Competition as a source of inspiration: BENCHMARKING

Continuous improvement also means integrating the best practices of others

In an increasingly competitive environment, organizations are immersed in a spiral of continuous improvement. We move toward the constant search for efficiency, time and cost reduction, refining that added value that allows us to continue competing in the market.

This search is not only found within organizations. It is necessary to have a broad-spectrum vision and focus on where others are also working successfully. In this way, we find new ideas, methods, practices, and processes that others carry out beyond the limits of our organization and that we can replicate. One way to find best practices starts first with internal observation, from which to contemplate our organization. The next step is to look outward in search of best practices; thus, we establish a comparison in which our company serves as the reference point. In this way, we will only include improvement practices.

However, to improve, one cannot be limited to seeing how competitors do things; one must go further, seeking out who is the best in the activities to be perfected, whether it is a domestic or foreign company.

The information found, analyzed, and incorporated allows for the improvement of processes, products, relationships with customers and suppliers, internal relations… In other words, the imitation of best practices should not only focus on competitors within our own sector. The comparison should be made with any company that is a leader in its sector and allows us to improve.

In the benchmarking process, companies are aware that certain information is in the public domain. Similarly, one must be aware that changes must occur constantly.

At LISDATA, we develop our projects using the SCOR methodology. The SCOR Methodology is the fundamental basis for the organized development of improvement actions in the supply chain. A good analysis without organization or method would not allow us to conclude the project with the certainty of having analyzed all relevant aspects of the supply chain.