A new source of biofuel - leather sludge

6 ways 3d printing is transforming lean manufacturing

One of the key technology trends in the manufacturing sector at the moment is 3d printing, or additive manufacturing. It has been recognised as a potential industry game changer due to its innovative nature but also because of its lean characteristics. 3d printing has the capacity to reduce waste, save time and thus save money and in a sector, which is constantly being challenged in those areas, it’s no wonder it’s garnering a lot of attention.

SEE MORE: The future of lean manufacturing

Lean manufacturing best practice and 3d printing go hand-in-hand. Manufacturing Global finds out why.

1. Easier prototyping
Prototyping in its traditional sense is a wasteful process and one that is prone to errors. It involves drilling, cutting and removing materials, which is also very time consuming and labour intensive. Furthermore, prototyping is often outsourced to a third party, which results in marked up prices and delays. 3d printing provides an alternative solution, which is less expensive, less wasteful and quicker. Manufacturers are also more likely to complete this process in-house.

2. Easier customisation
Manufacturers constantly have to adapt to changing consumer demand and the days of one-size-fits-all are behind us. 3d printing gives manufacturing companies much greater flexibility because it does not require molding and cutting like traditional methods – 3d printing machines can also be easily reconfigured so each product on the same production line can vary as needed. The ability to customize the production line allows manufacturers to diversify and meet consumer demand, while running a leaner operation.

3. Greater creativity and efficiency
3d manufacturing allows for greater flexibility and thus creativity. Due to the fact it is cheaper to ‘take risks’ and create new products, manufacturers are experimenting more, which in-turn leads to new processes, products and greater levels of innovation. 3d printing gives manufacturers creative freedom to design while still in the concept stage, before a prototype even enters the equation. As a result, they are wasting less time with trial and error, which is traditionally associated with prototyping. They also reduce the amount of materials that fall by the wayside, and they make much more efficient use of their time.

SEE MORE: How to achieve process excellence using lean and six sigma

4. Improved consistency
Once properly programmed, a 3d printer can create a consistent product time and time again. Not only does this improve product quality, but will also ensure complete efficiency along the production line.

5. Reduced lead times
Inflated lead times are anything but lean. Wasted time often results in corner cutting further down the production line, which in-turn leads to wasteful mistakes. Due to the consistent nature of 3d printing, manufacturers know what to expect and can set more accurate and reduced lead times.

6. Lower prices
Manufacturing firms are constantly under pressure to produce goods at lower prices. 3d printing makes this possible owing to a reduction in the number of steps required to see a product from concept to production. 3d printing also reduces the amount of material needed. Those savings of both time and material can be passed onto the end consumer.

Abigail Phillips - http://www.manufacturingglobal.com/

3D printer company enjoys sweet taste of success

Luxe furniture made from old bowling lanes

How to Revamp Your Small Business Website

Have you ever visited a website and were absolutely bored out of your mind?

Unfortunately, way too many small business websites are just monotonous sales brochures droning on and on about the accomplishments of the business.

Always remember that your website needs to be about your customer, not about you. Your customer doesn’t care that you received a degree from “Awesome University.” All they care about is finding a solution to their problem.

Boring, static websites are much more common than websites that work. In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that most small business owners need to do a complete overhaul of their website in order to bring it from “blah” to “ta-dah.”

The good news is that there are simple and immediate solutions that you can implement in order to keep prospects on your website and convert them to paying customers.

Here is a list of five simple and proven ways to transform your website:

1. Create a clear purpose.

When a visitor comes to your website, your purpose needs to be crystal clear. Do you want the prospect to enter their name and email into a website opt-in form? Are you trying to sell a product or service? Are you interested in educating the prospect over time? Your website should be designed to efficiently guide visitors to the information that they are seeking. It must have a clear and direct purpose.

In the overcrowded world of the Internet, you only have three seconds to capture the attention of your prospect. If your visitor is confused (even a little), they are going to leave your website in order to find a more obvious solution.

2. Highlight your benefits.

A prospect visits your site in order to solve a problem or improve their lives. It’s your job to convince them that your product or service will accomplish this. You can succeed in doing this by highlighting the benefits that your prospect will receive if they purchase your product or service.

Will your product make your prospect happier? Will it save them time? Will they be healthier or wealthier? It’s imperative that you convey to your prospect that if they purchase from you, they will receive an obvious and important benefit.

3. Keep it simple.

Time is a precious commodity in today’s world. More than ever before, your visitors are looking for a solution to their problems in a quick and timely manner. They don’t have hours to browse through your website looking for the answer.

Keep your web copy concise and to the point. You should use short paragraphs, bulleted lists and bolded and underlined text to highlight items of importance.

4. Give your visitors reasons to trust you.

As soon as a visitor comes to your site, it’s crucial that they feel that they can connect and trust you. There are a number of ways to increase the trust factor. Make sure that your contact information is prominent and easy to find.

Your website should be free from grammatical and spelling errors. Your site should have the look and feel of a well-established and successful company.

Research suggests that trust must be established for a prospect to either give you their information or make a purchase.

5. Offer something irresistible.

No matter how spectacular your website may be, we know that visitors rarely make a purchase on their first visit. In fact, it can take up to twenty-seven exposures to your brand before they’re ready to buy.

That’s why it’s essential that you capture your visitor’s name and email address so that you can continue to communicate with them.

However, you can’t just throw up a form on your website expecting your visitors to hand over their personal information.

You need to offer your visitors something irresistible in exchange for their name and email address. Ideally, it should be something they would gladly pay money to obtain. It might be an entertaining special report, educational ebook or engaging quiz. (Let’s face it, a long-winded whitepaper or subscription to your newsletter isn’t too irresistible.)

By giving away a sexy and irresistible “freebie” to your first-time visitors, you’re able to market to them over time.

There are numerous ways to keep prospects engaged in your website and convert them to happy clients and customers. If you revamp your website with a clear and specific purpose, keep things simple, create a sense of trust and offer something irresistible, you’ll soon find yourself with an abundance of new sales, clients and happy customers.

By Jessica Swanson 

Article Source: http://www.shoestringmarketinguniversity.com/revamping-your-small-business-website/

Upset customer? Stay calm

Dealing with upset customers can be difficult and frustrating. But it's important to have a plan, especially given that it's much more difficult to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing one. So what do you do when a customer is heated? First, stay calm. Listen carefully to your customers' complaints without interrupting. Then acknowledge the problem with empathy and respect. Finally, let them know what you can do by bringing all of their options to the table. Manta Media, Inc

Build a real email list

You've heard it said before - don't buy email lists. Don't go borrowing them from social media sites either. No excuses. It's bad news in the marketing world. Grow a list the old fashioned way, give something away, or hold a contest. Give customers a reason to opt-in, and boom! Your email list can compound overnight and make you the big winner. Manta Media, Inc