Walking the walk on improvement

It has always amazed me how many firms (even some really successful ones) don't know why their customers buy products from them – and it is only by knowing what your unique proposition is in the market that a business can focus upon it, and drive it forward. I was speaking to a manufacturer of furniture products a short while ago. They thought their unique selling position was speed of delivery and yet when you looked at this in more detail, it was not the original equipment supply speed that was their strongest point, but their speed of response to spares requests. By focusing on this strength they also identified another order winner – the ability to quickly change-over from one colour/finish to another. The future now looks bright for this company. It is worth challenging yourself on what your business should be doing in the future. The world moves on and the best companies continually look to refine their service to meet every changing market need. It's one of the areas we've come across since the new Manufacturing Advisory Service launched on 1 January. Key areas for the revised service are helping with developing business strategy, introducing new products, working in supply chains but not forgetting what was the original starting point for MAS – shopfloor-based operational improvements. So how has it been received by manufacturers across the country? Firstly with relief. I talk regularly to a range of companies and almost without exception MAS has been well received and I believe manufacturers across England are glad to see that it will continue to deliver support, whether a business makes biscuits or bicycles, braking systems or hot air balloons.