If I asked you if you had ever heard of “Six Sigma”, I’m sure the responses would vary.

 

Several years ago, I read several books on Six Sigma to understand better and learn Lean Six Sigma for the Government.

 

Today, I’m appalled by the amount of waste we have in the United States regarding getting orders correct, particularly in the fast-food arena.

 

When was the last time you ordered something and had to return it, only for the establishment to throw it in the trash?

 

I’ve quit counting how many times I’ve said no cheese on a hamburger, and when I get home, it has cheese on it.

As I ordered my weekly takeout, I sat watching customers returning because their orders were incorrect or missing something.

 

Ironically, when I got home, my order was incorrect; however, I could handle having two sweet potatoes instead of one.

 

I took it for granted because I ordered the same thing each Saturday after Mass.  I would have one baked potato and one sweet potato with my entrée.  Next week, I must inform them that my wife does not eat sweet potatoes and ensure the correct order.

I digress.

 

“Six Sigma is a method that provides organizations tools to improve the capability of their business processes.”

 

Six Sigma Definition – What is Lean Six Sigma? | ASQ

 

The bottom line is that Six Sigma is about reducing waste while improving performance by reducing errors.

 

I’ve always wondered how much waste in an organization happens daily, affecting the bottom line.

 

Depending on your favorite fast-food restaurant, a hamburger without cheese and with cheese varies from $3.00 to $7.00, depending on where you order it.

 

Now imagine one mistake every hour for 24 hours at the top end at $7.00 (24 X 7 equals $168.00).

 

Although this number may seem small, multiply it over 30 days, which is $5,040.00.  And if we multiply that time by 12 months, it’s $60,480.00.

 

I used the hamburger as something small, but imagine fine dining where entire orders are being sent back to the kitchen.

 

It is about listening and receiving to ensure we hear the proper orders.  Sometimes, it’s how it’s being translated to the person cooking the food.

 

Looking at the current workforce, I see people on their phones holding multiple conversations, which concerns me.  As I sat, not knowing my food order would be wrong, I listened to idle chat between the cook and the individual’s taking orders.

 

In short, Six Sigma is a process that big businesses understand because it affects their bottom line.

 

Today, I’m bringing Six Sigma to the forefront and your attention to see if you are seeing the waste happening in front of your eyes.

 

I’ve only given you a small example and would challenge you to look at the “DMAIC Problem-Solving Model later for more insight.

 

DMAIC is a structured approach to improving processes and solving problems. It stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, and is used by businesses to improve efficiency and reduce defects.

 

DMAIC – Improving Business Processes – Lean Enterprise Institute

 

As Christmas is in full swing, many are ordering out instead of cooking.

 

Therefore, regardless of the situation, we are all affected by Six Sigma each day.  Therefore, think about the last time your order was wrong, and you had to wait for it to be corrected.

 

Continue to enjoy your holiday season without getting your orders wrong.