Ultra Shine Features
Interview With an Expert - Continuous Improvement
I’m sure you’ve heard us say it before, but I’ll say it again just in case. Continuous Improvement is at the heart of what Ultra Shine does. We even have a dedicated Continuous Improvement guy, aka Khurram, Manager of Standards and Services. His role at Ultra Shine is to make us better operationally. Reduce man hours, increase performance and help make it easier on our cleaners. Check out this interview to get a glimpse into what Continuous Improvement is like in action with Khurram…
Six Sigma is a process that uses data analysis to analyze and reduce errors, increasing performance.
Can you tell me a little bit more about your role at Ultra Shine? My job is to improve the processes at Ultra Shine, whether it be more efficient, easier on the cleaners, or reducing costs. I am a big fan of Six Sigma and the LEAN process and share my knowledge with each of the customer sites. I’m always on the lookout for areas that could be improved and alerted to struggles that cleaners may be having on-site so that I can look into how we can improve the process and make it better. Once a solution is implemented and is working, I then go apply it to all the other customer sites that can benefit.
What is the most rewarding part of your role? I really enjoy problem-solving and being the driver of positive change for processes at Ultra Shine. I try to create procedures that are easier on our front-line staff and dependable. I love the poka-yoke approach which is essentially “mistake-proofing”. By eliminating or minimizing errors, we can guarantee outstanding performance. Have you noticed that you can’t hurt yourself using a microwave because once you open the door it automatically shuts off? That is the beauty of error-proofing! These are the types of improvements I try to make on sites so that our cleaners can perform error-free, meaning they are safer and do their job more efficiently with minimal things that can go wrong, including fewer defects. It’s extremely rewarding to be able to accomplish these changes.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of your role? There can be a lot of resistance to change at times. Some of our front-line staff have been cleaning for 15+ years and they’re used to those processes. They can sometimes be hesitant about changes we are implementing as it’s been working fine for years. It’s common to be unsure of something new and not know how to react. Even though something has been working fine for years, here at Ultra Shine we want to take that from fine to GREAT! Our goal is not to find shortcuts that are only good for the bottom line but implement changes that are better for the environment, easier on our front-line staff, and more efficient for our customers.
Tell me one of the projects you’ve implemented that you were most proud of. I wanted to avoid the use of harsh and unnecessary chemicals as much as possible. The use of harsh chemicals may make the job faster and more efficient but it’s not good for the environment, our front-line staff, or our customers. Even though we may flush the chemicals they’re still being exposed to our community and the environment. It may not cause a problem immediately, but it could years down the road. I started looking into alternatives and Ultra Shine can now proudly say we use eco-neutral cleaners that are better for our community and the environment!
What is one project you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about? I’m currently working on an alternative to our current process of high dusting. Currently, we require a lift to perform any high dusting jobs, but I am looking into alternatives that will eliminate the need for lifts, the risk of injuries from falls, and the time waste that comes from setting them up. I’m hoping to find an alternative that would not result in doubling work by the dust settling in the below areas. The new solution I am looking into should not only save us time and effort but also cost savings in the long run.