages delivered (order processed, order confirmed, order shipped messages, etc.). The team developed a coherent ideal state vision of what the processes and data systems should look like. Some short and long term successes were realized by the time this thesis was published.