Leveraging Process Improvement for Massive Growth in Kitchen & Bath Design Industry

Welcome back to Leverage Your Spark! Today, we’ll explore an inspiring success story of operational transformation and process improvement. Join us as we witness how a Kitchen & Bath Design company turned their chaotic processes into streamlined efficiency for ultimate success.

Imagine this, a rapidly growing Kitchen & Bath Design company handling luxury residential projects from a simple bathroom remodel to a 700+ square foot kitchen. They were managing all of this with multiple hefty 6-inch binders. Picture the team hauling these around – information stuffed inside was difficult to find, harder to update, and almost a secret to the rest of the team. Sounds like it could be part of the plot of Seinfeld episode, right?

Process Improvement Magic: Transforming Project Management from Paper Binders to Software Success

Except it wasn’t. It was real, and it was leading to frantic employees and expensive mistakes.  It wasn’t that they didn’t have a process, they definitely did. But it involved groves of trees sacrificing themselves for reams of paper to fill giant binders. They knew they needed to improve that process by adding a more sophisticated system. You see, systems are like magic wands in business, and life in general. They have this amazing ability to create leverage – taking the energy you put into them and creating an exponential impact. Systems can be many things, but in this case we needed a software system. Used correctly, they are like a fairy godmother that swoops in, waves her wand and saves the day by making project management a breeze.

Systems enable operational improvements, taking considerably less time and effort. And the cherry on top – fewer mistakes because the right information is just a click away. Everyone gets a bird’s eye view of the status and information, leading to fewer misunderstandings and consistent clarity. And let’s face it, who wouldn’t trade a massive binder for the power to access any information, anywhere, from a handy device like a computer, tablet or phone?

So how did we tackle this scenario and take them from Jerry, Kramer & Elaine doing a Three-stooges type exchange of hulking binders to Cinderella on her way back from the ball ordering new shoes from her phone? Using our battle-tested Get Results Framework. 

Here’s how it worked:

We started by defining the problem, creating a strategy, deciding on the intent and specifying what “done” looks like. Then, we planned, outlining specific steps, time frames, and owners. Once that was in place, we prepared and trained – setting up a proof of concept, bringing in beta testers, and getting the team ready for implementation. 

Following that, we implemented the solution. And finally, evaluated the results by comparing actual versus planned results, debriefing, and incorporating what we learned. 

It’s a process that emphasizes operational improvements and underscores another important benefit of systems: profit maximization.

From 14 to 90 Projects: Unleashing Efficiency and Profit with Process Improvement

Now, let’s talk payoff. This 5 person organization managed to go from handling around 14 active projects to a whopping 90 within a year! Can you imagine? They are planning to bring 1-2 more people on board now that they have this kind of workload. But here’s the amazing part, despite multiplying their projects six-fold, the team can easily communicate, exchange information, and keep everyone up-to-date with project updates and progress. 

Not only did this system change allow for expanding capacity of the current resources, but it also significantly boosted the gross profit for each project. 

Remember, whatever your challenge, be it bulky binders or clunky processes, there’s a solution waiting for you. All it takes is a bit of strategy, some operational tweaks, and knowing that you do have the ability to create leverage in your business.

In the next episode I’m sharing a concept for success that can help when tackling process improvement and growth. It’s an MVP, so you won’t want to miss it.

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I’ll see you in the next episode and until then keep leveraging your spark to ignite your possibility for ease & profit!