Topic(s)
- Product development
If a company is proficient and experienced in improving internal operations and products, it makes sense to extend those capabilities downstream — into the customer consumption process — as a value-added service. For example, Dexter Magnetic Technologies conducts internal gemba walks to observe the real process, feel the real pain, and develop people within the organization so they too can recognize that pain and build the desire to eliminate it.
With that in mind, one might ask: Who specifically watches the products Dexter ships to customers to see and feel the pain those products may cause? In other words, who observes how the customer receives and interacts with the product — from receiving, inspection and warehousing, to material handling, process prep, assembly, manufacturing, final inspection and packaging? Your company can do this — and Dexter Magnetic Technologies is now doing exactly that.
The goal of a customer consumption gemba walk is to observe, alongside the customer, the pain that your product (and mating components or materials) may cause — pain the customer may not even recognize. By sharing this perspective, you can help the customer see and feel that pain, sparking their desire to request changes or added services that ultimately benefit both them and your company financially.
Learn about this mindset, and how to develop your own specific DFM/A practices as a value-added service and potential business opportunity within the customer consumption process.
- Learn customer consumption gemba walks
- Learn how to coach your customer
- Learn about creating your own DFM/A processes to create more business
PermagTM is a leading provider of engineered magnetic solutions through its portfolio of specialized brands—Dexter Magnetic Technologies, Electron Energy Corporation (EEC), and Magnetic Component Engineering (MCE.) With deep expertise in rare earth materials, precision magnetics, and manufacturing excellence, PermagTM delivers innovative, high-performance solutions for the world’s most demanding industries, including Aerospace, Defense, Medical, and Semiconductor. From DFARS-compliant materials and ISO-certified production to custom assemblies and rapid prototyping, our team of engineers and technical experts is ready to support your project needs. https://www.permag.com
Mike Micklewright is Vice President of Continuous Improvement at PermagTM. Mike is a results-driven, widely recognized expert in continuous improvement, lean systems and quality management. He is known for balancing quick, short-term wins with the development of sustainable, long-term continuous improvement cultures.
As a motivator and energizer, Micklewright communicates effectively across all organizational levels and inspires teams to see themselves as the primary beneficiaries of lean processes. He mentors leaders at every level, helping them streamline daily work and embrace improvement. Micklewright has led Kaizen teams and guided Six Sigma Green and Black Belts, always focused on driving profitability by eliminating waste across end-to-end processes.
His unique strength lies in integrating lean, quality management and six sigma into cohesive, effective systems that drive performance across facilities and even across borders. 
