It's not a surprise that most call centers are very cost focused and not completely customer focused. There's an upside and a downside to this approach: on the one hand, call centers are traditionally … [More]
shmula
Customer Experience, Improvement, Stuff in Between
Customer Experience
How to Game the Net Promoter Score
Among other philosophical questions you've pondered, I'm sure you've also asked yourself "How to Game the Net Promoter Score?". Well, I'm here to answer that question for you. How to apply an … [More]
Where’s My Pizza? Behind The Scenes at Domino’s Pizza Tracker
Domino's Pizza Tracker Process - A Behind the Scenes Look at what actually happens in the Domino's Pizza Kitchen and how the steps in the kitchen connects to the steps in the Pizza Tracker - the tool … [More]
Customer Service Awkward Moments: Live Human is Busy
Have you ever experienced an odd customer service moment? That was a trick question - of course you have. We all have. And, I just experience one yesterday. So, I'm naming this article "Customer … [More]
Developing Customer Personas To Create Customer Journey Maps
Developing Customer Personas are a critical step in building Customer Journey Maps. Keeping in mind the purpose of the exercise is key: We develop customer journey maps in order to gain empathy for … [More]
Applying Continuous Improvement to Service Delivery with Adam Ramshaw
We're please to host Adam Ramshaw today, a Customer Experience consultant with more than 20 years of experience in helping organizations improve their service delivery. In this article, he shares with … [More]
The Rackspace Customer Experience Secret Sauce: An Interview with Rackspace COO Mark Roenigk
I am very excited to present this interview with Mark Roenigk, the Chief Operating Officer of Rackspace. For those who may not know, Rackspace is a hosting and cloud computing company, that has grown … [More]
Ignore the “Net” in NPS: Manage Promoters and Detractors Independently
Mobilizing an entire organization to a single number, such is the benefit of the Net Promoter Score. But, doing so can be misleading and can lead to behaviors overly-focused on the score and, moreover … [More]
Shep Hyken on Customer Service, Customer Experience, and Leadership
I am very excited to present to you an interview that I conducted with Shep Hyken. He is a recognized thought leader and expert on customer service, known worldwide for his insights on customer … [More]
Lean Manufacturing
Standard Pig Game
Standard Work is a foundation of Lean. Yet, it's a concept that's not understood well and, even worse, is often ignored by … [More]
High Value Low Cost Lean and Six Sigma Training
I usually post a few articles per week on a topic related to Lean or Six Sigma. But, for the last several months, I've been … [More]
Lean and Six Sigma in eCommerce – A Presentation and Case Study
In looking at my old files, I found this old presentation of the time I was at eBay. There, I was responsible for … [More]
The One Skill You Need to Solve Any Problem But Probably Aren’t Using
Yes, the title is a bit dramatic. But, I'm trying to make a point as well as liberally applying some creativity to my … [More]
Troubleshooting a Troubled Process Map
When the problem itself is the tool we use to describe the problem, then you really have a problem. This is the case with the … [More]
Deconstructing Noah Kagan’s Email and Principles for Leading Lean Enterprise Transformation or Change Initiatives
Or Any Change Management Program [Click to Tweet This Article] Noah is the founder of a company called AppSumo, which is … [More]
If Six Sigma Drains Employees’ Creativity, This Business Practice Has it Beat
Recently, Andrew Smart, a Human Factors Scientist, makes an entertaining case against Six Sigma [1. … [More]
Standard Work Improves Customer Experience and Helps Decision Making
Standard Work Leadership is often based on the concept that when there is no standard, there is no Kaizen. But, the benefits … [More]
Customer Service Andon Cord: Jeff Bezos and Customer Experience
Jeff Bezos demonstrates - yet again - what it means to be customer centric and demonstrates Customer Service Lean … [More]
Standardized Work: How My White Board Keeps me On Track
A simple Standard Work Board that follows the tried and true principle of Standard Work help me a lot. Let me share with you … [More]
Measurement System Analysis
In this Shmula.com Premium HD Video, we discuss Measurement System Analysis, or MSA. Measurement System Analysis is a critical step in the Measure Phase of the DMAIC Framework in Six Sigma. … [More]
Descriptive Statistics in Six Sigma
Descriptive Statistics in Six Sigma plays an important role. But, if we do not display that data in a way that can be easily understood, then it becomes useless to us or, worst yet, we might draw the … [More]
The MEASURE Phase
The Measure Phase is the second phase in the Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology. In a previous post, we discussed the Define Phase in the Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology … [More]
Purpose of CTQ Metric and How to Create a Critical to Quality Tree
The purpose of Critical To Quality trees is to convert customer needs or wants to measurable requirements for the business to implement. This approach assumes that the customer can articulate what … [More]
Lean History and Timeline
This article shows a timeline and video of the History of Lean Six Sigma Toyota. As with most things, The Toyota Production System (later to be called Lean in America) has been influenced by … [More]
Stakeholder Analysis
In this short 2:47 minute HD Premium Video, you will learn why Stakeholder Analysis is important, how to conduct a stakeholder analysis, and develop an effective communication plan that you can use in … [More]
How to Write an Effective Problem Statement in Six Sigma
The Problem Statement in Six Sigma is deceptively simple. Yet, we know it is so difficult to write. Why? And how can we effectively write one that is convincing, rallies people around the cause, … [More]
Voice of the Customer Example and Explanation
The “Voice of the Customer” is a process used to capture the requirements or feedback from the customer (internal or external) to provide them with a service or product that meets their articulated … [More]
Business Needs Assessment
In this 6:46 minute Premium HD Video entitle "Business Needs Assessment", we introduce several ways to identify the needs of a business and demonstrate how to create a business case from that … [More]
Toyota Floor Management System
Want Lean Training like the one Taught at Toyota? [1. Disclaimer: This course material is not endorsed by Toyota. This material is inspired by my time at Toyota.] Learn the Toyota Floor Management Development System Learn and Implement Real Lean For only $299 $199.99 You Get Lean is Simple, but many overcomplicate it. Lean is a Management System that is … Learn Today
Management Consulting Templates
PowerPoint Presentation Business Templates Downloads Save HUNDREDS of hours and Deliver Professional PowerPoint Presentations You and I are a lot alike. You are likely a professional or an MBA student that wants to deliver amazing, professional presentations. But, you have a few obstacles: You don't have the time and your PowerPoint skills may not be up to snuff. That's okay. I'm here … Pricing Details
Queueing Theory
DMV Queueing Properties: Waiting in Line at the Local Department of Motor Vehicles
No matter who you are - rich, old, poor, young, famous, infamous, or not known to anybody - there are a few things that unite … [More]
Poka Yoke
How Not to Get Fat: Facebook Cafeteria Prevents Overeating Through Poka Yoke
Few of us think of eating as a process, but it is. And, just like any process, there are wastes that can be categorized into the 7 Wastes. For example, one could even commit Overproduction – in other words, eat more than is needed. The customer in this case is your stomach. Religious folks call […]
Leadership Interviews
Leadership Interviews | Innovation and Thought Leaders
This page contains a comprehensive list of interviews Shmula.com has held with business leaders, innovation thought leaders, and customer experience practitioners. It's my hope that the words found in these interviews may be helpful to you in some … More
About Shmula
My name is Pete Abilla. This website is my take on the Customer Experience, eCommerce Operations, The Toyota Production System / Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Queueing Theory, Operations Management, building software, Customer Service, and you'll