Continued on next page What did you say? Of course, not all of it will be in person, some may be in different languages and in all cases, there will be a big difference in what is said and what is heard. It is difficult to overstate the importance of clear communication in business. In most cases we rely on a mix of verbal and written communication that together determine the outcomes and what we achieve. In the work we do at MMEI with our customers we strive for effective communication in everything we do. Here are the things we have seen to be most important in achieving the always desired outcome of complete customer satisfaction. CLEAR DEFINITION OF RESPONSIBILITY UP FRONT We have all heard the old adage of why one should never assume, and it is a great foundational piece for starting the communication process on a new project. Best practices in this area will emphasize written communication and ideally use tools like detailed quotations, purchase orders, checklists and other effective ways to ensure that there is clear definition of who is responsible for each part of the project work to be done. Customers should ask, “what are you providing and what am I responsible for?” as question number one. Given the likelihood that there will be multiple parties involved in addition to just the vendor and the customer, this becomes imperative and should not be left to verbal communication only. In our experience, the best way to approach this is to start with a clear outline of the scope of work to be performed. The quote should incorporate clear language as to the responsibilities of each party up front. The quote will outline all of what is to be provided both in terms of product purchased as well as service and support provided as part of the installation and run off process. The more standard this language can be JEFF KELLER CEO Molten Metal Equipment Innovations ARTICLE TAKEAWAYS: • Never Assume • Build a system Just use ChatGPT says one of my kids…. who knows, maybe someday they will be right. For now, we’re going to have to keep on doing it the old-fashioned way and engage in actual dialogue. made the better as it should avoid ambiguity as to the major elements of the project. In most cases, given that the equipment will be installed in the customer’s facility this will require the customer to accept responsibility for the project elements that they will control. So, even before there is a PO, the scope of work is made clear and the responsibility for who will be handling each aspect of the project has been established in writing. OK, NOW WE’VE AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER The Purchase Order will serve as the contract between the two parties and evidence that we are now working together. There should be an acceptance process that requires each party to take ownership of the project to the next level with a detailed checklist. There is a reason that the FAA and the commercial aviation industry require the use of checklists. It is because it forces the review of every critical aspect of the process and greatly reduces the likelihood that any of the process steps be overlooked. The human factor still exists, but checklists are a very effective mechanism for minimizing the likelihood of missed items that ultimately compromise the project and the goal of complete customer satisfaction. In the case of MMEI, we use a detailed checklist system that includes the following key elements: a detailed quote, a written PO agreement with terms, product assembly drawings, delivery schedule and • Check each step • Follow up 9 COMMUNICATION ISSUE
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