“Go to The Genba" Go to understand what company need to be improved

Inspired by: Kazuo Hirai's Speech during Quarterly meeting 

"What do you feel if you see Brand XX has launched new LED TV promotion campaign & occupy the prime location, but you face that there is no any POP to catch your eyes, show the picture quality in HD quality and also promoter told you "Sorry sir, it's no stock so far"  

Talking about an innovation, someone may think about wow products, latest software & system to support our work operation. But what I think about Innovation for work improvement is about “how every staffs can be the part of work improvement, not only reply on big boss direction or top-down business direction from HQ”

Why I say like this? Maybe this afternoon, I listened & felt impressed what our CEO’s Speech (quarterly meeting streaming video) about How Sony can be transformed... For his first CEO jobs, it wasn't about spending huge money for investing a new products innovation or technology, but he must know what’s going on at the Sony battle field first, thus he went to the Genba in many countries to understand what’s Sony current situation, what Sony need to be improved or changed as the first priority.

With this, it inspired me to propose idea about “Go to The Genba ,Go to understand what Sony need to be improved" which is a project that assigns all (selected) back-office operation staffs & department heads are assigned for going to to Genba every month (in the different front-line operation) to listen & know what's voice of the front-line staffs, dealers & customers by themselves.

In order to know & understand what they learn & perceive during the Genba, a company might assign "Genba Task Team" who organize the monthly meeting for inviting those guys to SHOW & SHARE their opinions & ideas what they feel about the current company opeartion and how to increase company work efficiency. Maybe we can invite all key managment persons to attend this monthly meeting to listen what's Sony staffs opinions about what is Sony operation so far.

For Instance, Accounting staff is assigned to go to the genba at Sony Store & go to market visit at BEST DENKI for 2 days. After going back, he/she report that Sony POP isn't so attrative comparing with other brands etc... Of course, it's not about A&P addtional cost invesment or complain our marcom team about this, but at least we listen what our staffs feel..because it's just our staffs opinion which is valuable voice for our further work improvement.

In my opinion, "Go to The Genba" is kind of the Back to Basic idea that allow all of us to understand & diagnose what's the current problems & opportunities to improve. With this, In order to encourage Sony staffs to be part of our company work improvement, company might give them a chance to let them involve & share their opinions in the different perspective & different job responsibility to our work improvement & efficiency operation... because of one of most sincerely customer voice is our Sony staffs voice... I believe

OOTMAN WALKER
8 August 2012