Velocity Scheduling System Reviews
I can’t believe we have already had over 500 companies go through or Velocity Scheduling System Coaching Program! Time really does fly. Who would have thought that custom job shops and machine shops could substantially improve their scheduling WITHOUT an onsite consultant?
That they could substantially improve on time delivery? That they could substantially reduce the time it takes to get a job through their shop? And to do it own their own, with customized job shop specific guidance, and with a reduction in shop chaos?
They not only read The Goal (by Eliyahu M. Goldratt), they lived it. They turned their shops around during the 14 week program. Some had a long way to go (<40% DDP), some were already pretty good (~90% DDP) when we started , but all of them can be proud of what they accomplished.
They were all skeptical when we started, but the results speak for themselves.
Here are just some of the Velocity Scheduling System reviews and testimonials. Case Studies can be found under the Blog/Testimonials tab at the top of the page. With VSS you can reduce lead-times and improve due date performance all with less chaos. Read these reviews and results for yourself:
“You have heard of the Horse Whisperer well Dr Lisa is the Job Shop Whisperer.
She has taught us to read the messages that our job shop has been communicating to us all along. Signs that our instincts and training have caused us to ignore.Many of the things this program asks us to try are counter intuitive, but I would encourage everyone to have faith and try them because the downside risk to trying them is almost nothing.
The program is well thought out. It is structured in such a way that each week you gain insights from observing what is actually happening in your shop. This weekly epiphany is great because your team becomes motivated, inspired and committed to making more changes.
It sounds too good to be true, but it works. Our due date performance is currently tracking at 100%, 3 months in to the program. Our lead times are being maintained at market expectation and we are charging a premium for times that clients want things faster. Our job shop is calm and ordered with almost no visible work in process and our scheduler has cancelled his prescription for angina tablets.
The best part about the system is how easy it is to run and manage. Our team is able to get immediate feedback when things go wrong from simple measurements. The corrective actions required are obvious and have an immediate impact which helps develop peoples understanding. We are much more focused on doing the things that matter and stopping doing the things that don’t.”
Daniel Heerding
I have been learning and utilizing lean manufacturing ideas and techniques since the late 80’s. Reading the Goal really hit home for me as an entertaining book that sent a powerful message. Over the years I have worked at several woodworking companies that have allowed me to try different ideas on improving our production processes. I have tried 5S, Kaizen Blitzes, 2-second lean along with many other types of improvements. I always leaned towards improving the flow as the most significant improvement that you can make in the facilities where I have worked. I have tried implementing many different ideas through the teams that I have put together in order to improve flow and I have achieved various levels of results. The reason for the background is that when I tell you that your system is the most impressive, all around system that I have every come across, I have over 30 years of experience implementing lean ideas and have seen much success. This system, the theory of constraints, along with all the tools you provide to monitor your progress and make improvements is by far the best all-around way to reach our goal of getting product to move smoothly and consistently through our shop.
We, as a manufacturing group, struggle today as we have to learn to change our thought processes on how we run our production through the shop. The tools you have provided make it easy to show why the decisions that we are making are not achieving the best results for us. I see us moving in the right direction, slowly but moving as a group, because of your tools and because of the guidance that you give on a weekly basis. I am fully expecting us to achieve levels of control over our production that we never imagined we could achieve.
I have seen growth and a greater understanding from myself and my team over the last several weeks. We have a long way to go but you are guiding us in the right direction.
Thank you Dr. Lisa
Tim
We saw results almost immediately! The first thing was the dramatic reduction in chaos. We used to spend every week chasing jobs that were lost or behind. Now we can see exactly where they are and when we expect them to finish. We also experienced a significant increase in the amount of work we complete on a weekly basis, nearly doubling our throughput. Thank you, Dr. Lisa!
