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Subject: I disagree with a universal concept of processes

Author:
Doubter
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Date Posted: 18:57:44 04/22/09 Wed
In reply to: Hillary 's message, "I'm confused about Nascent Processes" on 15:30:15 03/12/09 Thu

I can understand how processes are important for manufacturers to produce consistent products & for big retailers that depend on logistics. But small retailers get preproduced inventory that’s shipped to us by logistics companies. We get small amounts of various products, we open boxes & put products on shelves & racks—end of “process“.
When I try to get productive conversations going about how we can effectively compete with big retailers, some members want to talk about processes.
When I asked how they came up with their ideas, guess who’s name came up!
I read some of your stuff & it applies, but now you’ve gone off in another direction—maybe right maybe wrong depends on the stores & circumstances.
I’d like to open-minded about this, but it seems creating & practicing processes requires more time than it’s worth.
Processes, as you & Clayton Christensen have written, are set to create the same results over & over. This produces a one-size-fits-all or one-size-fits-none result. For those who serve homogenous groups, it may be good, but few small retailers can afford to do it. We need to serve whomever comes in & serve as they want to be served. Since we have to charge higher prices because of our lower volume, we have tailor-fit every service to everybody who comes in.
We don’t sell enough of the same products to the same kind of people to warrant using the same processes over & over.
Using a common or standardized process to serve individuals violates what Stephen Covey wrote about being efficient with things & effective with people. Processes are formed for efficiency. Success with people depends on effectiveness.
Based on other things you wrote, you respect Covey.
Some customers ask me questions they coldn’t get answered in discount or big high-end stores.
I can’t always produced premanufactured—via processes—answers; unless I call a psychic hotline to predict who will come in with what questions. But I doubt their abilities too.
I thought for a while I misundetstood what you claim about processes, but members of our group understand it the same way. It’d seem we’re not all misunderstanding—bit it’s possible. We don’t all agree.
Maybe we could/would agree if we had some universal examples.
I know there are apt to be individual cases of useful processes, but it seems you’re claiming the concept is universal.

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Increase Customers' Confidence With Processes Dennis S. Vogel 02:24:19 04/23/09 Thu

More Clarification Is In Order GRand Master (To Be Announced) 16:50:12 04/23/09 Thu

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>I can understand how processes are important for >manufacturers to produce consistent products & for big >retailers that depend on logistics. But small >retailers get preproduced inventory that’s shipped to >us by logistics companies. We get small amounts of >various products, we open boxes & put products on >shelves & racks—end of “process“. >When I try to get productive conversations going about >how we can effectively compete with big retailers, >some members want to talk about processes. >When I asked how they came up with their ideas, guess >who’s name came up! >I read some of your stuff & it applies, but now you’ve >gone off in another direction—maybe right maybe wrong >depends on the stores & circumstances. >I’d like to open-minded about this, but it seems >creating & practicing processes requires more time >than it’s worth. >Processes, as you & Clayton Christensen have written, >are set to create the same results over & over. This >produces a one-size-fits-all or one-size-fits-none >result. For those who serve homogenous groups, it may >be good, but few small retailers can afford to do it. >We need to serve whomever comes in & serve as they >want to be served. Since we have to charge higher >prices because of our lower volume, we have tailor-fit >every service to everybody who comes in. >We don’t sell enough of the same products to the same >kind of people to warrant using the same processes >over & over. >Using a common or standardized process to serve >individuals violates what Stephen Covey wrote about >being efficient with things & effective with people. >Processes are formed for efficiency. Success with >people depends on effectiveness. >Based on other things you wrote, you respect Covey. >Some customers ask me questions they coldn’t get >answered in discount or big high-end stores. >I can’t always produced premanufactured—via >processes—answers; unless I call a psychic hotline to >predict who will come in with what questions. But I >doubt their abilities too. >I thought for a while I misundetstood what you claim >about processes, but members of our group understand >it the same way. It’d seem we’re not all >misunderstanding—bit it’s possible. We don’t all >agree. >Maybe we could/would agree if we had some universal >examples. >I know there are apt to be individual cases of useful >processes, but it seems you’re claiming the concept is >universal.

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Subject	Author	Date
Increase Customers' Confidence With Processes	Dennis S. Vogel	02:24:19 04/23/09 Thu

More Clarification Is In Order	GRand Master (To Be Announced)	16:50:12 04/23/09 Thu