Below is an example of a large business million-dollar mistake. As a small business owner, if you’re prepared with quality control systems, you won’t make that mistake!
A few weeks ago, I was facilitating a Webinar demo of our systems for the systems analyst/manager of a giant oil and gas company.
The manager was intrigued with our browser-based, iPad-compatible Quality Control Systems; moreover, he needed an immediate fix to STOP the errors in his company.
They were particularly concerned about the late deliveries of petroleum products and other system-busting events.
Now, I’m used to dealing with companies from five to several hundred employees, but this was a multi-billion-dollar company with offices spread across several countries. For more than two decades I’ve worked with business owners and managers; and it still amazes me that a great many operate without track-able quality control systems.
No Quality Control Costs Millions
I was surprised when the systems manager of this company told me they had incurred several million-dollar errors and fines, due to simple mistakes. Why would a company of that size lack substantial quality controls over some of the very processes that cause the errors?
Given that knowledge of his company, when the manager and I discussed the cost of implementing our system, I was a bit embarrassed about our low price. Fact is, if we saved his company just ONE of those costly errors, it would pay for their using our system for about 166 years. But, surely the organization was accustomed to paying huge bucks for lesser fixes.
Why Small Businesses Avoid Quality Control Systems
QUESTION: Why is it that smaller companies don’t think to implement Quality Control Systems that would help them track, measure and find the root causes of their errors, and eliminate them PERMANENTLY?
Unfortunately, often with little to no knowledge of systems, they say…
- “Systems cost too much.”
- “We can’t get anyone to use them.”
- “They take too long to use.”
- “We tried them, and they just don’t work.”
- “Some of my best employees said they would quit if I implement control systems.”
- “We have too many family members working here; they will not cooperate.”
- “I don’t see the value in checklist systems.”
- “Well, we don’t make THAT many errors; we just need more good people!”
It’s often true that businesses with the most recurring errors are the ones that lack good systems. Worse, they balk at investing in them!
TRUTH IS, it CAN be done! We’ve done it—for our companies and many others!
Avoiding a Business Million-Dollar Mistake
Hard as we try to explain how good business systems work, SOME folks will only make a change when the pain and stress of their costly errors reaches critical mass!
But, those are actually the “folks” I love to work with. Because, when they finally GET IT (that epiphany of how easy it is to install Quality Control Systems), they are never the same. And they’re excited all over again about running their own business!
Users would tell you now, that NOT having such systems is SELF-DEFEATING, to quality production and good customer service. THAT’s a “million-dollar mistake” for any size business.
Owners and managers who have seen the POWER of great systems will NEVER go back!
Did I mention? Great systems work!
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