Bob – Michigan
Exceeded expectations!! Admittedly, I was a skeptic. How could a manual program help a company schedule and execute hundreds of work tickets at a time? Certainly, such a program would be overwhelmed! The only thing overwhelmed is how pleased I am with results of the Velocity Scheduling System! Does this sound familiar? We would flood our plant floor with urgent work tickets. Tickets would get started and then sit around for, maybe, weeks. Parts were made would get lost . . . thrown out? Completed part counts were wrong. Work tickets marked as complete . . . weren’t. And, the list of woes could go on. Each and every one of these phenomenon were quickly solved with the Velocity Scheduling System. We now have complete control over our plant. Our work tickets are able to be tracked and product can be easily located in the plant. We know when a work ticket is done and the quality with which each ticket is completed is better than in our company’s history! Work tickets are completed faster and with more accuracy than ever could have been imagined. The plant loves working with the Velocity Scheduling System and strives to get work tickets completed on time and with great quality. It has brought us together as a team! It took Dr. Lisa to bring to the plant floor with great clarity what Eli Goldratt was really trying to get us to understand in “The Goal”. Great job, Dr. Lisa!! We are completely thrilled with our results!!
Gary Arkin
“Lead-time through the shop reduced 50-75%!” Read full story here: Injection Molding Shop
Paul Steck
“We would certainly recommend the VSS Program. It is a useful tool for implementing order in a chaotic job-shop. The best thing about the VSS Program is that it’s PRACTICAL. One doesn’t just get taught a lot of theory. Right from the onset, trainees are given practical tasks to implement in their job shop.
Before starting the VSS Program our factory operated without a proper job flow. There was no clear order to how jobs were prioritized when they entered the factory – nor on their lead times.With the implementation of VSS, we now have a clear VISUAL SYSTEM on what jobs are currently being worked on, which department they are in and how long the job has been in the ”system”. We also have the tools to better plan job priority orders.
Additionally, we are also now able to gather and analyze data concerning our factory, better.”
Adar Segev
The VSS Coaching Program has provided a level of transparency for all the steps/activities involved in our shop. With this, we have increased are on-time performance by 20% while increasing our throughput by more than 34% (actual jobs completed on the floor). This system has also improved accountability, communication, are forecasting for all of our work. We also have benefited from the metric and planning tools to better track and manage our workload.
Brian Bunch
“From when our company started tracking each facilities on time performance, we have led with an average of 98%. So I was skeptical that VSS was going to make much of a difference for us. I was (very) wrong with my vision of the limited possibilities. This program has transformed our production from a ”Pushing” to a ”Pulling” flow through our shop. We have changed from a shop, with individual departments and brought us together as a Team. The communication across the floor, the focus on work and where attention is needed, problem solving, quality and Volume have all improved. And all of it has come with a whole lot less stress. We have been researching and trying other ideas and programs, each with some level of success but Dr. Lisa’s program and personal support has given us the results that we have been looking for. Thank You Dr. Lisa.”
James G. McClelland, Robinson Fans
“We have seen a much improved process flow through the shop. Scheduling has been simplified and easier to manage. Our overall throughput has increased.”
Myron Baker, Robinson Fans
“We are a small manufacturing company with +/- 20 employees. We thought we had a system that worked until our sales increased dramatically and we experienced difficulty getting the jobs completed and shipped. We just couldn’t get the work out fast enough to make a profit. Although we have some fine tuning to do with our Velocity System, shipping has increased, we are able to see and address our issues right away, and everyone in every department seems to like the visual system. This visual system helps us maintain consistent and reliable communication regarding our jobs by showing where they are at any time in the process. The added bonus is our entire team working together on the same goal and that is priceless.”
KATHY OPATIK
“Prior to the start of the program, there seemed to be constant stress in trying to balance the work load and meet delivery times. Now, after completion of the program, we are nearly caught up with all work that was behind schedule and much better positioned to meet an increase in demand through an increase in available capacity. Our operations are very complex and the work we are required to perform can very greatly, however, we are able to attain our objectives without much of the ”panic” or chaos that was present before. We have a solid base established that we can continue to improve and perfect as we grow our business! Thanks Dr. Lisa!”
Shane Pence, Manufacturing Manager
“We increased our velocity of jobs getting though our shop. it has helped point out many flaws in our shop that where previously getting hidden or overlooked to help increase productivity.”
Marcus Ellis
“We finished off our fiscal year end 10/31….. could have never turned things around w/out the VSS.!!!!!! We finished the year in the black because ‘the board’ helped us focus on FINISHING! The last 6 months also saw a serious improvement in on time delivery, and an increase in the volume of orders thru our building… No job gets lost in the shuffle no matter how longs its in the building… THANK YOU!”
