Management Tips For Work Efficiency
Google Is Your Friend
You type in certain keywords and “voila”, you can find most anything you are looking for, whether information on a product or contact information for a company.
Computer Programs to Use
Microsoft Word and Excel are very common and used almost universally. Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Power Point can also come in handy. There’s also ways to do work remotely without being connected to the main work server.
Getting Something Sent To You
Not too long ago companies would send you brochures by snail-mail. Nowadays, its much more convenient to have the information sent electronically to you via email, as attachments. This way you can save it on your computer, removing desk bulk, and its more easily distributed among your colleagues in the event that they want to have a look at it themselves.
In some cases, electronic files are not available, so a fax is usually the alternative. It may be wise though, to make an extra copy of it, or even scan it to an electronic file and then save it.
Salesmen Visits
If youre investigating the different options for a product purchase (eg. Heat Exchanger), ask if there are any salesmen in your area who can perhaps come by and meet you face to face. This is convenient as they can have a first hand look at what your needs are if theres a piece of equipment involved. And make sure you inform any of your colleagues of this visit so they can also meet with the salesman if they so desire.
Email or Phone
From personal experience I have found that talking on the phone is essential for an overview and gaining background knowledge. It also serves as a way to get rapport with someone who may be far away and who you will be dealing with constantly.
Email is very handy if you only have to get a specific item of information, like a part dimension or whatever number, which is of a sensitive nature. It becomes a record, and unlike the phone, cant be misinterpreted, and avoids possible dispute down the road when the question arises: Where did that number come from? you can just forward them the email.
Retrofitting or New Equipment
There are instances when you can upgrade a piece of equipment (retrofit) with the latest technology. This is usually much cheaper than buying new equipment. However, there are times when this is infeasible and new equipment is the practical answer. In either case, get at least three different supplier quotes. And make note of the payback period for each - account for the purchase price versus the money generated or saved by that purchase.
Experience is Key
When making management decisions it is very wise to consult the advice of those workers in the company who are most experienced. They have the hands-on feel of what works.
Signatures and Authorization
It is important to cover yourself when submitting drawings or documents where dimensions/numbers have been changed. Have the proper authority sign or initial beside any dimension he or she wants to change. Dont just let them tell you to change it. As (bad) luck would have it, people sometimes forget things like this, as time goes by not too different from using email to cover your tracks.
Optimizing Parametric Studies
This is best illustrated by example. Lets say you are using two forming operations on a sheet-steel blank: a punch operation followed by a draw operation. You want to find the optimal settings of each operation to produce the best part. So to start off, you punch a small number of blanks using the standard punch setting followed by drawing those same blanks using the standard draw setting. This way if a poor quality part results after the draw operation you can adjust the punch settings to correct for it, without too much scrap. By restricting the initial number of blanks punched, you account for the risk. If however, you punch many blanks and then draw them, you will have wasted a lot of time and material if a poor quality part results.
Digital Camera
When visiting a site it is very handy to have a digital camera to record what you see. It can help facilitate decision making later when you and your colleagues have a look at the pictures. Be aware however, that some places will not allow you to take pictures for fear of leaking trade secrets.
2007 Vittorio Norman
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