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Tom Ingram and Associates, Inc. Home Newsletter Index Archive |
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"How To", Articles, Books, Case Studies, Research...
"The value of THEORY is its ability to Predict." Milton Friedman "Friedman stood for the importance of doing the hard work of research...more than any one idea...rejecting both facts without theory and theory without facts" Wall Street Journal, July 21, 2008
"One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results." Milton Friedman, Wall Street Journal, October 7, 2015
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Archived Item (most pages can be viewed by removing the word VIDEO from link)
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(8.5) Standish Group 2019 Survey of IT Project Outcomes Shows
Full Study Details SUMMARY Shows same root problems as I have seen in my 40 years: Scope management, user engagement, executive support.
(8.4) IT Competence Decline Survey of Large Companies and Contractors, 2020 Study Details Summary of findings:
(8.3) Research Update: Five Most Important Findings in Solving the Ongoing Computer Horror Story Problem:
WHY: per John Dunsmuir, valued client:
(5.3) Horror Story Ongoing Research, Book Excerpts 62 Client / Server Horror Stories
Research Update: Sadly, IT projects are no more effective today than 15 years ago. Standish Group 2011 Study Shows Only 34% Successful CLICK HERE
Research Update: Standish Group 2013, Solid Information on IT Projects: (click for full report) Summary below - getting more rigorous and critical than previous reports
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(3.20) "Understanding SharePoint Architecture, Framework, Complexity
(3.26a) "Skinny Manufacturing" -"Skinny MRP" training session video PDF (password = asco71)
(5.1) GE's High Performance Culture vs. Culture in Most Firms As Told by Mike Grimes and Damian Thomas, Former Jack Welch Direct Reports Excerpts from "Help a Buddy, Stay Connected" network of Industrial Executives monthly calls -Lessons for Working With Private Equity: Why They Are Impatient, Intolerant of Business As Usual -Time is the Biggest Diluter of Value for Private Equity -Present Yourself as Able to Move the Needle on Things That Matter in Shorter Time -PE Works Very Hard on Due Diligence: Many Deceptions, Hate Litigation to Get What is Due Them -PE Firm Will Have Cadre of People On Retainer - Must Have People They Can Trust (Due Diligence, Touch the Inventory, Confirm the Customers, Validate Accruals, Revenue Recognition, etc.) -PE Firms Will Sometimes Take Time, Wait For Deals and Diligence, SOMETIMES MOVE WITHIN DAYS -Finding Work with PE: Just like other jobs except 80%+ of jobs will be filled by 1st or 2nd level connections -Story of CFO friend, helped approach 25 companies owned by PE, "just a note to CEO - recent results + would like to help with rapid results when time is right." CFO got a job -"The Price of Freedom is Results" -Cottage Industry of Recruiters Serving Private Equity is Emerging: Will take 20-25% of first year cash comp, move within weeks instead of three months+ for major placement firms
(5.3) Salesforce.com Troubles, Horror Stories Abound. - $1,000,000 hard cost, $5,000,000 Cost of Quality, nothing to show after 9 months. Hard lessons, interview with CIO, see case study - Salesforce.com spends 53% of revenues on sales and marketing, losses per quarter ranging from $50 million to $200 million! Wall Street Journal article - CRM problems, traps, how prevent - Salesforce articles, horror story library ***
(5.2) What It Takes to Bid a Fixed Price Project How Skinny 5x Work Management Keeps Projects on Track for High Payback Outcomes Excellent $600,000 Agile Project Provides Blueprint Why We Have a $25,000 Minimum When the Project is More Than a Quick Hit... AVOID THE TRAP: "Go, Go, Go... Time & Materials Project... Trouble, Delay... "HOW MUCH AND WHEN??!!" (vendor can't answer...)
