The activities of supplying Products - and their Sectors and Processes usually require supporting and post supply Services, which are also subject to the principles and methods of Lean Change.

Within the work of creating and supplying Services, and associated Supply Chains, Lean principles can be applied within each of the operations, functions and processes of these Sectors (links below relate to the relevant discussion Forum area), which include:-

- Business Services
- Education
- Financial Services
- IT
- Healthcare
- Leisure
- Logistics and Distribution
- Media and Publishing
- Non-Profit
- Property
- Public Sector
- Retail
- Telecommunications
- Trade – Import and Export
- Transport
- Travel
- Other Services (not listed above)

The business of creating and making Products, often through warranty and product lifecycle issues, has associated opportunity for Lean in supply Services - Sectors and Processes.

The in-depth use of Lean has been much slower through Services – Sectors and Processes, than in the Sectors creating Products.  The take up has been sluggish due, in part, to the relative difficulties (but not impossibilities)  in comparing pricing on a like for like basis, which has delayed the drive due to open competition.  This has now been accelerated in retail related services with the internet driving cost comparision more openly and easily.

The general ability to understand how to apply Lean in processes, which is often not as easy to quickly visualise (and so is less tangible), has in the past been low.

Finally some Sectors, particularly financial ones such as Insurance and Banking, have initially followed a management trend for Six Sigma approaches, but are now increasingly significantly adopting, or switching entirely to, Lean Change methods to yield results, which are sustained and business wide with involvement.

The opportunity is great to move ahead quickly, beyond the competition, in your Sector in these areas particularly.

To help set sights and stretching, but realistic, targets it is important to use Benchmarking and Exemplars.

Visit the applicable section of the Forum for further support and to see what others are saying.  You can share your views and participate with others by joining the LeanChange Forum.