One smart Italian
Last week I mentioned the contribution Vilfredo Pareto made to economics, and indeed, to the world in general. It turns out that he was not a one hit wonder. No, he had a second hit. (Maybe there are more but I didn't bother looking). Very soon after the Pareto Principle, young Vilfredo came up with his Pareto Efficiency. What's that you say? I'm glad you asked!
The Pareto Efficiency expounds the notion that in a perfectly efficient system you cannot improve something without making something else worse. Immediately you can see what a dilemma this would be for the professional service manager.
In any workshop or service organisation there is a limited amount of resources; if not in parts and consumables, certainly in skilled, certified workmen. How do you ensure that by improving one area of your service activities you are not consigning another to the dark, disappointing realms of apathy and forgetfulness?
You may smile and think to your self that no professional would allow him or herself to become prey to such behaviour, but consider my encouragement earlier this month to focus on your lubrication programs. To be exact, I have actually suggested that you give your lube programs the highest priority when it comes to your PM schedules. Is it possible, that by giving such hedonistic love to lubrication that the remaining poor cousins of PM will suffer neglect?
If you read the link above you would have seen that hand in hand with the Pareto Efficiency is the Pareto Improvement. In fact, the Pareto Efficiency is almost impossible to attain, but luckily, the Pareto Improvement can be a thing of joy. Take my assertions on lubrication as an example.
My previous weeks encouragement to prioritise towards your lubrication programs may be easily enunciated by Vilfredo himself. Get your lubes right and you will enjoy a pareto improvement.
Posted by
Mark Chimes