ADDITIONAL LESSONS FROM FINANCIAL SERVICES SALESFORCE SERVICE CLOUD FIXED FEE PROJECT Fixed Price Project - Lessons Learned, What We Might Have Done Better
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(5.52) The Case for "No-Code Solutions, User Programming, Citizen Developers, Project 11"... (article in process)
(5.56) Checklist For Migrations - Avoid These Common Mistakes (article in process) - Upgrading Junk o Data – Retention Periods o No process rework - *** Customization, Hard, Ugly, Failed, Wasted money in 2010 - Just Charging ahead o No staging o Missing tons of staff o No user priority requires - Permissions complex, ugly - Production down unnecessarily - Stuck on 101 – not using 202 - 303 - 404 - Techno / Cosmetic / Self over business priority - 2013 – Send email notices (My Sites, Up synch, Ad import) - Sites & Hierarchy – ugly - All software – versions, updates, current, working
(5.59) Import Folders as Metadata Solution
(5.60) Clean Up, Consolidate, Document Multiple SharePoint Systems Weakness, Failings of "Knowledge Management", Term Store, Term Set, Keyword Approach: 15,000 Key Words - Useless Multiserver Farm for 10,000 Users, Not An Exact Science, Add Servers, Trial and Error as Problems Arise Quick Apps - FOX vs HEDGEHOG PROBLEM: "GO HERE, GO THERE, DO THIS… NO, DO THAT, CONTINUAL CHANGE OF PRIORITY, DIRECTION, TOO MANY MARGINAL VALUE FUZZY SUBJECTIVE PAYBACK EFFORTS" - Doubling the Size of a $3 Billion Company Through Acquisition: The problems are almost beyond belief. - Top 10 Problems of Integration Head. - Folders Problem Arises Again and Again and Again... - Click for Case Study in Process *** requires password
(5.61) Lessons from Telephone Company Nightmares - Click for article (in process) ***
(5.63) "Good SharePoint, Bad SharePoint" Lessons From 31 SharePoint Projects - Click for article (in process) ***
(5.65) Schools of Thought, Movements Shaping TIA's Approach One Page Summaries Dick Tozer Memorial Summation - GE Workout, Rapid Results, Robert Schaffer - Process Improvement, Reengineering, Mike Hammer - Agile-Results Summary with Robert Schaffer Concepts - Quality Movement by Philip Crosby, Ed Deming, How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage - Lean with Support for SkinnY - No-Code Solutions, User Programming, Citizen Developers ***
Additional Helpful Schools of Thought - Crossing The Chasm, Urgent Compelling Need, Documentum Success, Geoff Moore, Jeff Miller BWIMICSPUD - Buffett - Welch - Marshall - IMC - CTP - Schaffer - PMI - Urgent Compelling Need - Drucker
(5.68) Replace SAP, Oracle, Big ERP with Skinny ERP Solutions, Cloud Based, Better, Faster, Cheaper
(5.70) Cloud SP Migration Architect Tools Tips Technical Samples
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(5.35)Solved the "Excel Problem: $350,000 Savings/yr. from $100,000 Investment (est.) Didn't Wait for the IT Department USER PROGRAMMING with NO HELP FROM IT DEPARTMENT: Built Prototype in SharePoint in 60 days, Full Solution Up and Running 90 Days Later (Using Advanced Database) Created Competition for the IT Department Used Advanced Features of SharePoint (Most People Have Never Seen) Workflow, Action Item Tracking, Accountability Forms Made Data Entry Easier, Fewer Mistakes: InfoPath Access to Data in Big Databased (SQL Server, Oracle, SAP) Created Secure Web Sites for Customers, Vendors, Service Providers Moved Lotus Note, MS Access, Other Small Databases to SharePoint Replaced "Ugly" $750,000 System for $100,000 (Approx.)
