Problem Solving Case Study | The Empty Soap Box

Summary

A cosmetics company in Japan faced a problem when a customer complained about receiving an empty soap box. After a thorough investigation, the company implemented a costly high-tech solution involving an X-ray machine to monitor the assembly line. However, a low-ranking employee proposed a simpler, more cost-effective solution—installing a fan to blow empty soap boxes off the line. This case highlights the importance of focusing on finding practical solutions rather than overcomplicating the problem, demonstrating that innovation and effective problem-solving can come from unexpected sources and simple ideas.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 'Empty Soap Box' case comes from a major cosmetics company in Japan, where a customer received an empty soap box.
• 😀 The company initially responded by identifying the exact location of the issue on the assembly line.
• 😀 They decided to implement a high-tech solution: installing an X-ray machine to monitor soap boxes for emptiness.
• 😀 Two staff members were assigned to operate the X-ray machine, ensuring no empty soap boxes passed through the line.
• 😀 Despite the resource-intensive solution, a low-ranking employee suggested a much simpler fix.
• 😀 The employee proposed installing an industrial fan to blow empty soap boxes off the assembly line, eliminating the problem.
• 😀 The fan solution was less complex, cost-effective, and efficient compared to the X-ray machine.
• 😀 The company's response to the problem highlights the importance of considering both high-tech and low-tech solutions.
• 😀 This case emphasizes that simpler solutions may often be more effective and less expensive than complicated ones.
• 😀 The incident shows that solutions can come from anyone within the organization, not just from top-level management.
• 😀 The key lesson learned is to focus on finding practical solutions rather than being fixated on the problem itself.

Q & A

What was the main issue faced by the cosmetics company in Japan?

The main issue was that customers were receiving soap boxes that were empty, leading to a complaint from a customer.

How did the company initially respond to the customer complaint?

The company quickly took action by identifying the exact location of the problem on the assembly line and conducted a thorough investigation.

What was the first solution the company implemented to address the issue?

The company installed an X-ray machine equipped with high-resolution monitors to scan the assembly line and ensure that soap boxes were not empty.

How did the X-ray machine solution work?

The X-ray machine was monitored by two staff members who would oversee the assembly line, detecting any empty soap boxes.

What alternative solution did a low-ranking employee propose?

A low-ranking employee proposed a much simpler solution: installing an industrial fan to blow any empty soap boxes off the assembly line.

Why was the industrial fan solution considered more effective?

The fan solution was significantly simpler, less complex, and far cheaper than the X-ray machine, yet it effectively addressed the problem.

What does this case teach about problem-solving?

This case teaches that it's important to focus on finding a solution rather than getting too fixated on the problem itself, and that simple solutions can sometimes be the best.

What are the advantages of the simpler solution suggested by the employee?

The industrial fan was less expensive, easier to implement, and avoided the complexities of the high-tech X-ray machine, while still solving the problem effectively.

What is the main lesson learned from this case study?

The main lesson is that sometimes simple and cost-effective solutions can be overlooked in favor of more complex and expensive ones, but these simpler solutions may work just as well.

How does this case highlight the importance of considering all possible solutions?

It highlights the importance of not limiting problem-solving to just the obvious or high-tech solutions and being open to creative, low-cost alternatives that can still solve the problem effectively.