Introduction to Kaizen

Visit to ‘To You’ and an introduction to Kaizen

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit the ‘To You’ depot for a tour of their facilities – where we received an introduction to Kaizen. This experience was not only enlightening but also reinforced the importance of continuous improvement in all aspects of our own operations.

Kaizen philosophy

Our hosts, CPM, are committed to using Kaizen philosophies in their planning sessions. These Kaizen meetings, held quarterly, bring together representatives from CPM, Granby, To You, and HH Global. These sessions are dedicated to reviewing what has worked well, identifying challenges, and collaborating on solutions to enhance our processes.

As someone who was new to the concept of Kaizen, our Client Services Manager, Kayleigh Scott, found the session particularly relevant and beneficial to our work.

“CPM introduced us to the concept of Kaizen, which was new to me, although we have previously held similar meetings focused on improvement and lessons learned,” Kayleigh said.

CPM explained Kaizen as a philosophy of ongoing, systematic improvements rather than one-time efforts. This approach emphasises making small, positive changes over time to achieve long-term success.

Collaboration

At Granby, we are involved in numerous collaborative activities, such as the ASDA project. Where multiple parties work together to ensure that weekly orders are printed, collated, dispatched, and delivered to all stores on time. Maintaining good communication and listening to each other’s challenges is vital for identifying areas for process improvement. By adopting Kaizen principles, we can continuously enhance our processes and outcomes, ensuring sustained growth and efficiency.

Granby and Kaizen

At Granby, we believe the concept of Kaizen can be applied to numerous areas within our organisation. While operational efficiency is always a key focus, customer service, supply chain management, and quality control can also greatly benefit from continuous improvement practices. This approach aligns with our company values of being solution-focused, collaborative, and supportive.

“At Granby, we inherently embrace the principles of Kaizen, even if we don’t always label it as such,” Kayleigh added. “Our focus on continuous improvement and marginal gains is evident in all aspects of our operations, from enhancing processes to fostering a supportive and people-focused environment.” At Granby we are committed to ongoing learning and development, ensuring that we naturally strive for Kaizen in everything we do.

Small positive changes

By making small, positive changes over time, we can achieve significant improvements in our operations, customer service, and overall efficiency. Kayleigh is excited to see how we can further integrate Kaizen into our daily practices.