(5.54) "Why SharePoint is My Public Facing Web Site" - A $2,000,000 Custom SharePoint Site (Employee Portal) - A $600,000 SharePoint Site (Employee Portal) Requires password - $5,000 For SharePoint Employee Portal for small graphics supplier. Great but project canceled after a year with no substantive results Requires password
(5.57) How Big IT Spends Money On Cosmetics Instead of Substance - A $2,000,000 Custom SharePoint Site (Employee Portal) - A $600,000 SharePoint Site (Employee Portal) Requires password - $5,000 For SharePoint Employee Portal for small graphics supplier. Great but project canceled after a year with no substantive results Requires password - Solar Division of Chemical Company: Pretty menus but canceled contract due to lack of substance. Requires password - Telecom Equipment Manufacturer spent $200,000+ cosmetics for internal employee portal, extensive delays, click analysis shows little use
(5.58) Why Customizing SharePoint is a Bad Idea - $100,000 Disaster for Small Consulting Company, Project Web Apps played a part Requires password - Solar Division of Chemical Company: Pretty menus but canceled contract due to lack of substance. Requires password - IT Vendors / Consultants Pushing it to Increase Switching Costs - IT People Push for Job Security
(5.66) Mobile SharePoint Applications, Out of The Box
(5.67) The "Franken-App" Opportunity / Problem: Occasionally a business person will create a complex solution that is poorly documented, poorly understood by others, held together with "bandaids and bailing wire", etc.. While these apps are often valuable they must be submitted to essential minimum documentation, backup, maintenance, use case and testing disciplines. Sometimes the benefits of the franken-app do not justify cost and time required to rework into current technology. Excel is notorious for this - bunch of tabs - only one person understands See Telecom Hardware/Software Manufacturer Case, Item 6.2 for examples and success stories. - BEST solution is TIA Expert System that REQUIRES USER TO DEFINE EACH AS-IS USE CASE BEFORE ANY DEVELOPMENT
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(5.62) SharePoint Response Time Baseline Tests - SharePoint 2010, Running Well, Cloud Based, Running over Internet - SharePoint 2013, Running Well, On Prem After Changes Requiring Chrome for accessing large lists in Datasheet View (Quick Edit View no longer practical in IE 11)
(5.64) Earned Value Project Management and Accounting Training - Click for training materials, three example projects
(5.67) Management, Business, Technical Fads From Passing Fancy to Eternal Truths… Can you remember what matters? - Updated List, Phil Andrews, Richard Pascale 1930s & Forward...
Today…??? Sources: Michael Porter, HBR, Nov 1996, Bill Lee, Nov, 1996, Journal of Management Consulting
(5.72) Understanding B to B Ecommerce Concepts, Impact, Salesforce Concepts - Click for Short Video of "Storefront" Approach by Cloud Craze (pw required) - Example of Good Documentation for Salesforce Apex coding
(3.18) SharePoint 2010 to 2013 Migration: -Financial Services Case: CLICK for Case Study* (password 79) -Content Database Migration, Complex Example: Video PDF -SP 2010 vs. 2013 User Interface Difference Screens -2013 Key Differences, Concerns: Workflow Engine, Social Architecture, Search Changes, App Store, Style Look / Feel Changes, Device Channels for Mobile, Office 365 Cloud Integration, Business Intelligence Improvements.
(5.53) Who Using What Query - Click for example query and report ***