“Dr. Lisa, Thanks to your program Velocity Scheduling System we have improved Delivery times, reduced rework, improved team work, improved cash flow, and it has really impressed our customers with such a planning system they can actually follow the progress of their job as it progresses threw the shop. The reduction in chaos has to be one of the best benefits to the program. No more putting out fires all the time. The proper planning and scheduling has really improved this aspect of our operation. This would be great for any shop to consider…….as long as it’s not my competition! Thanks again and we are looking forward to the Mafia Offer Program next Month.”
Vint
“After trying different solutions, included expansive scheduling software with years of implementation required, we finally found a system which delivers what promised! We reduced dramatically (about 30%) our already good manufacturing lead times, have a stable and reliable schedule and everybody in the plant knows what to work on at any point in time. There are so many great things about the VSSC but the key is that it’s really fun and easy to implement because it engages the organization as a whole. Thanks Dr. Lisa!”
Alessandro Bernacchia Manufacturing Manager
“Since the introduction of Velocity Scheduling System, we’ve seen an average of 5 jobs ship per week, which was about 1 every two weeks prior to the VSS Coaching (that’s 10 X more job done). Our backlog has gone from an average of 55 jobs to around 20 (while sales remained constant). We’ve also reached 100% on-time performance for all new jobs booked since the VSS Coaching began. Another benefit realized is a steadier invoicing outflow and cash inflow.”
Rick Lightcap
“Overtime has been reduced by 75% while increasing OTD to 95% through this period…”
Steve Fleissner
“We decreased the time it takes to get a job to get thru the shop. Using the visual scheduling board gives all the employees a chance to see what is going on.”
John Popescu
“This is the best system for manufacturing that I’ve encountered… Trust me I have seen and implemented many JIT, Lean Six Sigma systems in the past and this is the best…. Dr. Lisa, the creator and facilitator of the program, is top notch.”
Luis Fernandez, Schlumberger
“The Velocity Scheduling System has become the centerpiece of our tool shop. The simplicity of administration and visual nature of the system has been received well by the shop. Jobs are finishing faster and deliveries are improving thanks to the VSS Coaching Program.”
Eric
“Shipping more, less chaos and better cash flow!”
Danny Elsas
“Before starting the Velocity Scheduling System our on time delivery was about 68%. After implementation of the system we’re currently running at 100% OTD. The velocity board has been a great tool that provides visibility not only to myself but everyone in the shop. Daily 5 minute meetings keep everyone informed of how jobs are running and if there any problems. This system has been a great help and we are very happy with the results.”
Richard Pothier
“After completion of the course our on-time delivery has improved from 68% to 95%. Using the VSS principals our goal is 100% by year end!”
Tim Merrifield
“Dr. Lisa has provided us with a flexible shop “Operating System” that has provided many benefits to both our engineering and production departments. Chaos is down; visibility and speed through the shop are up. This allows management to make clearer decisions for both product planning and overall corporate strategy. I would definitely recommend the Velocity Scheduling System to other shops that know that they should be doing better. Dr. Lisa has the experience to show you how.”
Clinton
“Identifying bottlenecks and decreasing work in process definitely helped improve throughput.”
Kirk
“The program has helped reduce the chaos in our shop. The communication has dramatically improved to help the work flow through the shop.”
Overton Industries
“Velocity Scheduling is an amazing program. It teaches you about your process, helps you find out what are the major issues and focuses on one common goal for everyone, improving flow.”
Luis
“Our business has suffered from low sales for a number of months. A business review recommended that we install a visual job scheduling system that could be understood and implemented by the shop floor employees. The VSS system satisfied this admirably. The large display is very clear and it is obvious to see the jobs that are progressing, delayed, late, etc. It has changed the focus to completing jobs rather than starting jobs that then progress slowly because of the backlog of work in process. The supervisors were doubtful at first about whether this system would work but were willing to try it out to achieve some improvements. The reduction in time required to complete a job has now been translated into our quoting system so that I can quote a lower number of hours to complete the task, hence a lower price for the customer which gives more sales and a higher throughput. More improvements will happen as our sales increase. Do I want to give away my competitive advantage and tell other shops of how to achieve more work faster? – Not likely!”
