The groundbreaking methodology Six Sigma changed the face of manufacturing quality. Now, HumanSigma is poised to do the same for sales and service. In the face of widespread perceptions of abysmal customer service and disengaged employees — and all-too-real declining profit margins — the need for change is obvious. Human Sigma addresses this need with an exciting new method for managing customer-employee relations that increases both productivity and profitability. It incorporates cutting-edge research in the neurosciences and behavioral economics — including brain imaging research into customer’s emotional connections to the companies they love — with proven techniques for improving workforce performance and revenues generated from existing customers. This practical handbook appeals to senior leaders and line managers alike who are looking for a way to dramatically increase productivity, retain high value customers, and enhance organizational performance.
HumanSigma, a refreshing new take on the employer & employee/customer interaction HumanSigma is about what drives people and changing your processes to create emotionally attached customers and employees. The JDS (Just Don't Suck) approach is not enough. The actions many companies take when they view employees as the source of error is called the "Terminator" style of management. You get rid of the people and leave the machines. But people don't develop an attachment to computers and automated processes.
People are all about feelings. Businesses understand the value of the customers who are passionate advocates on their behalf. Most don't know how to create them. You can't get there in one giant leap. You have to build loyalty & create confidence. You must get them to believe in the integrity of your hospital. As you keep fulfilling customer needs, wishes, and hopes they will feel pride in using your goods and services. A customer's PERCEPTION IS REALITY for them. They are not "impartial spectators", but are driven by their hearts. You create passionate commitment layer upon layer, transaction after transaction, and by reaching out to your customers as people, not mere transactions. Customers make their decisions based on perceived value. I know that I will pay more for something if I believe there is worth in it, even if it costs more. It's not always about cost.
Employee commitment is similar. We need to create and measure our HumanSigma score. We shouldn't fall into the trap of trying to manage our average score. Rather, we should look at the score by location because we will then be able to see the pockets of high variation. We can work to bring those up to par rather than wasting energy on moving scores in other locations that are already performing well.
The book also provides guidance on how to measure HumanSigma and how to manage it. We need to create emotional attachment shown in the pyramid on page 97. We need to strive to fulfill all four tiers. We must also create employee engagement as shown in the pyramid on page 161. It's neat how the levels relate to the questions on the Gallup survey.
I liked best the analogy about the river. You never step into the same river twice. Customers and employees either become more engaged or less engaged with every interaction. Just as a river changes second by second we have the priveledge of interacting moment by moment with our customers and employees. It is up to each and every one of us as to whether engagement improves or declines.
We MUST embrace and cultivate the "Whole Person" not just a "Pair of hands". Our biggest strength is the people that make our hospital great.
This is a must read, Tom
Interesting approach, but will require consulting This book takes an interesting approach to customer and employee relations. Just as Six Sigma is about building in quality and eliminating waste rather than trying to fix mistakes, HumanSigma (as they spell the term) is about understanding what makes people tick and redesigning your products and processes to create emotionally attached customers and employees. The traditional JDS (Just Don't Suck) approach to management is simply not competitive enough. The response many companies take when they view employees as the source or error is what the authors call the "Terminator" style of management. You get rid of the people and leave the machines. But do people really love and develop an attachment to computers, software, and automated processes?
People are all about feelings. You won't overcome them with abstractions or even cold reason. The authors bring their years of expertise and the vast resources of Gallup to this book. Their insights are helpful and the prescriptions make sense. For example, businesses understand they value of the customers who are passionate advocates on their behalf. Most don't know how to create them. You can't get there in one giant leap. You have to build layers of attachment. First, you create confidence. Next you allow them to believe in the integrity of your brands and your business. As you keep fulfilling customer needs, wishes, and hopes they will feel pride in using your goods and services. The final level is passionate commitment. You create this layer upon layer, transaction after transaction, and by reaching out to your customers as people, not mere transactions.
Employee commitment is built in similar ways. The authors show you how to create and measure your HumanSigma score. They warn you off the trap of trying to manage your average score. Rather, you should look at the score by location because you will then be able to see the pockets of high variation. You can work to bring those up to par rather than wasting energy on moving scores in other locations that are already performing well.
The book also provides guidance on how to measure HumanSigma and how to manage it. And here is my one concern about the book. Really, in the final analysis, you won't be able to really do this on your own. The book is in some way a sales brochure. Yes, they provide real insight and good advice, but you really are going to need professional consulting to pull it off right.
So, it is up to you.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
A Book-Length Ad for an Expensive Service While I agree with the reviewers who cited this book's fascinating stories and compelling insights, ultimately I was disappointed because it promised but did not deliver actionable advice on how to employ Human Sigma. I felt like the kid in "A Christmas Story" whose secret decoder ring helps him unscramble the message "Drink more Ovaltine."
Add Human Sigma to Your Diagnostic Toolkit Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter is a great addition to the growing collection of books about improving employee or customer engagement. While much of the writing on this topic is based on the edgy experiences or best practices of an innovative company, this is a book based on extensive survey work. These findings provide some of the missing foundational understandings that will help you explain why this is the path to take.
While it is packed with "ah ha" insights, it is best read carefully and with full attention. This is not a quick read. While some of the concepts leap off the page and find easy application, others will take a little bit more digging to really understand. Because each chapter builds on the foundation, there's no skimming.
With that, I found it a great companion to last year's Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow. The two taken together will provide the science and the practical application needed to build an organization that encourages employees to engage and customers to become passionate advocates.
Great Read This is a worth while investment of time. This business book is better than most as it presents a common sense approach anyone could actually apply.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
