Lean Hospitals

The New York Times recently ran an article: Factory Efficiency Comes to the Hospital
 that is worth reading.

There are two bins of each item; when one bin is empty, the second is pulled forward. Empty bins go to the central supply office and the bar codes are scanned to generate a new order. The hospital storeroom is now half its original size, and fewer supplies are discarded for exceeding their expiration dates.

The system is just one example of how Seattle Children’s Hospital says it has improved patient care, and its bottom line, by using practices made famous by Toyota and others. The main goals of the approach, known as kaizen, are to reduce waste and to increase value for customers through continuous small improvements.

Manufacturers, particularly in the auto and aerospace industries, have been using these methods for many years. And while a sick child isn’t a Camry, Seattle Children’s Hospital has found that checklists, standardization and nonstop brainstorming with front-line staff and customers can pay off.

Challenges in exporting services: Broadway Edition

I found an article in today's Wall Street Journal interesting.  It is primary about the challenges and success that face theater production when exporting a show to different parts of the country.

Exporting Broadway shows is a tricky proposition, however. It's not just a question of translating the dialogue and lyrics into the local language. There's also the thorny question of conveying humor and pop-culture references, and trying to gauge what audiences will respond to in vastly different cultures.

 During a light moment in Disney's "The Lion King," Zazu the bird is supposed to sing a cheerful but trite tune, prompting a groan of recognition from the audience. On Broadway, that song is "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." In Australia, it's the country's familiar "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport." On a Shanghai stint, it was a ubiquitous Chinese ad jingle. In Germany, the bird sings the "Heidi" theme song, then yodels.

And a bit about "design for exporting":

Even at home, Broadway shows today are typically designed with a global audience in mind. About 1 in 5 theatergoers were international visitors in the 2008-09 season, the highest proportion on record, according to the most recent data available from the Broadway League. 

The good old days

I found this interesting and a bit sad that is can't still happen today.

Experience imitation: Read to me Grandma Edition

I have not yet tried it, but since my mother-in-law is the main audience of this blog, I thought I might post about a website I recently stumbled across. Readeo allows grown ups to read to kids via a web cams. What I thought was interesting was that the company takes an old idea (reading to kids) and uses newer technology (web cams) as a solution to a problem (grandmas live far away from grand kids and want to read to them).  I'm not sure if the service can really capture the entire experience of being read to; no snuggling, no freshly bathed baby shampoo smell, inevitable connection issues, etc. But maybe it captures enough aspects of the real thing to be intriguing to customers.

This type of service is what I'm going to start calling experience imitations, i.e., a service that is intended to imitate the real thing.  I have a feeling that there are others out there, can you think of any other experience imitations?  What makes them better or worse?  I suspect it is the level of similarity in the small details that might matter most.     


Readeo.com Overview from Readeo on Vimeo.

Service Supply Chain: Athena Health Edition

A great blog "The Operations Room"  recently reported on the middlemen of a supply chain.  One example they gave was Athena Health who has a "Pain in the Butt index"  that is worth checking out.  It ranks the insurance companies in their ability to process claims fast and effeciently.  The difference between the top ranking and bottom ranking is amazing:  For the #1 rank 12 days to get a bill payed on average, For the last rank 103 days on average. 

I found this video to be a great process improvement / supply chain improvement manifesto.

I want to go fast!!!

Is it about speed of just fun? Can you assume that better customer experience comes because your process is faster or can you just make your experience more enjoyable?  Maybe you could do both?

Singapore Airlines Sensory Branding

On my reading list is "Sensory Branding" by Martin Lindstrom.    From Farnam Street:

"Singapore airlines is the pinnacle of sensory branding and offers a full scale assault on our brains. Like any other airline, Singapore airlines employs common consistent visual themes. Unlike other airlines the company incorporates the same scent, Stefan Floridian Waters, in the perfume worn by flight attendants, in their hot towels, and other elements of their service. Flight attendants must be physically attractive and wear uniforms made from fine silk which incorporates elements of the cabin decor. The airline strives to make every customer interaction both appealing, and, equally important, consistent from encounter to encounter. It's no wonder the airline is perennially at the top of travelers' preference rankings."

 What marketing people like Lindstrim might consider "branding", operations management might consider "design" and service design.