Utilities in the Netherlands often operate large networks that have been built up over long periods of time. Maintaining these networks in a predictable and consistent manner is often quite a challenge. In addition, there is often a need for accepted standard operating procedures that can be effectively transferred to new employees. The transition from task-oriented to process-oriented work and management is also often difficult within utility companies. This also makes it more difficult to actually realize the performance experienced by customers. LMI has extensive experience with utility companies such as water companies, Gasunie, energy suppliers and network operators.
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Our director René is happy to think with you without any obligation.
Some of our clients within the
Utilities
industry
Our training courses can also be provided in-company. Feel free to call us if you would like to spar or get advice on your (customized) training issue. We are happy to think along with you!
View our coursesThere are many different organizational issues where Lean can help. We have extensive experience in advisory and consultancy issues in the implementation of a Lean process. We use methods such as Strategy Deployment, A3, Gemba Walking, Kaizen, Problem Solving, Coaching On The Job and Training Within Industry. In doing so, we achieve great results and engagement with our clients at all levels of the organization. Let us help with your issue!
LMI provides training for E.ON for the various Belts, including the Lean Black Belt and Black Belt Lean Six Sigma. They also provide full certifications for our employees and are our sparring partner for various issues. I am very satisfied with the professionalism and flexibility of LMI and also with the thinking along by the LMI consultants. I can highly recommend LMI!
Huibert-Jan den Hartog
VP & Associate Director, E.ON
Lean is a way of improving processes. The goal is to help customers as well as possible at the lowest possible effort and cost. Of course, you are a customer yourself and you want to be helped as well as possible, whether in the hospital, in the supermarket or when ordering something online. With Lean you look at how you can deliver your service or product to your customer as smartly as possible, in the shortest possible time. When we talk about Lean, we often talk about the different Lean principles, Lean methods and Lean techniques with which you can improve processes and thus your work. For more information on what is Lean, read the full article here.
A Lean transformation is a tilt of the entire organization from the current to desired future situation. Using Lean , the organization is redesigned. Customer, customer value and continuous improvement become the common thread throughout the organization. A Lean transformation requires learning a new way of thinking and acting. This way is not characterized by implementing a series of steps or solutions, but by addressing key questions about purpose, process and people. The video below from our Lean Global Network describes the Lean Transformation Model, narrated by Lean veteran John Shook.
Want to learn more about how we at Lean Management Institute work with the Lean Transformation Model? Then read on here.
Customer value basically means: what does your customer find valuable and is your customer willing to pay an appropriate price for it. It is wise to talk to customers about what they find valuable about your product and/or service. If your product or service helps a customer and solves his or her problem, then your organization has a right to exist. Your organization probably wouldn't exist if no one found your products or services valuable and wanted to spend money on them. Within Lean , customer value is an important concept: it looks at all the steps in a process and asks the question: does this step add value (is this a value-adding or value-creating activity?) for our customers or not? If the answer is no, then the next question is: can we skip or eliminate this step? And what should we do to do that?
Determining customer value is not always so easy, because customers often value different things, or it depends on the situation. But by asking the question you get a better understanding of which steps in a process are valuable to the customer and which steps are not. Customer value is also expressed in SQDC or Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost. Customers want a safe product, of a certain quality, at a certain time and for an appropriate price. This helps to see more precisely what is a valuable step or not, or what you need to work on to create more or better customer value.
Value is therefore the first principle of the five Lean principles.