Process Assessment and Redesign

LSI will establish a representative benchmark of current performance levels across the Retailers' store operation which can then be analyzed against industry best practice and process improvement frameworks to identify opportunities for improvement.

This information is obtained from existing data, observation and interviews with key staff. Typically LSI will focus on 5 main areas of store operations - (i) product handling, (ii) customer service, (iii) store organization and conditions, (iv) merchandising processes, (v) store administration and HR - as these present the greatest opportunities for improvement.

5S and Six Sigma

To address each area a team is formed comprising both LSI and the Retailer's staff which LSI will lead through a staged approach to reach the desired improvement goal. Where appropriate, LSI employs improvement frameworks such as 5S and Six Sigma to help the teams identify and crystallize improvements.

5S is a structured, disciplined process that has seen efficiency improvements range from 5 to 20% in certain work areas. Frequent Retail areas where 5S has been implemented include checkout/cash wrap, service desk, cash office, receiving & replenishment, and back stock/storage. Similarly LSI has successfully utilized Six Sigma to improve quality and reduce errors in receiving, processing and stocking tasks, as well as scanning/bagging operations at the check stand.