(5.55) "Big IT" Agenda vs. Business Agenda - Chip K Example: 1 Year, $1.2 Million Spent, Trained Team as Power Users, Challenged Business Value, Results, Time Required for Reg Issue Tracking, "I can do better myself in a couple of weeks." IT Boss said "No" to workflow, any support beyond 101, "Knew I would regret giving him these tools". (While IT produced very slow, very poor results on RIT and Project Acceptance) - 30-50% of SharePoint job postings require coding (for customization, cosmetics, make SharePoint not Look Like SharePoint), complex search queries or heavy social features (2013-2015). LOW TO NEGATIVE BUSINESS VALUE. LIMITS TO SP 101 WHERE IT IN CONTROL. IT ACTIVITY FOCUSED (BE BUSY, DO SOMETHING COOL) BECAUSE NOT CREDIBLE WITH BUSINESS PEOPLE, NO CONCEPT OF RAPID BUSINESS VALUE - Examples 2014-2015: Pac U IT insisting on Server only, no advanced apps. Fidelity store and retreive only. Cognizant adding 300% to 101, under attending 202-404, Avaya crazy customization, OCI Solar rejects 101 provided by vendor insists on solving immediate 202 needs, GSG project devastated by cosmetics, non-high value focus, Brooks devastated by cosmetics, modification, PWA distraction, Citizens Business Bank 101, search only, - See examples of money wasted on cosmetics, customization - 202, 303, 404 is real value but IT loses control, consultants like Tom are a big threat - Confirmed by what Rackspace is seeing: IT LIMITS SHAREPOINT TO GLORIFIED FILE SHARE
(5.75) How to Implement Salesforce eCommerce B2B. Dreamforce 2019 Notes, session led by John K, John E of 6 Street, EXCELLENT, lessons from 12 implementations. CLICK
(5.76) Salesforce Developer Training: Good News / Bad News - The Salesforce Complexity Iceberg
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(5.69) Principles That Made IBM Great, So Dominate from 1960 to 1990: (Sources: books by TJ Watson Jr, Buck Rodgers, personal experience) - Simple, Practical, Commercial, "Application / Solution", Results for Customer Focus over "Techno, Self-Interest" Focus - Concrete Benefits: "Tabulating Machines and Punch Cards did the work of clerks" Customers hire products to do jobs! - Persevered through big failures of early business computing (Rand, GE, RCA, BUNCH, DEC, DG) - found the pragmatic business solution and dominated - The Best Possible Customer Service - Respect for the Individual - The Pursuit of Excellence - STAGGERING - Did not use resellers - bought them out - John Patterson, Tom Watson Sr., fathers of modern solution selling, DRAMATIZE - Survived "ice house" industry problem by remaining focused on "systems outcomes/results" instead of selling a product (punch cards) - "New Products, Improvements Come from Customers" - Successfully motivated sales people during Great Depression by rapidly sacking non-quota attainers. - Effective Incentives in 1930s: Watson paid $100,000/year + 5% of profits over dividends of $6/share. (Modern equivalent might be base + 5% of EBITDA or EVA less financial engineering gains)
(5.71) Agile Software Development, Agile-Results Approach based on Robert Schaffer Concepts Results Record: 63 Projects, 830% Average 5 Year Payback, Four Formal Agile Projects, Dozens of Informal, Hybrid Projects - Some Agile examples, in addition to those below - Morrison Success: 1.5 million pages made paperless, on time, on budget, happy client, in four months * OUTCOMES defined for User Stories - One Page Architecture Process Outcomes v17 * OUTCOMES - videos of Product developed - Golden Spread SharePoint Portal - Golden Spread Dashboard Showing Real Time Electric Power Generation * KANBAN TOOLS, APPROACH, PRODUCT CARDS / POST-ITS * USER STORIES (INVEST: Independent, Negotiable between User and Developer, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable. “As a (role), I want (feature), so that (benefit)" ) * SCREENFLOWS, WIREFRAMES for Advanced Requirements - Golden Spread, advanced SCADA interface icons - Golden Spread Wireframe example * PRACTICAL TIPS FOR SPRINTS, ORGANIZING, ESTIMATING - Humans do better with "t shirt estimating" small, medium, large, x-large, xxx-large - Understand your total throughput per sprint - e.g. two developers = 160 hours max for two week sprint - reality closer to 150 - Release Planning - Do one thing at a time - do not try to jump between - if item BLOCKED - move to next - Resources Fixed + Schedule Fixed = Scope must Float - deliver valuable chunks - Process defined first, limit iterations - Executive sponsorship, user participation, scope