This post, Who Owns the Problem, is from our first ever newsletter. Published in February 2007. It is re-posted in celebration of our 250th edition. Inventory Reduction Identified Recently I worked with an organization to help identify opportunities relating to their indirect inventory. Specific details about the company aren’t important
Are You an Announcer or a Doer? (Video)
Are you an Announcer or a Doer? Announcers like to… announce. Doers just get on with the job. This video explains the difference and the relationship to spare parts inventory management training. Are You an Announcer or a Doer? Video Transcript Hi, I’m Phillip Slater. And for the next
This is Why Some Spare Parts Inventory Managers Make a Difference and Some Don’t
Over the years I have discovered something interesting. There are many spare parts inventory managers that do something a little different at this time of the year. No, I don’t mean that they plan how they can move budget allocation from one fiscal year to another (although
3 Ways That The Wrong Spare Parts Management Plan Can Really Cost You
Ready, Fire, Aim is Not a Spare Parts Management Plan There is a school of thought in business and operations management that action is all that really matters. Some express this as ‘ready, fire, aim’. Essentially this view says that it doesn’t matter about the plan, just start taking action
Why (Most) Inventory Goal Setting Fails
Subject Area: Inventory Goal Setting The Problem with Inventory Goal Setting As I write this it is early January and my inbox is awash with advice on goal setting. There are articles, podcasts and webinars all aiming to tell me how to set attainable goals for the year. Unfortunately,
Why You MUST Have Multiple Spare Parts Management Champions
Every consultant that you ever meet will tell you that in order to implement any type of operational improvement you will need a project champion. That is, someone who not only knows what is required but who also is prepared to work to make it happen, push back to the
Stop Being Incremental with Spare Parts Management
There is an old management maxim that says that ‘the good is the enemy of the great’. The way that I interpret this expression is that make real progress with their spare parts inventory management companies need to stop being incremental. This is because incremental activity makes us feel like
Spare Parts Inventory Goals: One Tip to Achieve Them
When going through their budgeting process it is common for companies to set new spare parts inventory goals for the year or to at least review their existing goals. However, when they do this many companies are setting themselves up for failure. Let me explain that. Spare
Why Spare Parts Management Goals Are Not Achieved
Subject Area: Spare Parts Management Goals Not achieving your spare parts management goals must be just about the most frustrating experience you can have in your job. You work hard to deliver a project but the promised benefits are just not realized. In fact, recently, the highly regarded consulting group
Pitfalls in CMMS Implementation
Q: I am beginning a new phase in my career by taking on a CMMS implementation. Do you have insight regarding pitfalls that would help me listen to the “whispering road signs” I encounter? A: I think that there are three things that you should ‘listen’ out for: Planning vs.