Rob Mantach
“Increase Productivity, Flow AND Delivering Faster than Anyone Expected!” <- click to read full story
David Meares
“I have seen a serious improvement in the past two months for on Time Delivery, and less chaos thru out the Shop. We have cut our “Work In Process” by 40% as far as I can tell and no Job is getting lost in the shuffle no matter how long it’s on the floor. So as you can see we have a way to go, but I know we are on the right track.”
Ralph
“Upon implementing the VSS, we noticed the following benefits: reduced WIP by more than 50%, learned we can do more with much less, and we increased visibility for project management and production that has led to a reduced cash flow cycle and happier customers! I recommend the VSS for any job shop that struggles with managing schedules, inventory, and chaos within the manufacturing environment. If you sign on with Dr. Lisa, she will give you the tools you need to get it under control and achieve outstanding results. Thank you, Dr. Lisa!”
Matt Groves
“Dramatic increase in on-time delivery, dramatic reduction in chaos. The shop floor personnel really seem to like the system. Involving the entire work force really improves the quality and quantity of solutions to a given problem.”
Profile Grinding, Inc
“All the Velocity boards are up and running. For the very first time in the history of Bent River we delivered a “new to the world” designed machine in the nanno technology industry ahead of schedule and to budget. We have never done a project of that scope that well before. It only benefited by about half its life under Velocity, and it still made a REAL difference! Thank you!”
Norela Harrington
“Since we are a custom shop, our biggest fear was not being able to fit into the ”cookie cutter” way of manufacturing. Dr Lisa’s Velocity Scheduling System taught us how to slow things down to speed them up and our processes have improved significantly! Where there once was chaos now there is a system that everyone can follow. We would highly recommend this program to any shop wanting to improve their performance. Thank you Dr Lisa!”
Randy Mullikin
“We have seen improvement in many areas while using this Velocity Scheduling System. The most powerful changes brought on from this: Closing jobs completely & having visibility of areas that are sitting and waiting on processing. By utilitizing the board, we have a better understanding of WIP and are able to minimize much of the headache that comes with TOO MUCH WIP. GREAT NEW FOR US ! As the VP of McAllister Tool & Machine, I would recommend this system to any company–large or small. If you ever want to use me as a reference for other companies looking to use this system, I will be more than happy to close the deal for you!”
Wendell McAllister
“The VSS system is so much more than a scheduling system. It touches on many different aspects of running a business. The program made us think about how we prioritized work and how we manage different customers. VSS really is a process for ongoing improvement.”
Joseph
“Our overdue orders were mainly due to jobs being overlooked. We have so many different parts that it is hard for one person to keep track. With VSS we’ve incorporated Detail planning and a Visual Vss Board so that jobs will no longer get overlooked.”
Chuck Garrett
“We have an interesting challenge in that we are a custom job shop but are now adding some production that has annual requirements for 100,000 piece runs, and those runs will take a cell with 1 CNC lathe and 2 CNC mills at minimum running 20 hours each day. The rest of the shop changes over every other day or so. We use a modified version of the “Velocity Scheduling System” and have improved our on time delivery by 20% and our profit by 100%.”
Keith Garrison
“We have found the Velocity Scheduling System to be very helpful in reducing the chaos in our shop and improving communication across all departments and shifts.”
Matt Goss, EIMCo
“Fantastic program which provided our business the leadtime reduction we were looking for. As a result, we have reduced our production costs/unit by 40%!”
Greg Culley, Typac
“VSS has provided us with an orderly, systematic, and visual way to manage the workload in our shop. By focusing on fewer jobs, we are able to give them greater attention and move them through the shop at an accelerated pace. We are seeing that the performance measurements introduced to us in VSS are all trending in a favorable direction. The brief meetings that we hold daily at the Velocity Board allow us to effectively communicate critical information about our jobs. They help us identify the causes of disruptions to our work flow.”
Jim Dull, Arizona
“We achieved reduced lead times and increased throughput, as well as, improvement in productivity. VSS also worked very well from a management standpoint with regards to the employees being more involved in the production decisions, not just ”go and do that job” but they see why they need to get that job done now and I feel they have more ownership in the company.”
