Often Smaller is better than Bigger

The manufacturer wanted to test a significant number of marketing techniques and tactics in order to understand the range of opportunities for influencing a variety of consumer segments. But one of its key retail partners was reluctant to undertake the months of effort that traditional multi-site, in-store pilot programs require. The high number of proposed initiatives (originally 50, subsequently winnowed to the 20 most promising) heightened the perennial risks of confusing customers with different messages in different stores and of tipping off competitors about the retailer’s plans. Furthermore, the retailer had recently hired a new category buyer, whose focus was rapidly increasing category sales—not turning its stores into a massive shopper-marketing laboratory.

Pasted from <http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Using_technology_to_improve_in-store_marketing_1976>

Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones?

This is logical rather than lateral, but it is a good puzzle which can be solved by lateral thinking techniques. It is supposedly used by a very well-known software company as an interview question for prospective employees. Solution A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.

Another answer is also that they can be rolled around to save lifting them.....

Pasted from <http://www.mycoted.com/Manhole_Covers>

I have made this [letter] longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter.


Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662), "Lettres provinciales", letter 16, 1657

My youngest son and I attended his high school's Jr. Class College Preparation Program. While the speaker was talking about the essay questions on college applications my son told me of his friend

The friend applied to his number one choice. The application's only essay question was "What is your favorite word? And Why?

The Friends response "Concise. It is short"

He got in

“It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.”
English born American Writer and Journalist, She wrote historical fiction such as Remember the Alamo (1888). 1831-1919

www.thinkexist.com

In an earlier post, our client successfully acquired the simpler PC-based CAD (computer aided design) system. They passed on the premature major CAD CAM purchase

Phil is the engineer on the system. At one point, they were correcting 11% of his drawings. The general manager asked him why. Phil simply said "each of my drawings a reviewed at least twice by salesman and supervisors. Given that process, I treat each drawing as a draft."

When asked what would happen if we took away the check steps, the simple answer was. "I guess I would have to do it right the first time. It would seem quicker."


Believe it or not it worked well. Let people know you are taking away the nets.

Eliminate review steps

Sounds crazy! You can make things simpler and better by eliminating review or check steps. Some stay, most go. They occur from a situation, an exception or when employee was new. The idea is, by eliminating you reduce the process steps in time and work and improve quality.


Improved quality?
Keaton was the customer service manager for a printing supply distributor. She proposed to the owner and president she be allowed to approve customer credits up to $500 from $35.

Fortunately, everyone asked her why before they said no. "Customers object to long return processes. If you solve issues immediately you can replace the product and possibly make an even in larger sale." That was easy to buy.

But she was not finished

"Today how many credits do we process over $35? How do you review them? How many do you approve?"

"I did the research. We process an average of 270 credits per month. I use months, because it is your approval process cycle. I put them in your boxes, and once a month you to review them. This interferes with the entire concept of customer service."

Just as the president and owner are prepared to commit to doing it every week, she chimed in "you have never turned one down."

Think of the things that didn't have to be done!