Using the Six Sigma approach to Achieve Success

Being called on to solve problems is part of all our daily grinds, whether personally or professionally. But recognizing what has evolved to be the Six Sigma approach, can greatly increase the success of the endeavor.

For instance, I've had to call on a client that wanted a specific assessment on their QA process. At that instant, it was quite tempting to respond with the exact verbiage they were asking for. How does this become a risk (if we are giving the customer what they want)?

First, when customers come to ask for help, they have a problem they are wanting to solve. The market place is not conducive to helping a customer that does not know what kind of help they need, so, we have been conditioned to find a solution (whether or not we know how) and shop around for that solution. On the other hand, service providers respond to that solution request by providing a quote for literally what the customer was asking for.

Enter Six Sigma approach!

If, as a solution provider, we went back to the customer and asked for the problem they are trying to solve, guiding them in terms of identifying a perceived value they are not getting, and assist them in assessing if the solution they were asking for solves the problem. Using this approach, we are more likely to come up with a relevant solution, maybe, one that the customer may not have even thought of and that actually addresses the problem. Guess what? When that happens, we end up with a happy customer.