How Lean is Too Lean?

There's a lot of value in "lean thinking" and the lean methodology for continuous improvement by eliminating waste and adding value for our customers. But it also seems to me that some companies use "lean thinking" as an excuse for cost cutting approaches that either add little or no value, or to some degree actually create waste. Take elimination of receptionists for example.

Since many manufacturing companies receive few visitors, some of them have eliminated the receptionist position as part of "streamlining" to eliminate waste. Here's two examples of what can happen:

In one company I stood in a darkened lobby. It was eerily quiet. No one around. No one to greet me. Almost like the company was was closed. I finally found a small (3x5 card) sign on the door leading from the lobby. It instructed me to dial the extension number of the person I wished to see. Luckily I had brought that number with me, but I didn't see any telephone. After some searching, I went behind the counter to where the receptionist would sit. It felt strange because guests don't usually go behind the counter. After a bit of searching, I located the telephone hidden away. I dialed my contact and waited in the barren dark lobby until he came to greet me.
In another company, I didn't get into the lobby. The door was locked. But there was a bell to ring. And ring. And ring. The lobby was dark. No one at the reception desk. I finally had to telephone my contact using my cell phone. Then I had to wait on the front steps until he arrived to let me in. He told me the receptionist was eliminated as part of a restructuring.

Both of the above examples involved companies employing around 100 people at each of these locations. In both cases there was no value added for the "customer," the person visiting the company. Just a waste of the customer's time and a first impression for a visitor that the company was in deep financial trouble and possibly going out of business. These companies failed to realize that there is such a thing as being too lean.

About me: Dan Pelley overviews "Lean Thinking," "Six Sigma," and the "Theory of Constraints" as well as other continuous improvement techniques as part of his "Proactive Leadership" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut (CT), Rhode Island (RI), Connecticut (CT). Massachusetts (MA) and New York (NY) have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
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