Question

Select a "critical" business service, explaining its events, requests, and access management. Explain how you would apply the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) for the service above you have selected, and how has it changed since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer 1

One of the 'Critical' business services that I would like to explain is the preparation of spare parts information and repair instructions in the dealer aftermarket system of any Automotive manufacturer.

In terms of the Deming Cycle, the work pertaining to the preparation of information was planned based on the new Automotive products being launched in markets. With any new product project information pertaining to the market need or legal demands, an aftermarket need was identified and total hours needed to prepare the information with the actual cost was being planned. Once the project takes shape with the concept finalization, the Aftermarket needs were being proposed with respect to involvement in accessibility and serviceability areas. Once, the final parts were being decided in the project with a final development decision, the production parts were assorted as spare parts and based on the past repair information common spare parts were being assorted as 'SPARE PART YES (SPY)' and 'SPARE PART NO (SPN)'. All the SPY's were then further analyzed to propose a stocking requirement at dealerships based on the proposed demand as per the project. Further, when all the parts were released in the main development system, the spare parts were picked from there to release in the dealer aftermarket system. Once, done all the repir information of the SPY's were then analysed and uploaded in the dealer Aftermarket system. With any further changes in the spare part information after the development phase, the same was being adjusted accordingly with a minor error rate at 2%. After few months when the vehicle is on road, the repair data was analysed along with the spare part requirements and the issues were acted upon with utmost importance in order to get adjusted to the market situation.

With the arrival of COVID, the automotive sales has been down and hence there are no new planned vehicle projects being taken up for consideration. The only projects that are being considered are the one's pertaining to legal requirements (for example: Emission projects, Safety standards inside vehicle pertaining to COVID etc.).

Even if a new Legal project is being considered to be taken up, its being delayed due to procrastinating decisions by local governments. However, the only thing thats keeping this service alive is the work pertaining to improving the parts information and repair information of the old vehicles that are already on road. This work is called as 'Maintenance work'. With the ongoing COVID situation, its very hard to predict a comeback of the automotive sector and hence this situation shall continue to persist in 2021 as well.