Voice of the Customer (Part of the Project Preparation Phase)

Voice of the Customer (Part of the Project Preparation Phase)

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What has Lead up to this Point

1. Select a Process and define Project Charter2. Conduct Sponsor and Owner meeting

3. Select team members

Now we need to:

1. Develop SIPOC

2. Identify customers of the process and their needs

3. Create CT Tree

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What is a SIPOC?

SIPOC is a high level process map that includes:

- Suppliers

- Inputs

- Process

- Outputs

- Customers Provides a clear, simplistic illustration of the process

to determine scope

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Why use a SIPOC?

A SIPOC helps you get your arms around a process by summarizing:

- Inputs and outputs of the process

- Process boundaries or scope

- Who the stakeholders (customers and suppliers) of the process are, as well as their requirements

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SIPOC Form Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers Requirements

Template Revision Date: 06/09/11

Insert Process Step 4




Insert ProcessStep 5

Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers Requirements







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1What is the process?

2When does theProcess start?

2When does the process end?

BoundaryBoundary

SIPOC – The Process

1) Describe the process that provides outputs to meet customer needs

2) Define the start and stop boundaries of the process








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3What are the

outputs from the process?

5What does

each customer

expect from each output?

4Who is the customer of

each output?

SIPOC - Outputs

3) The deliverables of the process4) People who receive the outputs/deliverables5) Quantifiable expectations of the process outputs

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Identifying Customers

When focusing on a process, the customers are the users of the process output

For some processes, the customers are internal

If the process touches external customers, their needs must also be identified

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Customer Types

External customers

– Outside the company

– Those that pay for the goods & services provided

Internal customers

Employees, work groups or departments that receive the output of a process or process step

Depending on our business process, all of these could be your customers.

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Primary and Secondary Customers

Primary customers: the outputs of the processes are ultimately designed, developed and supplied for them.

Secondary customers: receive process outputs or are impacted by the process, but are not the reason that the process exists.

Example:

Process – Buying a new car

Primary Customer – Buyer

Secondary Customer – Salesperson, Service Dept. Dealership

Focus on the needs of your Primary Customers








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7Who is the

supplier of each input?

6What Inputs are

required to enable this process to

occur?

SIPOC - Inputs

6) What the process needs in order to function - What triggers the process - What gets worked on by the process

7) Who provides the inputs to the process

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A SIPOC: Is the first view of a process at a high level Provides a common understanding of the process

scope for the project team Identifies customers and suppliers

SIPOC Summary

SIPOC is a simple tool that begins to focus your project team on the current-state process.

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Voice of the Customer

The SIPOC helps the team identify the customers of the process and their basic requirements.

Once the customer is identified we can capture the specific requirements important to our customer.

These requirements are called the “Voice of the Customer”.

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Why do we need the Voice of the Customer (VOC)?

A lean culture focuses on value as defined by the customer

The Voice of the Customer specifies value in specific terms (meaningful, measurable)

The Voice of the Customer guides us as we improve the process

Customer requirements provide information for other LSS tools

The Voice of the Customer is not just a project tool. We should understand the customer’s requirements for all processes.

Exercise

Lets pick a process that we all have done in the past.

Building a house Planning a trip Baking a cake Buying furniture Car maintenance

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How Do I Capture the VOC?

Ask the customer directly!

Consider focus groups or surveys when multiple customers exist

Thoroughly understand and document their needs

Ask probing questions to establish meaningful and measurable requirements

Example: The customer wants output delivered in a timely manner

Probe to determine what “timely” means in specific terms

A critical mistake in any business situation is “assuming” we know what the customer wants.

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Critical to Satisfaction Categories

Customer requirements can be characterized using the following categories:

1. Critical to Quality

It must be done right the first time

2. Critical to Delivery

It must be delivered when the customer needs it

3. Critical to Cost

It must be something the customer will pay for

4. Critical to Safety

It must not cause injury or unsafe condition

Customer requirements = Critical To’s (CTs)

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The CT Tree

Provides a visual tool to capture the Voice of Customer (VOC)

Useful tool for project teams

Cost Safety Delivery

Quality

Critical To Satisfaction

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Example: Building a House

Franchise Owner

Critical to Quality

Critical to Delivery

Critical to Safety

Critical to Cost

References for Subcontractor

Cable / Internet Availability

Hard surfaced Roads

Convenient Location

Low cost utilities

Taxes

Emergency Response

Availability of materials

Nearest Fire Hydrant

Key CTs – Completion date, quality of work, and cost

General contractor fees

Can be completed by _/_/_

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VOC Summary

Understanding customer requirements is critical to running your business, measuring results and improving processes

Identify all of your customers - internal and external

Get the VOC directly from the customer

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Voice of the Customer

Documents

Voice of the Customer (Part of the Project Preparation Phase)