A 7-step structured problem-solving process to deal with your business challe...

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Problem-solving is a daily task in any business. But what do you do when major problems keep recurring over and over? If it feels as if you’re constantly putting out fires in your company, it may be because you’re not solving the underlying causes of key issues in a structured way. “Many companies spend a lot of energy on firefighting without ever addressing the root causes of issues,” says Anish Ambujakshan, a Business Advisor with BDC’s Advisory Services who specializes in operational efficiency. “The result is a lot of wasted time, resources and effort as the same problems keep coming back and getting worse.


” He likens problem-solving to weeding email list your garden. “If you just remove the surface, the problem will come back. You need to pull out the root. ” Ambujakshan advises businesses to follow a seven-step structured problem-solving process to fix challenges once and for all. It’s important to clearly define the problem and the associated factors contributing to that problem. Anish Ambujakshan Business Advisor, BDC Advisory Services 1. Identify the problem The first step is to identify critical problems in your business.



Examples could be: declining customer satisfaction high employee turnover a drop in profitability or sales instances of the “8 wastes,” such as inefficient operations or activity, idle employees or machines, or misused resources Most entrepreneurs aren’t aware of the full extent of waste and other challenges in their company. To identify them, Ambujakshan recommends doing a physical walk-through of your plant or office, known as a Gemba walk. (This is the first of the three steps of implementing lean thinking in a business.