The CEO of a company launched a continuous improvement program using the Optimizer tool to better understand cycles of strong and weak sales. Feedback from the first study revealed perceptions of the company as disorganized and uninnovative with ineffective operations and lack of team culture. Implementing changes based on this reality check led to improved perceptions and commitment to continuous improvement in a second study.

1. Case Study #1 - “The Optimizer ‘Kicked Butt’ “<br />BACKGROUND <br />The CEO of the company recognized that the company had strong sales cycles followed by major slumps. To better understand why, the CEO launched a program of continuous improvement using the Optimizer.<br />FEEDBACK <br />The CEO was completely surprised by the feedback obtained from the study. Their customer base perceived them as quite disorganized and not that innovative, while their workforce strongly criticized their operating effectiveness along with their inability to leverage their knowledge for innovation and commitment to a team culture. Management, on the other hand, thought that they were doing a reasonably good job all around. The results provided a valuable reality check. They recognized that changes were needed to strengthen the organization. <br />SUCCESS <br />The company took a year to implement needed changes and then measured the impact through a second Optimizer study. The company is committed to the process of continuous improvement, and use the feedback from the Optimizer to keep them focused.<br />Case study # 2 : A Major national pharmaceutical organization<br />BACKGROUND<br />After several months on the job, the new CEO recognized the organization lacked an organization-wide culture. With over 5000 employees working in five different divisions, he was not sure on how to proceed. He was introduced to the Optimizer and decided this was both a cost-effective and realistic way to involve his stakeholders. <br />FEEDBACK<br />A series of divisional Optimizer’s across the different business units was simultaneously deployed. A wide variety of differences emerged on how each division operated; the perceptions of each division by its customers, and their unique strategies.<br />ACTIONS<br />In addition to the 360-Optimizer, an expert set-up and facilitated a full day senior executive workshop with each division. Using the feedback from the Optimizer, each division established at least three initial priority areas and set-up internal task forces to address each one. One of the task forces in each division was mandated to evaluate the feedback from each customer that had participated. <br />On a monthly basis each task-force reported back to the executive team. After six months each division repeated the Optimizer (adding more customers into the participant process), evaluated their progress and established new priorities.<br />SUCCESS<br />The process not only met the objectives of the CEO by creating a company-wide learning culture but had significant operational benefits to the organization. The divisions enhanced the loyalty of their customers and saw increased revenues. <br />Case studfy #3: Utilizing the Enterprise Optimizer During Mergers and Acquisitions <br />BACKGROUND<br />When the two insurance company merger took place, it seemed ideal. Both companies were in the same field of insurance but covered different territories. The combined entity promised increased sales with lower overhead, and the merger was approved by both Boards of Directors. Yet one full year after the merger, none of the promises had been realized and there was considerable internal conflict.<br />FEEDBACK<br />They employed the 360-Optimizer and treated the two groups as though they were still separate companies to show each group perceived their cultural bias.<br />The Optimizer report demonstrated clearly that one of the firms was oriented externally, in that they were stronger in customer satisfaction and innovation; while the other firm was very internally focused around operating effectiveness and organization agility. <br />FOLLOW-UP<br />This revelation identified that the restructuring done after the merger was not well-handled. Many of the staff were placed in positions that did not fit their orientation and strengths, and no effort was made to overcome these issues. The combined company took six months to implement change and then at the 8-month and 10-month periods ran the Enterprise Optimizer again.<br />SUCCESS<br />The first was run under the exact same structure as the original one, while the second was run as if everyone worked for the same organization. Both demonstrated that the cultures were now aligned and that there was alignment in everyone’s views of the merged organizations strengths and weaknesses. Team building exercises were having a very positive impact on the organization, and a full-time HR person was hired.<br />Case Study #4: “I didn’t like what the Optimizer told me – A Retailer’s Story” (in his own words)<br />BACKGROUND<br />“I’ve been running a reasonably successful ladies apparel retail store that my late father had started in 1940. I was very happy with how the business was going, but after hearing about the Enterprise Optimizer, I decided to try it out.”<br />“When I had the Optimizer run the first time, we were 3 managers plus me, 10 full timers and five part-timers. Over the prior three years, sales grew at an average of 5% a year and profits were marginally higher each year as well; nothing to complain about, and I was optimistic that the Optimizer would reflect that.”<br />FEEDBACK<br />“The feedback from the Optimizer, however, devastated me. “<br />“Both my managers and staff rated us very weak in their involvement, their personal development and how we worked as a team. They also gave us low scores on our operating efficiency. Customers (we had included 10 of our most loyal ones and 10 others that were occasional shoppers) rated our ability to react to trend changes as weak, and the occasional shopper group also did not feel that we listened to them. “<br />FOLLOW-UP & ACTIONS<br />“I decided to start weekly meeting with my managers and some of my longest employed full-timers to get their feedback on why we got such poor Optimizer ratings. At first, they seemed reluctant to talk, but one of our senior sales ladies suggested something that I agreed to implement right away. By the third meeting, and sensing my openness (which was an issue that emerged) more of the participants opened-up and the suggestions started coming quite quickly. Although I was reluctant to implement some of them right away, my sales started to pick-up beyond our normal pace. As a result I was encouraged to implement several of the ones that I was originally reluctant to do. Sales kept increasing every week and it was obvious that the staff were considerably happier.”<br />SUCCESS<br />“When we repeated the Optimizer four months later, the improvement was quite dramatic. Even the 10 loyal customers increased their rating of us, and the occasional shoppers gave us thumbs up to our listening and for keeping in tune with emerging trends. We have been on a strong growth pace ever since we started working with the Optimizer and I’ve recently opened a second location. “<br />