When Toyota visited Ford for the first time, they witnessed defects in the manufacturing process. Ford’s solution was a rework area at the end of a production line. They employed a team of people to fix reoccurring faults.
Toyota’s solution was to make things correctly and eliminate the rework area. They called it ‘right first time’ philosophy. Toyota used root cause analysis to trace a problem to its origin. They fixed the root problem and reoccurring errors disappeared. This improved quality, required less labour and reduced costs.
Now take a taxi office copying a customer's fax in to a booking system. The fax often has information missing and the taxi office lifts the phone to request missing data - just like rework! Our solution was to replace faxes with online booking forms. These only submit if all essential data is present! Customers realised it saved them time and improved quality.
When customers also realised DrivenByQ delivered these benefits at no extra costs, what do you think happened to the volume of our work?
Monday, 3 January 2011
Monday, 20 December 2010
The Right Gap - 1985 Style
Successful businesses often find a niche in an over crowded market. They ask what the customer wants, develop the idea and then offer something better.
Years ago, I joined a network club but the referrals didn’t cover my membership fees. One day the Regional Director visited. He asked me what was the average value of the business I received? “£90” I replied. “Hmm, what if it was £10,000” he asked? “Much better” I said.
We conversed a little more and concluded that one corporate customer was better than a hundred holiday makers. I researched the local corporate chauffeur market and found most competitors were just taxi firms still using fax machines!
They had poor administration and virtually no understanding of quality systems - let alone lean principles! It opened my eyes. Why on earth would a customer pay a supplier to maintain inefficiency and operate as if it were still 1985?
The next time I attended the network club I totally altered my sixty second pitch. I now represented a modern chauffeur company offering a reliable, quality service to the corporate market. With competitors thirty years behind the times, what else could I say?
Years ago, I joined a network club but the referrals didn’t cover my membership fees. One day the Regional Director visited. He asked me what was the average value of the business I received? “£90” I replied. “Hmm, what if it was £10,000” he asked? “Much better” I said.
We conversed a little more and concluded that one corporate customer was better than a hundred holiday makers. I researched the local corporate chauffeur market and found most competitors were just taxi firms still using fax machines!
They had poor administration and virtually no understanding of quality systems - let alone lean principles! It opened my eyes. Why on earth would a customer pay a supplier to maintain inefficiency and operate as if it were still 1985?
The next time I attended the network club I totally altered my sixty second pitch. I now represented a modern chauffeur company offering a reliable, quality service to the corporate market. With competitors thirty years behind the times, what else could I say?
Friday, 3 December 2010
The Three Golden Rules
A couple sit together in the back of a chauffeur-driven car as the driver heads for their destination. For a while they don’t speak but then they become animated and continue an argument over the TV remote control. They start to accuse each other of being unfair before one turns to the driver and asks “What do you think?”
Years ago, when I first joined the private hire industry, I was lucky to have an experienced driver take me under his wing and pass on some wisdom. Little did I know about the three golden rules of conversation? He took me to one side and said “There are three things you never talk about! Stick to these and you’ll be alright: One, don’t discuss politics. Two, don’t talk about religion and three - you don’t do domestics!!”
I took on board his advice. It proved some of the best guidance I’ve ever had. Even though a lot of people who travel with me are very inquisitive about the UK economy or which political party is in power, I am always conscious never to express an opinion or be biased in any way.
When it comes to politics or religion it is pretty straight forward to be impartial. However, when it comes to who should have the TV remote control, maybe it is better to ask where we are going again?
Years ago, when I first joined the private hire industry, I was lucky to have an experienced driver take me under his wing and pass on some wisdom. Little did I know about the three golden rules of conversation? He took me to one side and said “There are three things you never talk about! Stick to these and you’ll be alright: One, don’t discuss politics. Two, don’t talk about religion and three - you don’t do domestics!!”
I took on board his advice. It proved some of the best guidance I’ve ever had. Even though a lot of people who travel with me are very inquisitive about the UK economy or which political party is in power, I am always conscious never to express an opinion or be biased in any way.
