Book Review: What to Say to a Porcupine: 20 Humorous Tales that Get to the Heart of Great Customer Service
Posted by: meikah | 16 July 2008 | 12:42 am
From the title alone, you’d already get the idea how the book will be presented. Yes, customer service concepts and principles, most of which we already know, are presented in anecdotes—much like Aesop’s fables.
The book is effective because customer service principles, which would otherwise sound serious and sanctimonious, are derived from real-life situations, and lessons are gleaned by processing each featured experience.
From the experiences and behaviors of clowns, hyenas, a greek chorus, parrots, snipes, porcupines, (grizzly) bear, Murphy’s law, to penguins, self-absorbed bride, a knight (Sir Gawain and King Arthur), piggies, bees, dogs, laid-off psychologists, sloths, mopes, hare (or rabbits), ruler and not necessarily a leader, a coach, there is a mountain of lessons to be learned.
- Make a good first impression.
- Listen to your customers.
- Don’t hassle your customers.
- Avoid negative expectation.
- Don’t be a snipe (meaning, mean-spirited).
- Never confront someone who is prickly.
- Good service is all in the mechanics.
- Shine when things go wrong.
- Silence is golden.
- Focus on your customer.
There are 10 more lessons, so get your copy of What to Say to a Porcupine?
EPILOGUE: Good service is more than a fable. Yes, it’s definitely more than fantasy, more than concepts and ideas. It’s all about action and engagement.
Overall, what I learned from the book is that great customer service springs from a genuine understanding of the human psyche. That psyche is not that of other people, but our own. How we want to be treated, is much the same way that other people would want to be treated as well. In other words, “do not do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you.”
Filed under: Six Sigma References, Customer Service, Book Review
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Visual Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 2 July 2008 | 9:58 pm
The name itself intrigues me. Here’s what it is:
Using JMP for Visual Six Sigma, you can literally “see” the important patterns of variation that have occurred, no matter how many Xs and Ys you have. You can then use interactive, exploratory data mining and other techniques to suggest the “hot” Xs that are really driving your Ys, perhaps identifying better operating conditions for your process from the data you already have.
JMP’s comprehensive statistics and interactivity make it the statistical software of choice for consultants and companies using Six Sigma. JMP supports the DMAIC process with software usable for Green Belts through Master Black Belts. Coupled with other SAS solutions for Business Intelligence and Performance Management, JMP gives C-level executives and Six Sigma Champions a total environment for identifying, implementing and sustaining quality improvements.
Have you heard of the visual Six Sigma? Or Have you tried this one out? Do share your experience here.
Filed under: Software/Technology, Six Sigma References, Six Sigma
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Six Sigma Training Tips from LearnSigma.com
Posted by: meikah | 24 June 2008 | 9:52 pm
Rob Thomson of LearnSigma shares these interesting Six Sigma training tips. I’ve shared my thoughts about it too earlier.
Anyway, here are Rob’s top tips:
- Always emphasise the graphical tools over formal statistical analyses
- Teach the tools and their applications, and omit the underlying theory but not the key assumptions which make the tool applicable or not
- Use real life examples and case-studies
- Use software, e.g. Minitab to demonstrate hands-on implementation
- Tie the training into a project, with the emphasis on using tools which are appropriate to solve the problem, in other words, don’t be overly prescriptive with what tools are required
Very useful tips, Rob, and I like the look of your new site!
You may also want to check out my interview with Rob.
Filed under: Six Sigma References, Tips, Robert Thompson, Six Sigma
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SixSig Reference Feature: World Class Applications of Six Sigma - Real World Examples of Success
Posted by: meikah | 4 June 2008 | 11:07 pm
I always believe that theory and practice should go together. Several times theories sound so good that they give you a glimpse of heaven. But in practice, they don’t work at all.
That was the reason why I grabbed the chance to attend the forum on Six Sigma Practices in the Philippines last year. True enough, I learned that real is far better than reel.
So, you may want to check this book out: World Class Applications of Six Sigma: Real World Examples of Success by Antony, Jiju; Kumar, Ashok; Banuelas, Ricardo
World Class Applications shows what real organisations have done to implement Six Sigma, the methodology used, and the results delivered. The book provides details of how these organisations overcame issues with the statistical tools of Six Sigma and provides valuable lessons by explaining what went wrong when implementation failed. Cases cover topics including: Six Sigma in HR; Implementing Six Sigma in the Dow Chemical company; Six Sigma in IT; and Six Sigma to improve reporting quality.
- Demonstrates how Six Sigma has been applied through real-life case studies
- Examples from well-known manufacturing and service companies around the world, including Motorola and Dow Chemical
- Estimates the financial savings made from implementing Six Sigma in each case study
Filed under: Six Sigma References, Tips, Six Sigma
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Upcoming Lean, Six Sigma Conferences
Posted by: meikah | 18 May 2008 | 8:06 pm
GoingToMeet.com has lined up upcoming Lean, Six Sigma conferences that you shouldn’t miss:
11th Annual Lean & Six Sigma Summit 2008
Jun 02, 2008 -Jun 05, 2008
Sydney, New South Wales Australia2nd Annual Lean Six Sigma for Electronics
Jun 05, 2008 - Jun 06, 2008
San Jose, California United States3nd Annual Middle East Six Sigma Summit
Jun 22, 2008 - Jun 25, 2008
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Lean Six Sigma for Defense-San Diego
Jun 23, 2008 - Jun 25, 2008
The Estin Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, California United States9th Annual Asian Six Sigma Summit 2008
Jun 24, 2008 - Jun 25, 2008
Singapore4th Annual Lean Six Sigma Improvement Week 2008
Sep 15, 2008 - Sep 18, 2008
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois United StatesWCBF’s Global Six Sigma Summit
Oct 07, 2008 - Oct 10, 2008
Las Vegas, Nevada United StatesASQ Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Oct 12, 2008 - Oct 16, 2008
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Check out the conferences and Register now!
