Well, is it a Problem or Not? -Part II

 

By Larry McGinnis

Last month we discussed problem solving from an organized approach.  Problem solving is just a matter of deciding if something is a problem or not, and then taking the proper action to correct it. The first steps were defining the problem, prioritizing the problem and understanding your role in the problem.  Now we get down to solving the problem.

1.  Look at potential causes for the problem:

a.  It’s amazing how much you don’t know about what you don’t know. Therefore, in this phase, it’s critical to get input from other people who notice the problem and who are affected by it.

b.  It’s often useful to collect input from other individuals one at a time (at least at first). Do not attempt to gain information at a sales or service meeting.  You can implement the plan to solve the problem at such a meeting. People tend to be inhibited about offering their impressions of the real causes of problems at such a meeting or the meeting turns into a gripe session.

c.  Write down what your opinions are, and what you’ve heard from others.

d.  If you believe the problem might be related to performance of an employee, it’s often useful to seek advice from a peer in order to verify your impression of the problem.

e.  Write down a description of the cause of the problem and in terms of what is happening, where, when, how, with whom and why.

2.   Identify alternatives approaches to resolve the problem:

At this point, it’s useful to keep others involved (unless you’re facing a personnel and/or employee performance problem). Brainstorm for solutions to the problem. Very simply put, brainstorming is collecting as many ideas as possible, and then screening them to find the best idea. It’s critical when collecting the ideas not to pass any judgment on the ideas — just write them down as you hear them.

3.  Select an approach to resolve the problem:

    When selecting the best approach, consider:

a.  Which approach is most likely to solve the problem for the long term?

b.  Which approach is most realistic to accomplish for now? Do you have the resources? Are they affordable? Do you have enough time to implement the approach?

c.  What is the extent of risk associated with each alternative?

4.  Plan the implementation of the best alternative (this is your action plan):

a.  Carefully consider “What will the situation look like when the problem is solved?”

b.  What steps should be taken to implement the best alternative to solving the problem? What systems or processes should be changed in your dealership?  For example, do you need a new policy or procedure? Don’t resort to solutions where someone is “just going to try harder.”

c.  How will you know if the steps are being followed or not?  These are your indicators of the success of your plan.

d.  What resources will you need in terms of people, money and facilities?

e.  How much time will you need to implement the solution? Write a schedule that includes the start and stop times, and when you expect to see certain indicators of success.

f.  Who will primarily be responsible for ensuring implementation of the plan?

g.  Write down the answers to the above questions and consider this as your action plan.

h.  Communicate the plan to those who will be involved in implementing it, and at least, to your immediate supervisor.

5.  Monitor implementation of the plan:

Monitor the indicators of success:

a.  Are you seeing what you expect from the indicators?

b.  Is the plan done according to schedule?

c.  If the plan is not being followed as expected, then consider: Was the plan realistic? Are there sufficient resources to accomplish the plan on schedule? Should more priority be placed on various aspects of the plan? Should the plan be changed?

6.  Verify if the problem has been resolved or not:

One of the best ways to verify if a problem has been solved or not is to resume normal operations in the dealership. Still, you should consider:

a.  What changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future? Consider changes to policies and procedures, training, etc.

b.  Lastly, consider “What did you learn from this problem solving?” Consider new knowledge, understanding and/or skills.

c.  Consider writing a brief memo that highlights the success of the problem solving effort, and what you learned as a result. Share it with your supervisor, peers and subordinates.

Very simply put; Understand, Plan, Implement and Verify. Sounds easy when you put it this way, but the difference between a successful manager and a failed one is the ability to effectively recognize and solve problems.

Larry McGinnis brings over 30 years of experience to the office machine business. His Company TEC-AID markets a service department management program called ServiceTrak and a sales aid program called SalesBuilder Plus. He can be reached by calling (866) 983-2243 or check out his web site at tec-aid.com