Six Sigma is slowly but surely touching not only manufacturing services and the hospitality industry but also the public service. Yes there is a Six Sigma City.
Fort Wayne City in Indiana may be the first city in the U.S. to implement Six Sigma. The city deployed Six Sigma to improve customer service and increase the effectiveness of city government. Mayor Graham Richard wanted to bring a high powered private sector program to government. It happened when he, together with his council, decided to implement Six Sigma. As a result, it has enhanced services for Fort Wayne citizens and inspired employees to do better in their respective jobs.
With Six Sigma, the city started a number of projects in the different departments, namely fire, community development, water pollution control, right of way, human resources, street, transportation engineering services, and solid waste among others.
Project summary reports show that the Six Sigma projects not only improved public service but it also put big savings in the city’s coffers.
Here are some of the project sumarries.
Water main replacement construction bid costs were reduced from an average of $61.00 per foot to $50.00 per foot ? saving over $315,000 in 2003.
The Water Plant now saves $78,000 a year by reducing the amount of sodium chlorite used in producing chlorine dioxide.
Fire code re-inspections were increased by 23% and the average number of days to a re-inspection was reduced from 51 to 34 days.
Missed trash pick-ups were reduced by 50%.
Responses to pothole complaints were reduced from an average of 21 hours to 3 hours.
The disposition rate of robbery cases in the Southeast Division was increased by 48%.
The Solid Waste Department was able to improve its communication strategy and increase public education.
A savings of $329 a week or $15,874 a year has occurred as a result of the 100% reduction in processing/logging contractor payroll information. Other benefits include improved organization and communication.
Read more City of Fort Wayne, Indiana