When it comes to politics or religion it is pretty straight forward to be impartial. However, when it comes to who should have the TV remote control, maybe it is better to ask where we are going again?
Friday, 12 November 2010
Is A Driver, Just A Driver?
Imagine your chauffeur arrives - they are polite, they are considerate, they open your door correctly and their car is luxurious. You set off and then the driver gladly demonstrates they have little control, refinement or competency in their driving ability! To know this, all you have to do is watch the way they steer.
It never ceases to amaze me how some experienced drivers who transport passengers still don’t know the basics of car control. One of the first things they should master is ‘steering’ and delivering a silky smooth ride for the passenger.
In normal conditions, a driver should hold the wheel lightly with both hands so they can react quickly in an emergency. The hands should be placed between ‘ten-to-two’ and ‘quarter-to-three’ (with a slight bend in the elbow). The hands should never leave the wheel unless required and the grip should only ever tighten when conditions demand. Additionally, the driver’s elbows should never be placed on an arm rest or window frame because it reduces control.
Furthermore in normal driving, a turn should always start with a pull on the wheel rather than a push and the hands should not cross twelve o’ clock. As the wheel is turned the driver’s body weight should be counterbalanced by their free hand as it mirrors the hand holding the wheel. This again will help deliver smoothness and greater control of the vehicle.
A conscientious driver will know the basics. They will have also learnt to feel the car, the road, the environment, everything - so they have better control! So, if you want to know how good your chauffeur is, just watch the way they steer.
It never ceases to amaze me how some experienced drivers who transport passengers still don’t know the basics of car control. One of the first things they should master is ‘steering’ and delivering a silky smooth ride for the passenger.
In normal conditions, a driver should hold the wheel lightly with both hands so they can react quickly in an emergency. The hands should be placed between ‘ten-to-two’ and ‘quarter-to-three’ (with a slight bend in the elbow). The hands should never leave the wheel unless required and the grip should only ever tighten when conditions demand. Additionally, the driver’s elbows should never be placed on an arm rest or window frame because it reduces control.
Furthermore in normal driving, a turn should always start with a pull on the wheel rather than a push and the hands should not cross twelve o’ clock. As the wheel is turned the driver’s body weight should be counterbalanced by their free hand as it mirrors the hand holding the wheel. This again will help deliver smoothness and greater control of the vehicle.
A conscientious driver will know the basics. They will have also learnt to feel the car, the road, the environment, everything - so they have better control! So, if you want to know how good your chauffeur is, just watch the way they steer.
Monday, 8 November 2010
Is A Car Just A Car?
Suppose you travel for three-hours in a chauffeur-driven car to an important meeting. That meeting is with a valuable customer and needs your full attention. What difference could your vehicle possibly make?
In the book ‘Roadcraft, The Essential Police Driver’s Handbook’ there are two paragraphs titled, ‘Fatigue’ and ‘How to combat fatigue’. Fatigue is often known as tiredness, weakness or the inability to function at one’s normal level – something critical if your meeting is important!
In the book, two issues are considered when discussing fatigue: a comfortable posture and noting how noise and vibration cause fatigue. These issues are directly related to a car’s design, seats, noise levels and build quality. These issues are precisely why a chauffeur car should be at least executive class (a size larger than family saloon models).
Any one who has travelled in a high quality executive saloon will tell you it can make a world of difference. The effect it has on your physical and mental state at the end of a journey is considerable! Quite simply, if the meeting is important then so too is your car.
In the book ‘Roadcraft, The Essential Police Driver’s Handbook’ there are two paragraphs titled, ‘Fatigue’ and ‘How to combat fatigue’. Fatigue is often known as tiredness, weakness or the inability to function at one’s normal level – something critical if your meeting is important!
In the book, two issues are considered when discussing fatigue: a comfortable posture and noting how noise and vibration cause fatigue. These issues are directly related to a car’s design, seats, noise levels and build quality. These issues are precisely why a chauffeur car should be at least executive class (a size larger than family saloon models).
Any one who has travelled in a high quality executive saloon will tell you it can make a world of difference. The effect it has on your physical and mental state at the end of a journey is considerable! Quite simply, if the meeting is important then so too is your car.
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