Customers are demanding better, faster, cheaper products and services. Inventories have increased, accuracy has decreased and lead times are going up.
Back orders are too high and customer service is suffering.
You're not sure which systems or techniques would best improve your product or processes, or how to determine which efforts will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Your customers talk about requiring quality certification, but you're concerned about additional cost and bureaucracy. Your competition is becoming ISO 9000 certified, but your quality projects in the past have fizzled. You talk about planning, but find yourself trying to solve yesterday's problems or today's crisis's. The computer system not only doesn't help, it seems like a money pit.