Page 43 - Six Sigma Demystified

24 Six SigMa DemystifieD

FIGURE 1.6 Example Six Sigma deployment dashboard metrics from the green Belt xL/
Mindgenius application.

existing- customer satisfaction. Predictors of customer retention were devel-
oped as part of an organizational DMAIC project that included customer sup-
port staff as well as actual customer feedback. At the operations level, the
percent of customers engaged by staff is tracked each month based on the
observed correlation between effective customer engagement and longer- term
customer retention. Similarly, the responsiveness of the company’s systems to
customer inquiries is tracked using a defect rate relative to an established base-

line standard for each type of customer inquiry. Feeding into each of these
operations metrics is the process- level metrics. For engagement, the company
tracks both the number of instructional demonstrations provided by sales, ser-
vice, and support staff for existing customers, as well as the number of quotes
provided for additional products and services. This last metric, while seemingly
related to shareholder rather than customer concerns, was added based on data
suggesting that engaged customers added substantially to the bottom line: They
were more likely to be using the software for real benefit, and their relative
engagement fed the need for additional products and services (a real win- win
for the organization and its clients). The responsiveness of the organization,
measured at the process level by quickly responding to issues or suggestions for
improvement, contributes to this improved engagement.