Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel Goes Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 5 May 2008 | 7:31 pm
Arabian Business Online reports:
Two of Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel executives attended the recently concluded Six Sigma Green Belt (Six Sigma GB) Workshop at the Sheraton Amman Al Nabil Hotel & Towers.
Starwood Hotels started with its Six Sigma initiatives in 2006, and have been training its people since. The pilot project was with the Westin Chicago River North’s Unwind project, which came up with a set of nightly activities that would draw guests out of their rooms and into the lobby where they could meet, mingle, and develop a greater loyalty to the hotel group.
The newly trained Green Belts at Sheraton Doha wil now be responsible for transfering projects tested and proven to be effective in the realization of Starwood Hotels’ philosophy — that is to bring warm, comforting connections to all valued guests and associates.
It’s good to know that Starwood Hotels is really serious about going Six Sigma and is committed to giving only the best to its clientele.
Kudos Starwood Hotels!
Source:
iSixSigma News
Filed under: Six Sigma Organizations, Training, iSixSigma, Hotels, Starwood Hotels, Six Sigma, Green Belts
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The Industries Implementing Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 11 February 2008 | 7:49 pm
In the latest sBWire release, it talks about Six Sigma and the industries that are implementing the methodology. Here’s the list:
Manufacturing - All type of manufacturing companies have benefited be it process manufacturing or discrete manufacturing. Examples include TISCO, Samsung, LG, Motorola, GE Plastics.
Banking - All leading banks including BoA, American Express, , HDFC, HSBC are utilizing Six Sigma.
Financial Services - Insurance, Stock Broking, transaction processing of various kinds.
Call Centers, BPO - Voice (In-bound as well as out bound) and Non Voice outsourced processing industry has benefited immensely. ICICI OneSource, Accenture, Satyam BPO, IBM Daksh, HSBC BPO are Six Sigma implementers.
KPO - Knowledge Process outsourcing industry is using Six Sigma tools to design and improve processes regularly.
Hospitality sector - Hotels along with Airlines and Hospitals are implementing Six Sigma. ITC Hotel, GRT Hotels, Apollo Hospitals have generated benefits.
Retail Sector - Retail has huge opportunity of benefiting from Six Sigma. The Shoppers Stop group has taken an initiative towards implementation. We have had participants from Reliance Retail.
Telecom - Bharti Cellular, France Telecom, Vodafone, Siemens have been doing wonderful Six Sigma projects.
EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) and Logistics - Global leaders like Bechtel have benefited a lot by Six Sigma implementation.
Software Development - IT Industry leaders like Wipro, Satyam and Accenture and Infosys have been implementing Six Sigma.
According to the press release, Six Sigma is able to penetrate these varied industries because it can be integrated well with accepted management approaches, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, TS 16949, HACCP, OHSAS, SEI – CMM level 5, TL 9000, AS 9000, or any other standard. Before, I had also written about interweaving Six Sigma with complementary technologies.
Have you implemented Six Sigma with other management approaches as well? Do share your experience here.
Also check out Six Sigma Links Library for more companies implementing Six Sigma.
*Photo from Punchstock
Filed under: Manufacturing, Finance, Software/Technology, Telecommunications, Retail, Call Center/BPO, Hotels, Six Sigma, ISO, Airlines
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Six Sigma Improves Processes at Hotels
Posted by: meikah | 2 October 2007 | 8:32 pm
Saurabh Jaggi, Senior Manager Quality and leads the six sigma initiative at Prudential Process Management Services, shares some interesting insights on how to use Six Sigma in the hospitality industry.
I agree with him when he says that the hospitality industry can benefit a lot from Six Sigma, especially that in every operating hour, hotel personnel are in touch with the customers and building meaningful relationships with them.
Saurabh shares the following:
Some of the areas/ processes where this approach may add value.