Don Cornwell
“VSS changed everything for us. VSS became the new language of our business and changed our focus to a systematic process to improve job flow which resulted in better plant communications, delivery performance and cost reductions.”
Ron Peuterbaugh, Joint Production Technology
“VSS has proven to be catlyst for culture change allowing us to instill more discipline and control in our complex machining environment. We have eliminated 2 separate “production expedite meetings” and the chaos of the past has essentially been eliminated. Our WIP has been reduced by 60%, orders are being released on or near scheduled dates, and production “splits” have been eliminated along with the paperwork nightmare associated with it. Now we can visually see where our bottlenecks are so adjustments can be made, and our people are more engaged with the throughput activity. We had to modify the System somewhat due to the uniqueness of our business, but Dr. Lisa gave us good advice on the way forward to make it work for us. Thanks Dr. Lisa for developing such a robust, yet flexible, approach to controlling our shop and meeting customer demand.”
Jim Wehri, True Position Technologies, Inc.
“The VSS System has facilitated operational visibility in terms of our WIP levels, throughput, and due date performance. Thanks Dr. Lisa.”
Bill, President, Texas.
“Our overdue orders were mainly due to jobs being overlooked. We have so many different parts that it is hard for one person to keep track. With VSS we’ve incorporated Detail planning and a Visual Vss Board so that jobs will no longer get overlooked.”
Karin Carlson
“We have seen improvement in many areas while using this Velocity Scheduling System. The most powerful changes brought on from this: Closing jobs completely & having visibility of areas that are sitting and waiting on processing. By utilizing the board, we have a better understanding of WIP and are able to minimize much of the headache that comes with TOO MUCH WIP. GREAT NEWS FOR US !”
Wendell McAllister, McAllister Tool & Machine, Inc
“Even as a small shop I found it difficult at times to keep the working flowing properly so we could meet our deliveries. Now we have everyone involved and with controlling our WIP and making sure that we have our full –kit issues resolved we find that jobs flow thru our shop a whole lot quicker and we have less fires to put out. I’d definitely recommend the program.”
Bob Cannon, Cannon Machine Products, Inc.
“We had an on time delivery of 92%. We went to VSS looking for improving our scheduling and visibility of orders through the shop. We wanted a way to improve work through our constraints. VSS gave us a discipline to follow, follow the board. Previously we would have operators stay in their different machine areas no matter what the date was on their order was. Now we will pull people from their areas and put them to the next order they can work on. VSS also improved our communication not only to the shop in our 5 minute meetings on each shift, but also through out the day when supervisors, operators, managers can look at the board and discuss what needs to be done and when. Through the POOGI process we have started to look at what caused us to go into the red zone and gives us a tool to review monthly what the number one contributor was and work at ways to eliminate.” Read full story here: Chicago Metallic
BOB T., CHICAGO METALLIC CORPORATION
“We increased our speed dramatically. Thanks to VSS we sell 80% more than before – within two month! Due date performance grew from about 60% to nearly 100%.”
Nils Peters, ALTONA S.A.
“The biggest single impact was saw was the improved flow through our shop. The flow improvement along with emphasis on finishing rather than starting got us from jobs being in our shop from an average of 15 days down to about 4 days on average.”
Eric B., A TO Z Machine Company Inc.
“We have reduced the time that it takes for a job to go through the shop. It helped us get control of the schedule, by reducing the scramble of jobs in the shop. Now we do them in order and everyone in the company knows when to expect a job to be worked on and ready to ship.”
Steve, WI.
“When we started the VSS we had no unit of mesure and no control for work order release and WIP was pretty high. VSS really helped us to control all those aspects of production. We are seeing production out-put increase with the same amount of operators and a better view and control of our release.”
Director of Production, Plasticon Canada, Inc.
“One of the first things that it does is forces you to look at and change your behaviors. We have been scheduling based on what we see, mentally, right in front of us. This creates daily fire drills. The system forces us to change this behavior. I also like how the system is so visual and you cannot miss it walking by.”
