JWI 550 Strayer University Management Operations Peer Discussion

Identify 2 different processes used in your industry and classify them into process types such as job shop, batch processing, assembly line, etc. Explain the rationale for your process type classifications.

The two types of processes utilized within my industry are customer service and mass communication. The customer service process is classified as a project process that means a unique action is taken that represents the whole project implementation. The main components of a project process are the start, preparation, planning, implementation, and completion (1). A service center represents all processes when a customer is contacting us to resolve their issues and obtain the correct information. Our planning, training, reporting, and execution allows us to deliver results to our customers. The second process is mass communication, this process focuses on sending out email and text data to all of our clients. This process is classified as a batch process since our service is producing repeatedly, at the same time in batches (2). With our mass communication, we are able to constantly communicate with thousands of customers and remind them of what is required of them. Our batches are also programmed to be sent out on a specific day and time during the week.

Which companies or similar organizations in your industry would you consider to be recognized leaders in any of these process types? How does that compare to your organization?

Sysco inc has developed different ways to enhance their communication skills with their customers. They are able to provide accurate shipment status to their clientele that updates them if they are arriving late or ahead of the delivery schedule. Payment communications are also sent out to remind customers when a payment is required. Although we have tracking communication is not always accurate and can cause more issues with our clients.

Gordon foods- due to the size of the company they are focused more on customer service quality. This allows customers to contact their sales representative as well as their customer service team and resolve their issues in a timely manner. With the number of customers we currently have it’s difficult to resolve issues on the same day because it will cost more money for the company. Gordon foods has the ability to focus more on each of the customers and ensure their delivery and needs are met.

What should management focus on in managing those process types?

Management should focus on enhancing the customer service department to ensure that all customers are being taken care of. There are times where deliveries are not sent and customers are shorted on their items. It is important to take all these customer complaints and reach out to each customer to resolve the issue. Our mass communication is able to send each customer texts and emails regarding their account and order. It would be a great idea to enhance this and set a team that will be able to text and email those customers back that have an issue or more questions. This way they not only have their sales representative to contact, but they also have a team to text and email. This will focus both on the communication side of things as well as enhancing the customer service provided to the client.

1. InLoox. 2020. Project Process. https://www.inloox.com/project-management-glossary/project-process/

• Good morning everyone,
• Identify 2 different processes used in your industry and classify them into process types such as job shop, batch processing, assembly line, etc. Explain the rationale for your process type classifications. – The first process type I would identify is job shop, “in which the departments are named to denote their activities…” (1). Our departments in the nursing home are: Nursing – provides nursing care; Maintenance – maintains the building; Activities – does activities with the residents; Housekeeping – cleans the building; Dietary – provides dietary needs to the residents; Administration – provides administrative work; and Admissions – admits residents to the building. Depending on the resident’s needs will determine their path. The process will always start in Admissions; however, when something needs to be repaired for the resident, Maintenance will be enlisted to help. When something needs to be cleaned in the resident’s room; Housekeeping will be called. However, each department contributes to the overall care of the resident. A second process that is used in the facility is batch process. “In a batch process, defects often aren’t found until an entire batch is contaminated, and by then, so much time has passed that the preceding worker may not even remember what he or she did wrong” (1). This is specific to medication errors. I have heard where one nurse did not document that a resident received an order for a new medication. Because the first nurse did not document, then the next nurse will not know that the resident was on a new med. It then rolled over into the next shift, and so forth and so on. It is not until the medication record is reconciled, the resident has an adverse reaction to not receiving the medication, or someone questions it, that the error is detected. By that time, the first nurse may not remember the circumstances as to why she did not give the med.
• Which companies or similar organizations in your industry would you consider to be recognized leaders in any of these process types? How does that compare to your organization? – Healthcare is a hard industry. Skilled nursing facilities are everywhere and the competition is very tough. As far as comparing to other facilities in our area, we are a five-star facility (the highest level that can be received by the State of New Jersey). It’s ironic because working inside the building, employees see everything that is done wrong, or at the least, can be done better. However, once a year, during the annual state survey, we seem to get everything right. At the end of the day, every facility wants to be ranked five-star, and there are quite a few facilities that rank less than five-star. There is one facility that is actually a zero star and is under review by the State.
• What should management focus on in managing those process types? – Communication is key. Admissions has a checklist that is completed before any admission. This checklist is specifically for Maintenance and Housekeeping. Admissions checks the room for cleanliness and determines if Maintenance needs to fix anything before a new resident is admitted. Upon admission, Admissions sends an email to each department alerting them of the new admission so they can go in and follow up; i.e., Dietary checks for dietary preferences, Activities determines if there are specific activities they are interested in, etc. Management needs to ensure that each department is meeting the new resident. There have been occasions where residents have been admitted and the room was not clean, the TV remote was missing, etc. As the former Admissions Director, I had informed the Administrator many times that I was only one person. It is much easier for a representative from each department to check in with me throughout the day in regards to possible admissions, rather than me trying to find several departments informing them. I am a central location and the admissions list was accessible to everyone. As far as the batch process, Nursing Management should focus on reviewing the medication reconciliation on a more consistent basis. As of now, it’s done once a month; however, to avoid errors, random checks may be more beneficial.

Crystal

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