control: As critical as Waterfall * ROLE NOTES - Product Owner is proxy for user - Scrum Master is PM - Rest of team: Dev, Test, Exec, BA * AGILE CONCEPT SUMMARIES - Agile David Kemp, Fidelity, Southwest Air Key Concepts - Agile Software Development Summary - Agile-Results Summary with Robert Schaffer Concepts * WEEKLY CEREMONIES / SCRUM - DAILY STAND-UPS: What done yesterday? What doing today? Any Blockers? - Sprint Planning - Demos - Retrospectives - Technical User Stories (also called Enablers) * SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) for large projects, need teams of teams. Adds Program / Portfolio Level: (Possibly consolidate to single meeting per week: Agile Release Train / Business Synch) Normal program level Ceremonies are Business Synch, Scrum of Scrums, Product Owner Synch, Agile Release Train Synch. Additional key items: - PI (Program Iteration - normally 5 x two week sprints = 10 weeks). PI event is two-three day facilitated session with all team members every 10 weeks. - Dev Teams get their backlog from the Program backlog - Architecture, Support / Operations, Infrastructure teams usually separate - Epics (Largest, Portfolio level) - Feature (Program level - design to complete in one PI (10 weeks) * TRAPS - HORROR STORIES - WHAT NOT TO DO: - How we got a $3.5 million settlement for a client on a BAD CRM implementation - 150 pages of CRM code that never worked, resulted in lawsuit - Current prospect in Wisconsin (ongoing - not sure of outcome) + Roots: Effective User Stories, PMO, Mgrs too far from tech, don't understand value, payback + Also: Devs are remote, coordinating into portfolio, program, SAFe, TOO MANY CONTRACTORS, employees spread too thin, TRANSITION FROM Delloit to one contract firm to another hurting. BIGNESS HURTS
(5.73) Urgent Compelling Need Theory (Crossing the Chasm) Best Techniques, Methods We Have Seen for Growing Your Practice, Your Business
1. Read the Tom Ingram Associates Documentum Case Study: /No25DocumentumSuccessStory.pdf
2. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ORDER THIS BOOK (Amazon.com - $7) TO HELP LEARN THE THEORY BEHIND DOCUMENTUM'S SUCCESS: CROSSING THE CHASM, by Geoffrey A. Moore. Chapter 4, page 89 is the most critical. It describes how to pick the niches you will focus on. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE JEFF MILLER, CEO OF DOCUMENTUM, READ THE BOOK AND EXECUTED THE THEORY (ALMOST PERFECTLY) THE OTHER SUCCESS STORIES IN ITEM 3 BELOW ALSO EXECUTED THE SAME THEORY.
3. HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CASE STUDY ON DOCUMENTUM (WITH INGRAM HIGHLIGHTING): /Documentum HBR.pdf ***
4. Listen to the conference call with Jeff Miller, CEO of Documentum, regarding “focus” initiative: a. /DocumentumJeffMillerConfCall111904all.mp3 b. Key Discussion Points:
4.5 Marcie Tuttle, Senior VP Sales, Documentum, Additional Key Observations, 6/27/07
5. When you get time, review other supporting case studies that show successes due to GETTING FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT NICHE:
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Other Newsletters / Papers / Success Stories Written for Clients |
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(2.7)CEO Perspective: How to get what you need from Information Technology Tips for Non-technical Executive Overseeing Computer Departments Part I: "Understand your customer's processes first...then understand your processes...then apply technology the right way..."
(2.8)How to get what you need from Information Technology Tips for Non-Technical Executives Overseeing Computer Departments Part II: "CFOs: You are more competent than you might think..."
(2.9)How to get what you need from Information Technology Part III: More Tips for Non-Technical Executives "Don't even try to become technically smart - it is not practical. Using "fact-based-management' and other straightforward management concepts can dramatically improve the business result of any IT organization you will oversee."
