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Producer Customer Interface:
Use a Coordinator

A coordinator’s primary job is to manage the producer/customer linkages. For example, an expeditor is someone who focuses on ensuring adequate supplies of materials and equipment or coordinates the flow of materials in an organization. For critical processes, someone to coordinate the flow of materials, tools, parts, and processed goods can help prevent problems and downtime. A coordinator can also be used to work with customers to provide extra services. One example of a coordinator is a "case manager" who acts as a buffer between a complex process and the customer. The case manager must have the authority to get things done when the customer’s needs are not being met.




Examples of Tests of this Change

To manage patient flow, a hospital created a new position of "nurse coordinator." The responsibility of this position includes minimizing the number of visits a patient must make. Nurse coordinators look for situations where the handoffs between departments in the hospital are not smooth. This new position also created a career track for nurses who were interested in moving into administration.