Operational Benefits of Six Sigma

Six Sigma Project initiatives help the organization in a wide variety of ways and at very different levels. This article describes the immediate operational benefits that an organization derives as the result of implementing a Six Sigma project.

Makes The Organization Systems Driven

Six-Sigma efficiency is impossible to achieve if the mode of production used by the organization is craft production. To be efficient enough to run processes that have less than 3.4 defects per million, organizations need to be systems dependant. Thus Six Sigma mind set helps transform a people driven organization into a process driven one!

Reduces Personnel Time and Skill Required

Six Sigma results in massive cost savings to the organization involved. These cost savings are highlighted by the fact that after a Six Sigma project any organization has considerably less requirement for labour hours. Also the requirement of skilled labourers is also reduced. Hence, both these factors combined have an effect of drastically reducing the labour bill of the organization.

Reduces Wastage

Six Sigma projects realise a large amount of their financial value from their ability to eliminate or at least reduce wastage. Since the process is critically analysed for costs and corresponding value addition, measures are taken to eliminate wastage to a large extent.

Reduces Inventory Needs

An ancillary benefit of Six Sigma projects is that it creates a system which is much more efficient than the earlier one. Hence the organization can implement systems like Just In Time Inventory practices and cut still more costs.

Reduces Reworks and Defects

Organizations are plagued with defective processes which result in the manufacturing of defective products. Each defect has costs attached. The costs include material, time, overheads and loss of reputation for the firm. Implementing Six Sigma projects often pays for itself in the long run by providing the financial benefits of near zero defects to the firm that implements it.

Increases Customer Satisfaction

Customers do not like unreliable products or organizations. This can be verified by the fact that many companies that have implemented Six Sigma have not only found their costs reduced but their market share increased considerably. Hence, Six Sigma is also capable of positively impacting the marketing of the firm.

All of the sources mentioned above can be seen as the revenue model of the Six Sigma project. In the financial evaluation of a project, the revenue (cost reduction) from various sources must be considered before deciding whether the project is worth the effort or not. The idea is to find scenarios that the firm will be in with the project and without it.