Mass Production to Mass Customization
Businesses in most industries move at a rapid pace, and correspondingly, they require vendors to do the same. Mass production is nothing new though of course, and this typically happens without a hitch.
But what about when a business needs to ‘productize’ a service requiring a customized end product? And more specifically, what happens when a vendor bases its business model on providing such “mass customization” to various clients? It sounds like a tricky proposition that couldn’t possibly scale quickly, right?
Well, it isn’t. Not at Heartwood, at least. Allow me to explain why.
Have you ever been to a Chipotle restaurant? If you haven’t, you should.
When you enter the store, you move through a series of limited choices. Each counter offers great (and fresh) ingredients, but with only four choices per section, you move through quickly.
Chipotle obviously put a LOT of thought into their choices – and their process. There are employees stationed along the way to help you and the whole process takes about four minutes. In an age where a sandwich order at an overwhelmed lunch spot can take 20 minutes, Chipotle is clearly on to something.
Other smart restaurant owners have taken note, recognizing its efficiency and adopted “the Chipotle model” – but its value goes well beyond the food industry.
Enter Heartwood.
Investors and customers alike often remark, “We love what you do, developing visual training for our planes (for example), BUT we have 30 unique aircraft, how are you going to customize/scale up fast? How are you going to take what you have and service each customer – make it more productized?
Inspired by the Chipotle model of excellent ingredients offered in compartmentalized series of choices. It’s entirely modular and made specifically for mass customization. We move clients through a series of modules, including:
1. What platform(s) will this training deploy on? (Web, PC, mobile, tablet)
2. What are the training objectives? Study mode? Study/practice and evaluate mode?
There’s quite a bit more, but by the end of our “training assembly line,” we’re ready to quickly and efficiently build the customer’s 3D interactive training, using our top-notch ingredients.
How large of a process can we manage this way? Reach out here to learn more.
Photo credit: pasukaru on Flickr
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