I was asked to lead a workshop in the sales order department of a manufacturer that we had helped with process improvement on the factory floor. Those efforts had positively reverberated across the company in the form of fewer late and expedited orders. Still, sales order employees were wondering why we were picking on the order department. “Why don’t you just stay in the factory where the problems are?” asked Harry, the order department manager.

“Yes,” I responded, “there are still many opportunities in the factory. But can we take a quick walk through a sales order to watch the process?” With some reluctance, Harry agreed, but offered, “There’s really not much to see. This is office work; we’re not building anything.”

I didn’t attempt to dispute, but thought to myself, “Yes, you are, you’re building the order that the factory needs to produce the product.”

“Well, let’s go see,” I said. “Can we start with the last step in the process?”

Off we trekked to the sales order entry, Harry still protesting that there would not be much to see: “She’s just keying in orders.”

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