ERP Coordinator, Century
“We started this process with a seemingly insurmountable task of delivering a huge amount of product in a short period of time without any let up in our schedule for the foreseeable future. We were having serious cash-flow issues that were affecting our progress and our on-time delivery was beginning to suffer greatly. Since working with the VSS, we have seen dramatic improvements in our throughput and velocity of jobs through our shop and we are successfully hitting our customers due date targets. Our cash-flow has improved dramatically and no longer poses a threat to our business. We are a custom job shop servicing the space craft industry with an extreme high-mix, low-volume model. The VSS Program is the perfect solution for scheduling and managing these very complex projects. Thank you Dr. Lisa!”
Bob D., California
“Substantially reduced chaos on the floor and provided us with a proven process to schedule and operate under. We have seen improvements in order flow, Due date performance, cash flow and constraints. We look forward to continued success as further implement this process and gain greater understanding utilizing a targeted and integrated process improvement plan. Thanks Dr Lisa!”
Keith B., PA
“I think the biggest impact we have seen is the improvement in our backlog/past due orders – overall we have reduced our past due days over 65%. We also have significantly less waste in terms of production hours because we are all working on the right stuff at the right time. The simple visual system makes it easy to identify what we need to be doing.”
Adam Gold, Dimensional Group
“The biggest improvement we have seen is with reduced daily chaos. We are focusing more on finishing jobs and not just getting others started. Our deliveries have improved greatly and our reputation in the industry is starting to change (for the better). Would recommend VSS to anyone in manufacturing, even if you your deliveries are 100%, this program will help you in many other areas of your business!”
Bruce (Ohio)
“When we read Dr. Lisa’s “9 Challenges to Scheduling” paper, we knew we were in the right hands. Our business suffered from the same list of root cause issues, as did customer service. The Velocity Scheduling system not only gave us an organized system for daily shop management, but it is driving improvements. We have seen substantial improvements to delivery, and are well on our way to throughput gains as we move forward. I highly recommend this program to businesses that want to develop a competitive advantage.”
Stephen Fitchett
“I submit to you that there no software system capable of managing the schedule for a job shop optimally. In fact it is easy to be distracted with the idea that software will fix your issues, when the key to a good scheduling system is execution of a good system (not software that is). If you are looking for a true scheduling system that will “fill the holes” let me recommend Dr. Lisa Lang. She helped us install a true scheduling system that lead to significant productivity gains. What’s great is that her system will utilize any of the aforementioned software systems. It’s inexpensive and if you can spare 15 minutes watch her webinar and see if her theories don’t rock your world. https://www.velocityschedulingsystem.com/ “
Posted by Tra Willbanks on LinkedIn
“We are amazed how fast jobs can move through our shop. We have reduced our WIP by 70% and cash flow has improved. Prior to VSS, we would make customer shipments in spurts. Now we ship something every day. We are still working to become more proficient with VSS, but we are very happy with our results so far.”
David Dysinger
“The most impressive aspect of this programme is the speed at which it delivers results. The improvements can be seen and charted within a matter of a few short weeks. Compared to other systems I have worked with in the past, it was simple to implement and understand and has dramatically reduced the daily firefighting activities. As the majority of what we produce is bespoke, there was some skepticism at first, however it has worked well for us and we would recommend to others.”
Victoria – MD, UK
“Using VSS we are now able to offer delivery dates to our customer and actually meet those dates, ahead of schedule! The jobs move in and out of our repair shop faster than ever and the process overall is highly more efficient. Our productivity ratio has sky rocketed, allowing us more time for necessary cross training. We have learned were our weaknesses are, how to track them and correct them.”
Ace
“When we started the program, we believed that our WIP had been significantly reduced through years of implementing lean ideas. We thought that we were going to improve our shipping performance and control on the shop floor. After implementing the VSS program, we are finding that not only have we reduced our WIP by half, but we feel as if there is still opportunity to reduce it further. With all the tools provided we are confident that we can make good decision on continued growth and control over our WIP and our performance to our customers. Dr. Lisa is a well-rounded consultant able to give advice with little information and watch progress through the weekly reporting. Offering additional advice as the results dictate a change in direction. She is good at giving advice, gently nudging your team forward or pushing harder as the situation calls for it. I know that we are in a much better place with the ability to control the results from our shop, and fully expect us to continue to improve through the tolls provided in the program. I would recommend this program to small and medium sized custom shops as a way to easily set expectation, see results and maximize your output.”