(2.24)Software Company Closes Six Large Sales in Eight Months (After Closing Zero Sales in the Previous 16 Months) Discovers That Europe Will Buy "Toolkit" Products, but North American Buyers Demand Whole Solutions Most of Management Team Replaced After 16 Months of Nonperformance Successful at Finding the Right Resellers Consultative Selling Approach Required Dramatic Shortening of Sales Cycles
(2.32)Process and Software Issues for Retail Merchandising Organizations A Research Study Differentiation and Focus are the Key Needs of Merchandising Service Organizations Software Problems will Continue Until Organizations Focus on a Limited Number of High-Value Activities Profit Margins Must be High Enough to "Afford to Do the Software Right"
(2.34)Military and Naval Blunders by Geoffrey Regan Lessons for Corporate Change Projects See Quick Summary / Keyword Checklist on Last Page Training Tool for Workshop Participants
(6.203)Heroic Effort: New Manufacturing Line Up and Running Ten Days After Project Approval! How to Work with Your Suppliers to Minimize the Need for Heroes
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(1.30)Factors Beyond the Control of Internal IT Organizations, CIOs, Resulting in Ongoing Effectiveness Problems, High Turnover of IT Executives Study 2010 ***
(1.4)How To Implement a Project Accounting and Control System Case Studies Yield Lessons for Controlling Technology Projects
(2.11)Computer Department Priorities During a Turnaround A Discussion of How the Information Technology Department Can Best Help a Company in Trouble "SWAT" Team Approach to Finding Information to Aid Survival
(2.23)Software Firm Started with $1000, Profitable Every Quarter, Grows to $28 Million Company Alters Focus from Generic Product to Narrow, Discrete Target Markets with Outstanding Results The Horizontal Sales Approach No Longer Works
(2.25)Software Company Narrows Focus from 1 Million Prospects to 40 - Closes 30 Sales in First Year! After 3 Years of Revenues Less than $2 Million, Sales Soar to $75 Million in 4 Years! Systems Produce Paybacks for Clients of more than 10-to-1 Stopped Trying to Sell to Information Technology Department - Found Line Executives with an Urgent Need to Buy CEO Found a Way to Reduce Risk and Capture Financial Upside A Repeatable Pattern Emerges
(2.25a)Conference call recording of Jeff Miller, CEO of Documentum, discussing how they grew from $2 million to $75 million in 4 years NOTE: VERY LARGE AUDIO FILE - TAKES A FEW MOMENTS TO LOAD - BE PATIENT - Summary of all Key Documentum, Chasm Crossing, UCN Points and Case Studies
(6.201)$940,000 Annual Labor Savings, and Yield Increased by 10 Million Linear Yards! Disposable Medical Products Manufacturer Dramatically Reduces the Cost and Improves Output of Primary Product $1,055,000 Investment Results in $942,500 Annual Labor Savings
(6.204)On Time Shipments Improved from 70% to 95%, Misshipments Reduced from 10% to 1%, Returns Reduced from 1 in 10 to Zero Big Problem for Customer is Small Problem for Competent Supplier Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Capital Investment Avoided
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(1.1)Computer Project in Trouble? Seven Fatal Warning Signs
(1.1.6)15 Ways to Improve Your Information Technology Department (also can be used as a Balanced Scorecard Evaluation)
(1.17)A Case Study about Using Case Studies! Creation of 5 Outstanding Case Study / Success Stories Yields Surprising Comments
(1.22)Harvard Business Review Describes How Earned Value Management Prevents Late Projects and Cost Overruns We Used Earned Value to Manage Three Small Information Technology Projects with Outstanding Results Three Small Projects, On-Time, On-Budget, As-Promised! Earned Value Accurately Predicts and Prevents Cost Overruns and Delays When Project is Only 20% Complete! Are You in Default of Sarbanes Oxley 302 (a1), (a2), (a3), (a4b), (a4c), (a4d), (a5a) If You are Not Using Earned Value to Account for Large Projects? Expect Some Resistance and Evasion! Earned Value Holds People Accountable Who Have Often Avoided Accountability In the Past!
(1.26)Struggling Software Firm Sells 12 New Accounts in 16 Months, Generates Over $10 Million in Revenue Key is Focus on One Strong Product Sold to a Tightly Defined Niche Direct Contact Approach Works Successfully Builds Distribution Channel Through Big Four Consultants Successfully Targets IT Buyer (Where Many Have Failed) Picking the Gem Among All the Acquisitions
(6.101)How to Reduce Order Processing Costs by $400,000 Over 5 Years, Improve Customer Service and Reduce Stress at the Same Time! Cream & Yogurt Case Yields Lessons for CPG Manufacturers
(6.202)Supply Process Reduced from 21 Major Steps to 6 Major Steps Closing the Inventory "Black Hole"
(6.205)Process Improvements and JIT Help Manufacturer Profitably Expand Low Margin Product Line by 5-fold! Basic "Blocking and Tackling" of JIT and Customer Service Helps Manufacturer Stay Profitable Key Questions in Superior Customer Service
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*Contact Us in Dallas, Texas, USA at tom@tomingraminc.com or 972-394-5721.
**Success stories, client quotes, estimated costs and benefits are derived from actual projects
but may have been altered for simplicity, teaching purposes or to protect confidential information.