Session 1 activities
ACTIVITIES · 33 MINFictional data only
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Value-add, necessary, or waste?
Drag each step from the Merrimack Freight request process into a bucket.
- Pricing analyst calculates the quote
- Coordinator re-types the emailed request into the tracking sheet
- Request waits 1-2 days in the analyst's queue
- Claims clerk checks damage photos against the delivery record
- Coordinator logs the request for the monthly compliance report
- Coordinator forwards the same email twice because the first went to the wrong team
- Answering the status question from the TMS
Estimate first
Poll before the time study. Revisit after measuring.
Of the total lead time for a quote request, roughly what share do you think is waiting (nobody working on it)?
Should we automate this?
Branching. Process: Merrimack Freight & Logistics customer request process (fictional): requests arrive by email (about 60%), web form (30%), and phone (10%) to a shared inbox. A coordinator reads each one, re-types it into the tracking sheet, decides the type (quote, delivery status, damage claim, address change, other), and forwards it to the right team. Quotes wait for the pricing analyst (often 1-2 days). Status questions are answered by the coordinator from the TMS. Claims go to the claims clerk with photos. Volume: about 45 requests a day.
The team wants to automate the 'damage claim' path end to end, including the AI deciding whether Merrimack is liable. Claims are about 3 a day, and each depends on photos, the BOL, and the customer contract. What do you recommend?
Your process
Online, after session 1.
Describe one repeatable process you own or work in (no names or confidential details). How often does it run, where does it wait, and where do errors happen?
- Frequency per week.
- Biggest wait.
- One error point.