The pandemic’s restrictions have brought innovative ways of thinking, with rejection of previously accepted concepts of manufacturing as old-fashioned.
By Positiv Director Rene Rose.
A lot has been said about the new normal. We’ve all been to a gathering (of no more than 10 … maybe 20) and been in the awkward position of not knowing whether to rub elbows, touch feet, wave or shake a hand.
The new normal takes time to get used to, but there are many positives. We’ve changed the old way of thinking and been given a fresh reset on many fronts.
For manufacturers, the new normal has brought an innovative way of thinking. The ‘we always do it this way’ crowd has taken a back seat or had a change of heart. The new normal means a lot of what we know about manufacturing is now old fashioned.
One of the big changes has been the number of workers in the factory. Suddenly you wonder why you had so many people in there at one time.
Many companies have now adopted more than one shift with fewer people on the floor at any one time. The result is extended operating hours for the company and more hours in the day available for customers to place orders and take deliveries.
Some companies have invested more heavily in smartening up their operations and now have products that can remote connect. This doesn’t have to be a costly exercise. You may already have smart products in your factory, which is just not being used to its full extent, or you may be able to upgrade or retrofit the product quite easily to something that gives you remote access. Now is the time to investigate the options available for remote access to your operations, to futureproof your business.
Virtual support is available from one of my customers, making its team of engineers available for direct contact. The team can assist customers in real time by accessing their systems remotely to install, upgrade or troubleshoot their operations.
This is a first for the company to deploy this valuable resource, at no cost to the customer, as a super-smart field-service team. As an international company it has good infrastructure, systems and support and has made its resources available to customers to help them get back to production faster and more productively.
So, how are you planning on changing your set-up in the new normal? There are lessons to be learned on every front.
I suppose it is the 20/20 vision of hindsight: you don’t know why you’ve never thought about this before.
For the most part, many of us seem slightly calmer and wiser (although perhaps slightly rounder) after the lockdowns.
One thing is certain: we have some catching up to do. My advice is to talk to your service providers and component suppliers to find out what they can offer. Many of them have come up with smart new ways of doing business and these new initiatives can benefit your production.
Restart. Rethink.
About Rene Rose and Positiv
With a fistful of experience gained in the advertising and marketing sector, Rene landed a job as a marketing manager at a multinational gear drive solution company. It didn’t seem like the dream job, but it became the love of her life. She worked her way up the ranks and in 2015 started her own company, Positiv, specialising in marketing for the manufacturing sector. Positiv takes care of large multinationals and local manufacturers.