Hotel-wide
- Enhance Customer Loyalty
- Reduce Employee attrition
- Productivity/Efficiency Improvement
- Improve Work-life balance
- Reduce Billing errors/losses
- Developing better performance measures/ metrics
- Increase Revenue
- Reduce Cost
- Capture ‘Voice of Customer’ data
Front Office Operations/ Sales & Marketing
- Reduce wait time during peak check-in time
- Reduce wait time during peak check-out time
- Eliminate billing errors and improve accuracy
- Reduce No shows
- Increase Occupancy
- Optimal utilisation of the current product mix (rooms) to increase revenue
- Increase customer delight at the Executive Club
- Reduce/eliminate loss calls (Operators area)
- Accuracy of information
Food and Beverage Service / Production
- To maintain optimal inventory
- Minimise wastage/pilferage
- Standardised output of Food and Beverage
- Reduce the time from order to service
- Optimal utilisation of current product mix (F&B/Outlets) to increase revenue
Accommodation Operation (Housekeeping)
- Reduce the turnaround time of making/turning down a room
- Standardisation of cleanliness across areas
Purchase/Stores
- Reduce Inventory surplus
- Cost Benefit Analysis between cost of inventory and cost of storage of products where prices vary seasonally
- Standardise the operating procedure of issuance to various departments
- Reduce the turnaround time of issuance to various departments
Human Resources/ Personnel
- Accuracy of payroll
- Documentation management
- Reduce the turnaround time of recruitment
- Reduce the turnaround time of relieving
- Increase the employee satisfaction rate
Source:
Express Hospitality
*Photo from CottonBay of Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Filed under: Deployment, DMAIC, Hotels
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Six Sigma Inspires Creativity at Starwood Hotels
Posted by: meikah | 2 September 2007 | 8:34 pm
There have been varying reactions to the claim that Six Sigma stifles creativity and therefore hinders innovation. My stand remains that Six Sigma can actually propel innovation but only when the the company and its Six Sigma team know how to leverage Six Sigma to their advantage.
The latest organization that attests to the successful combination of Six Sigma and innovation is the Starwood Hotels. An article over at BusinessWeek Online, Starwood group claims that Six Sigma doesn’t have to stifle creativity, instead it helps them develop profitable new programs for guests.
The Starwood group started adopting Six Sigma in 2006 with the Westin Chicago River North hotel’s Unwind project for the upscale hotel chain. In a survey, Westin found out that 34% of frequent travelers feel lonely away from home. To address this finding, the hotel launched a program that would come up with a set of nightly activities that would draw guests out of their rooms and into the lobby where they could meet, mingle, and develop a greater loyalty to the hotel group.
The results were amazing. Six Sigma inspires more creativity to the famous hotel chain as concepts are quickly carried out. Now, if Starwood can do it, why can’t the others?
Source:
BusinessWeek Online, an iSixSigma featured link
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, iSixSigma, Innovation, Hotels, Starwood Hotels
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Six Sigma Movements
Posted by: meikah | 12 July 2007 | 7:39 pm
Early this month till mid month, we see Six Sigma practitioners assume important positions in big companies. Their doing so is hoped to make a difference–the Six Sigma advantage, that is–in their respective companies.
Last July 3, HTNG announced the appointment of Thomas Peck and Todd Thompson to Board of Directors. Hotel Technology Next Generation is a self-funded NGO that facilitates the development of next-generation, customer-centric technologies to better meet the needs of the global hotel community. Peck is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and has graduated from several of GE’s executive training programs, and is a published author. Thompson has years in experience in business process engineering among others.
In July 9, Blue Square Energy (BSE), a developer and manufacturer of high-performance silicon solar cells, announced that Alan Swanson is the new VP of Manufacturing Operations. Swanson has more than 25 years experience as a global manufacturing operations executive. As an expert in the Six Sigma methodology, he helped create Tyco Electronics’ Operational Excellence Organization.
In July 11, Newtek Business Services, Inc., a provider of business services and financial products to the small business market under the Newtek(TM) brand, announced that Gordon L. Schroeder is the 6th independent director to join the Newtek Board of Directors. Schroeder has taken extensive Six Sigma training from the GE Center for Learning and Organization Excellence.
Source:
iSixSigma News