Tim – IL
“In researching a scheduling system for our large job shop, VSS was the only system that I could find that didn’t rely on a software package. I knew that an MRP system would require a significant amount of labor to maintain just the system. The fact that it is based on the Theory of Constraints was also a selling point. We did see immediate results when we took the first step to reduce our WIP levels. Dr Lisa really took the time to guide us in setting up our Velocity system. I was at first leery of trying to implement a system online with no site visits. However, Dr Lisa’s level of expertise is significant, she was able to talk us through a complex issue. We recently set a record level of production per day this past month which is exciting as we had several downtime issues to overcome. I was able to show Senior Executives the impact these different events had on our performance by just showing them the Velocity Board. Just prior to launching the Velocity System we completed a value stream map in one of our smaller production departments. Having completed most of those actions, we saw how the Velocity System significantly added to the improvements. We went from 24 hours of cycle time to just 5 hours. Productivity improved 30% as well. Another benefit is that it is visual. In just minutes I can see the status of the whole plant. Using the travelers I can capture real time data that didn’t exist before. Solid actions are developed and we have data to show the improvements. I definitely recommend the Velocity Scheduling System. It is a great process, and much like lean you have to put the work in, it isn’t just about training.”
Jon Hultquist, M&M Manufacturing
Our shop has improved our lead-time to our customers by more than 75%. We went from 18 days to less than 5 days on average. We substantially reduced all the material sitting around in our manufacturing area reducing handling and improving quality. And certainly, these improvements have resulted in more profit! Dr. Lisa and team responded quickly to help us customize the VSS system to our business.
Troy Parker, Sr. Director of Operations, Mission Bell, CA
We have many parts and many constraints with machinery, personnel, talent, complex parts, many, many part numbers, all of which are drastically different. Therefore, we didn’t really believe that the system would be applicable to a company like ours. Velocity Scheduling is an organized way to simplify the operations of the shop and simplify priorities. The best part is that it forces a company to recognize real problems, whatever they might be, and deal with them. The amount of WIP and chaos in general has been reduced substantially and we are finally chewing through our huge backlog. The financials are steady in the wake of all this change, which is a positive. We need to add capacity to get there, as well as make improvements in other areas, but the system has enabled the company to be successful. We have no doubt that the system is beneficial.
Rob, Thermoplastic Manufacturer
Thank you! VSS has been helpful and eye opening for our company. We have seen a reduction in our lead time and the velocity board has helped our teams understand exactly what needa to be done on a daily basis. We look forward to seeing more success as our company keeps utilizing VSS for all future operations.
Custom Furniture Manufacturer
We started VSS training without having a good baseline on our productivity. We were being reactive instead of proactive in how we prioritized work. After two months, our productivity has increased significantly, backlog has been reduced, and employees feel more in control of our daily output. I highly recommend VSS training and Dr. Lisa’s guidance.
Bruce in Virginia
The team is still working diligently to deploy the VSS principles and bring the entire employee base along. The most exciting part of what we’ve done is reduce the chaos on the floor, provide order to the work, and improve communication to all team members about what needs to be worked first. The second benefit we’ve seen right away is how critical full kit is to flow through the shop. Thank you for bringing order to our shop.
Ashley Brinegar, VP Quality and Technology, HPMG Manufacturing Group
We got exactly what we needed out of this program, including a 20% productivity boost almost immediately after reducing our WIP. The concepts were easy to understand and the program gave us the structure and discipline to put everything in place and make it stick. Beyond the productivity gains, everyone really enjoys the improved schedule visibility. Thanks Dr Lisa!
Reggie Gagnier, Chief Operations Officer, Hews Company LLC
Typical results for the Velocity Scheduling System include: 1. substantial improvement in due date performance; 2. substantial reduction in lead-time; and 3. improved communication and reduced chaos. How substantial depends on where you start, but typical results are to achieve over 95% due date performance, time through the shop cuts in half, and of course there is no measurement for chaos but participants have reported improvement in communication and a reduction in chaos. None of the people who provided testimonials were compensated for doing so. You should know that you may not get these results and you could lose money by investing in this program and not getting results, however this is not our experience. See our Earnings Disclaimer.
