“Remember, big Value Analysis savings often hinge on your approach — because real people are involved, and change requires a solid, intentional strategy.”
You just found a major savings opportunity at your healthcare organization. It looks straight forward and like it will bring a slam dunk of a result, but then it goes sideways. Just because you found a big savings opportunity and mapped out what needs to be done, that does not mean it will always work in the real healthcare world. We need to consult, coach, and educate our end customers and stakeholders on the steps that need to be taken to achieve these big savings. In most cases, you need to walk them step by step through the change process. Why? Because we understand “The Ask” of what needs to happen, but when it gets down to the departmental level that may not always be the case.
Your Customers and Stakeholders Have Priorities that Come First
Remember, your department heads and managers as well as their respective teams are busy taking care of patients, working in surgical procedures, or running a laboratory, a busy emergency department, a nursing unit, etc. No matter how big an impact your value analysis project has on the health system or even their own department budgets, they have other priorities first. How do we get their attention to help us to help them to achieve these big savings?
The Consultative Approach Always Works Best
Yes, you may think that you have worked out everything as a value analysis professional but think again, those end customers and stakeholders are going to point out lots of things that you will need to work on, plus they may derail your savings train a bit. I have always found the consultative approach works best, which is to bring them into the process and how you got to “The Ask” and then enlist them to assist you with this change that needs to be made. Granted, the same customer or stakeholder you are working with can also shut down your project if they really want to. By working in a consultative manner, you can tap into their expertise and understand your customers’ departments better, and in the end, gain the results you are looking for.
Telling Someone What to Do in a Value Analysis Situation Does Not Work
I know we don’t tell our end customers or stakeholders what to do, but we do sometimes come off that way, and I guarantee they are not going to like that one bit. With a consultative approach, you can allow them to be part of the process right up front on through to the end with the big results being their results! Yes, get your ego out of the way. If you help them save big in their department, then guess what, that win is their win. Our job in VA is not to build big egos but to coach our customers and stakeholders through big wins in their respective departments and be happy with the process so much so that they will be willing to assist us repeatedly.
What Do Consultants Do Best?
One of the greatest skills I have learned in Value Analysis is the art of asking good questions. When it comes to a consultative approach, these questions assist you in bringing out great knowledge from your end customers and stakeholders. Think like Barbara Walters or Oprah Winfrey – ask questions that will get them talking in a positive manner. This way, you are not attacking them or telling them what to do. Below are a few questions that help bring out critical value analysis answers:
- How are you using this product?
- Explain to us the challenges you have with your current product.
- Help us understand what functionality the current product is not meeting.
The Bottom Line
Remember, big Value Analysis savings often hinge on your approach — because real people are involved, and change requires a solid, intentional strategy. Take a few minutes before you talk to an end customer and write up a few questions to ensure that you are covering all of your bases. Engage in a consultative manner and you and your customers win more often!
Below are some similar articles that you may find interesting.
Getting Beyond, “This is How We Always Handle Value Analysis”
Are You Taking Advantage of Your Hidden Superpower? Benchmarking Beyond Price