Report on Continuous Improvement Processes at Australian Hardware

Feedback from coaching participants of Continuous Improvement Processes at Australian Hardware

            It was observed that all batches were experiencing an increase in their percentage. So, this was a time for the marketing manager to act quickly, so he asked the coaching participants to stop using a packing with low grade, rather they should come up with premium packing. After making it a premium level product, the decision was made to re-launch the product in its niche market. But this time, the price of the product was increased. It was interesting more because the production cost had got lowered a bit when the process was made smooth after repairing the faulty product. So, the production process was more efficient in so many ways providing great efficiency and cost reduction which resulted in getting increased profits. It shows that when improvement is required then sometimes it can be assessed by getting a view from customers. When the company tried to trace the root cause of the actual problem keeping perspective of customers in view, it led to identifying issues in the manufacturing process. It means that problem was not originally identified in the process of production; rather a chance of improvement came from another source.

A list of typical areas of need for coaching and mentoring in continuous improvement

            It is important to understand that role of coaching and mentoring is critical when the process of continuous improvement is being handled. For any frontline manager or supervisor, it was important to find effective ways of coaching because they were working on one of the old technologies. The old product was no more relevant in the current era because its capacity to perform in high-temperature situations was well crossed by the new technology. So, when a new technology surpasses the old technology, things get difficult for them to move in a better direction. The growth and size of the production process were decreasing with the passage of time. The processes were getting inconsistent and difficult to follow, and not many employees have known the previous processes. The product has turned into a nuisance one, but there was no one to change the process. It is important to understand that when a product is coming with inconveniences in the production process, then the required changes should be made to come up with an improved process.

Recommendations for service and productivity improvements

            There are always a variety of options available when the situation is a bit tough and causing problems. This situation also provides various opportunities as well. So, an interesting choice was made by the marketing manager that he opted to make a substantial increase in the product’s price, rather removing it from the company’s portfolio. This decision was made on the basis of the rationale that if the customer would have liked any other product, then they would have switched to other products, leaving to use this product. Moreover, it also proved that the price was not a major thing in buying this product. However, when a product was sold at such high price, a complaint was made by the customers, but they were told about the reason to increase the price. It also shows that when the manufacturing process is costing too much, then it is recommended to increase the product price.

Reference to recordkeeping procedure

            It is vital to know what kind of recordkeeping procedures were followed in Australian Hardware to ensure that the record management system is working efficiently. The recordkeeping procedure is critical because it helps the organisation to fulfilling all of its operational needs. These recordkeeping practices are also vital to show compliance with the legislation so that no rules and regulations are violated. So, the company had a detailed policy in this regard. There were procedures to document all kinds of systems, and employees are also provided training so that they are able to store, create and retrieve records whenever needed. The recordkeeping standards were set to keep things in a systematic manner. The recordkeeping was also managed by keeping international standards in place. A variety of record was being maintained by the company and they were making sure that nothing is compromised in this regard.

Explanation of how change management techniques can support improvement and initiative

            It is vital to understand that space for improvement is always there for every business firm because there are processes, which can be made effective and faster by doing things in a different method. If things are not done properly, or when there are flaws in the processes, then a variety of change management techniques can prove a handful. Australian Hardware also used the essence of change management, when they made some changes in their manufacturing processes, and changes were also made in product design and prices. Suddenly, they were able to be more productive with fewer costs, and at the same time, they were also able to satisfy their customers. It clearly shows that change management techniques can support the process of continuous improvement and initiative.