Author Archives: Mark Oldfield

Reports – do they work for you?

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How often do you see reports that have little meaning or are too ponderous to use, this then makes the reports ineffective, simply because no-one wants to use them.  Then there are the reports that you have been instructed to put together and although they are useful, they have little relevance to your own position or function.  What you need are reports that are concise, relevant and effective.

To design a good report, list the minimum information that is required to manage that part of your business you are reporting on.  Next, find what is the required data to compile this information. And lastly, source the data – where does it come from. Preferably, most of this data is already contained in spreadsheets (or can be imported into one easily).

Now review the source, include other fields that will beef up your report, but ensure it adds value to the report and is not just filler.  If done in excel the report should also include a tab that has the data in pictorial format – graphs! This is where KPIs can be viewed and valid assessments made.

A good report will show trends, both positive and negative, as well as status.  It will also be timely, easy to produce and even easier to read.  This then will allow you to see what is happening, or has the potential to happen, and take the appropriate action.

For all the SMBs and Operations people out there, I have written a brief on ‘Focus’ that may help you design your own reports on Freight, Inventory and Staffing (Operations reporting 101).

Note:
DATA – is raw detail, usually one line of data contains information related to one transaction. Doesn’t tell you much.
INFORMATION: an assortment/combination of data, providing information and trends in simple format.
REPORT: Information in a format that tells a story. Big picture stuff.

Customer complaint – a good story

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I just want to tell a good story, everyone hears the bad ones so here’s a change.

I purchased a brand new dinning table set (including 8 chairs) from Harvey Norman Furniture store, Moore Park, Sydney.   As there were none in stock on the floor or with the importer, we needed to wait about two weeks for delivery.

We received a call the day before delivery confirming the delivery date/time would be OK.  The delivery happened as scheduled, then a week later – after I sold my original table and chairs – I started to assemble everything.

Assembling these items was easy.  After completing the table, the first couple chairs were great then it all went downhill, the screws would not take the thread and when they did they tended to strip – I tried too hard with the allen key.  So I find there is a fault with the product, next task was to ring the retailer and see what they would do – I was waiting for some form of excuse or pass-off.

Well to my surprise I put through to a person in the store that checked up my details on the computer so I did not need to go find the invoice. I explained my dilemma, he understood the product and my issue.  He took my details and said he would pass the information on to the Importer.

Within an hour of the above conversation, a person from the Importer called, discussed the issue and arranged a date for a person to come and rectify the situation.

Reviewing why I ended the day a happy(ier) customer:

  1. My call was answered promptly
  2. I spoke to someone that understood my issue, then advised me what would be happening to get the problem fixed
  3. I received a very quick followup from the Importer, who again listened and understood the issue then offered a time to fix and why that day would be good (for them) asking if that was OK.
  4. After going this far with positive action I felt under no compunction to request a another date. They helped me so I could help a little too.

This is how all relationships should work when there is a quality problem – it is not that hard.  It also means you may just have someone say good things about your company one day.  Does your company perform like this – all the time or occasionally ?

Please note: I am not in any way associated with the Store or the Importer.