THINGS REMEMBERED
The most lasting customer impression grows not from what happened during the sales and acquisition phase of your relationship, rather it is shaped by the end of the process. If someone asks your customer why they buy from you instead of a competitor the answer will be heavily influenced by your recent performance to their expectations. Brand loyalty and competitive advantage are gained through operational performance, not marketing. Marketing creates the expectation, operations delivers it. Or not.

Failure to meet customer expectations reflects a disconnect between infrastructure and promises made about the product and the service. Operations is not Gumby, able to stretch in any direction at any time. It is limited by the boundaries of strategic investment in people, process, and capital. Dedication and hard work can only do so much. Are your resources aligned to deliver good memories to your customers?

AME/SME/SHINGO LEAN CERTIFICATION
The top 3 North American professional societies that focus on operational excellence have worked together to define and create a Lean Certification program. There are three levels of certification: bronze, silver and gold. Each requires passing a proctored exam and a portfolio description of actual lean experience. Rebecca Morgan has been chosen by AME to provide lean certification training for its Great Lakes Region.