Product details

The once lengthy and cumbersome process of benchmarking is undergoing a kind of metamorphosis and is emerging as a fast, flexible tool useful to any company looking for a leap on the learning curve. This new version of benchmarking often provides the powerful insight that allows companies to transform the way they operate. Unlike formal, recipe-driven benchmarking projects, which typically take six to nine months, are costly, and often result in a report that is presented to senior management and then filed away, the new benchmarking is less elaborate and more tactical. Companies identify specific operational problems or opportunities. They seek out a range of other organizations they think they may be able to learn from. The focus is not on copying the practices of other companies, but on generating creative ideas for their own operations. For example, Graniterock Co., a manufacturer of construction and road-building materials that was having trouble making on-time deliveries of concrete to work sites, studied Dominos'' pizza delivery practices. The result was an increase to 95% on-time delivery within two years. Like all powerful tools, however, benchmarking is frequently misused, resulting in high hopes and meager results. This article presents six key tips on how to help your company or unit approach benchmarking. Includes an annotated section on benchmarking resources and a sidebar on the benchmarking practices of the National Security Agency and the U.S. Army.