BACK IN LATE 2007, an internal review revealed some troubling weaknesses in Meggitt Avionics' product development processes. "We had a history of not managing programmes well in terms of cost, quality and time - which was leading to customer frustrations," explains Nick Cooper, divisional head of projects and engineering at the Fareham, Hampshire-based aerospace manufacturer. "We were blaming the customer for changes to programmes and projects, rather than looking internally at our own performance in managing those changes." At around the same time, at Selective Covers, a manufacturer of customised waterproof covers for applications as diverse as swimming pools, vehicles and garden furniture, a similar review brought the realisation that on-time deliveries had slipped to 25 per cent. "Half the calls to the company were new business, the other half were complaints," recalls Debbie Knowlson, managing director of the Thirsk, North Yorkshire-based business.
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