VIP Group

Source: Exec Digital USA

Date :3/18/2008 6:21:37 AM

Interested in improving your processes? The VIPGroup might just have the solution for you. Exec learns more

Written by Ian Armitage

Pretty much all of us have heard of Lean Enterprise, Six Sigma, LeanSigma or other such tools, designed to improve the way a business is run. Yet, it is surprising how very few of us know exactly what these terms really mean and what they involve. To most of us they are nothing more than buzzwords, confined to realms we know little about. Be honest, do you know exactly what lean, for instance, involves and how it could change your business?

Okay, you think lean is a relatively simple concept, which relates just to manufacturing right? Well no. And you might think it’s easy to implement, but that isn’t true either. Even if you do get lean right; few can do it in a sustainable manner.

So, the question is, who has this sort of knowledge? Is it something we can all attain? Value Innovation Partners Ltd, a global leader in the implementation of management strategies such as lean, claims to know, and makes it its business to teach customers how to improve the way they work and achieve process excellence.

Why do I need it?

You might ask why you would need to change the way you are working if you are profitable. “No matter how good a business you are, you can always do better,” answers VIPGroup’s Robert Burke, a man with over 25 years’ experience in numerous manufacturing environments such as defense, automotive, pharmaceuticals, packaging goods, electronics, medical device, printed circuit boards, metal converting, railroad, and equipment manufacturing.

Mr. Burke, who along with colleague Patrick Lucansky formed VIPGroup - an experienced business practitioner with offices in Boston, Chicago, Europe and China - over nine years ago, goes on to say that VIPGroup “specializes in lean enterprise, lean manufacturing, lean supply chain management and Lean Sigma [to name just a few].”

What of the other, and equally important, half of this wonderful lean double act? Well, Pat, who has spent 15 years in private industry and 14 years in consulting, specializes in process and operational excellence. “We serve a variety of industries and our forte is establishing long-term relationships, transferring critical skills, which improve customer satisfaction, working capital, revenue and processes,” he says.

Pat went on to say that VIPGroup’s professionals have an average of 20 years of industry experience and it has clients in all major business sectors. “We help customers, regardless of industry, to identify strategic, operational and tactical issues preventing goal achievement,” he explains. “From there, we move onto helping them to understand and communicate the need for change and, finally, we reach the stage of developing and implementing solutions that will achieve and even exceed their goals.” This process, according to Bob, ends only when they are satisfied the client can stand on its own two feet.

How does one achieve that? “We accomplish this through a collaborative partnership,” says Bob. Indeed, by assisting clients in defining goals and objectives, identifying the appropriate tools and techniques and then deploying sustainable results-generating solutions, VIPGroup has gained a reputation for doing exactly that.

Why choose VIPGroup?

Bob and Pat have accumulated a wealth of experience. They know the subject better than most, but continually question the best application methods. They are keen to suggest that although lean seems relatively simple, to implement it successfully requires an expert without “preset goals”. Pat says: “There’s no reason you can’t do it yourself, but you may not yield the results you want all on your own. By choosing VIPGroup you get unrivaled technical expertise, a proven track record and a broad industry background.”

Any VIPGroup customer will tell you that the company has the ability to enable businesses to deliver superior value to its clients and operate much more profitably. “We also enable customers to improve customer satisfaction and employee morale,” adds Bob, who was keen to stress that VIPGroup can formulate what he calls a “forward path” to help customers eliminate wasteful activities from their operations in as little as “two to four weeks”.

Pat says that, because of its proven track record, clients often want VIPGroup to deliver specific results in a defined, short period of time and by continually questioning established business assumptions - he says the company is able to “identify waste quickly.” Indeed, through its proven methodology, VIPGroup drives out waste by creating streamlined, customer-focused processes.

Is it a success?

“Together with our customers,” adds Bob, “we develop a single company culture designed to pursue continuous improvement with a focus on delivering both internal and external needs.” In working with its clients on a variety of change efforts, VIPGroup has developed a five-phased approach that consistently delivers sustainable results.

Success ultimately requires VIPGroup to make bold changes, focusing on simplicity, quality and speed. “How do we achieve that? Well we have top people! Our clients are very comfortable working with us and we are 100 percent committed to solving their problems,” says Bob.

He adds: “It is not just about coming in and performing a core of techniques, it is about building relationships and building upon training. Only then can you understand the requirements and develop the right solutions. We are able to build close working relationships very quickly and our clients are often impressed with how easy we all are to work with.”

Bob, who is a certified CPIM from the Association of Operations Excellence (formerly APICS), a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a Certified Lean Sensei, and holds an ISO 9000 Assessor certificate, continues: “When we go into a company we don’t go in with any preset, defined goals. We want to go in there and do a real assessment; do a real check up on them. And this determines what is going well and what needs improvement. We look to ask: ‘What are some of the issues occurring internally and externally?’ And then, ‘what do we need to do, working with them directly, to set a path moving forward?’ We don’t believe in preset defined goals. The client might have a goal or objective and we test that; we either validate it or say yes that is true or we suggest better ways of doing it. It is not unusual that when a client does a process improvement they see results, but when they do it working with us they will see even better results, perhaps as much as 20 times more and it is all achievable. It is looking at it differently – we see the trees through the wood; but they are too close.”

Pat, who is a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, a Certified Lean Sensei, and a Certified Management Consultant and holds an MBA, says that his goal, which is an objective shared by Bob and all at VIPGroup, is to “teach customers to fish for themselves.” This is extremely unusual in the area of consulting. “Our goal has always been knowledge transfer and that is contradictory to our brethren in the industry,” he adds. “We get a lot of positive results, as well as a lot of additional work because we want customers to be able to fend for themselves.”

VIPGroup, as a result of its openness and commitment, today has the right balance between new and existing customers and it continues to grow. “Our goal is always to be successful and grow and continue to grow,” says Bob. “We do have a bit of an opportunity in the second quarter of this year, and, looking at the third quarter, we could grow the business a little bit more domestically. Not only that, we have just reached out and opened up a training centre in China. We see China as a huge opportunity both in growth and improvement.”

Click here to view the corporate brochure on VIP Group