One of the central issues to any business is how do you manage your capacity. Getting this wrong can result in poor delivery performance, confusion within the business and unhappy customers.
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| Do your capacity levels fluctuate wildly? |
Many businesses have some form of software (such as project management software, ERP / MRP etc.) to help do this, but what about businesses that don't have this support?
Regulating your capacity is all about knowing what you have committed to and when. Many businesses that don't have a formal system do have some kind of paperwork or spreadsheet system to help with their day to day management. Adding some simple capacity information to these systems can be quick and straightforward to do and can give you a surprisingly quick improvement to the level of control you have over the operational side of your business.
From visual management ideas with your paperwork stacks, to an additional (hours required) column in spreadsheets, all this needs is a little bit of ingenuity and a bit of experimentation.
What would your business systems need so that you can manage your capacity more effectively?
Giles Johnston
Author, Consultant and Chartered Engineer