The Power of Indirect Influence

For the most part, that’s all you have as a Quality Manager. Indirect influence simply means you keep your goal in mind and take some action other than dealing directly with the person or group whom you wish to influence. Our power is to show them rather than tell them. Researching methods and ways to save your company money can be a chore but the “fruits of the labor ” will definitely make an impact.

Show your company how they will save or prosper

When the company can visualize how “green” will benefit them financially, the call to action will be expedited.

Project idea 1: Go Paperless

Paperless can be a difficult change for the older generation but once implemented and proven, it will become second nature. Start simple, automate your documents. Depending on what programs you have, this could be the cheapest change. I can talk about three programs I know and love:

Microsoft Word

• Microsoft Word has a built in “Developer” tab that applies macros such as check blocks, calendar field, signature block, and many more. Find it in File>Options>Customize Ribbon>Choose commands from>All Tabs
• Many document creators use the underscore (_)to create the writing field, a tip for those that do is to instead use tables. From there, the table borders can be edited leaving the bottom border to give the underline experience that can be written on without altering the document.
• “Review” allows the document creator to lock in the form to specific macro-enabled fields.
• The Draw option allows documents to be signed with a stylus or finger utilizing touch screen devices.

Adobe Acrobat Pro

• Word Forms can seem a bit unprofessional and in the Government realm .pdf is more secured.
• Once converted to .pdf Adobe Pro gives the option to “PDF Form” in the create tab.
• With a little work, the document can be fully automated. There are third party applications that will allow different macros such as calendars, submit tabs, etc.
• Complete with digital signatures the document can be locked and secured ensuring a binding document.

Adobe Livecycle

• This is the advanced version of Adobe Pro. The additional macros that may have been needed for Pro are available and look more professional (such as the calendar)
• Older .pdf can be altered if the Word version is not available.

Printing documents and forms for the sake of printing or aesthetics can become a real drain on profitability. An article written on cost of printing stated that an average of 1-3% of annual revenue is wasted on this practice. Take baby steps, start automating your section and prove its worth through cost savings analysis. I am a contractor for the U.S. Government with over 31 sites in my quality purview and I literally haven’t printed a document for two years now.

Implement a Share Drive

Regardless if your a small business or a large corporation, you can implement a share drive for all employees to operate through. My company issues us a Microsoft Office 365 account, but we were not able to contribute to main server. What I did was use the OneDrive application within 365 to create the QMS. Once Shared everyone had a link to either contribute to or draw from.

There are many Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) and Point of Sale Systems (POS) out there to include:

• SAP
• Oracle
• NetSuite
• Microsoft Dynamic
• Sage
• Square
• Vend
• Lightspeed

One can choose to keep the system Standalone (meaning you will have your own server and limited networking) or Cloud based which would allow your company to be worldwide. When you have an ERP, POS, or Share Drive that is cloud bases, many options will be at your disposal. From small like having customer’s receipt sent to an email, to having customers sign for products, or as large as watching their interest on a profile custom dashboard in real time.

Ways these systems help you go paperless

Share Drive	ERP	POS
Collaboration Effort can be done online	Dashboard can replace reports	Receipts can be emailed
Policies and Procedures don’t have to be printed	Policies and Procedures don’t have to be printed	Orders taken digitally
Files can be scanned in or .pdf and stored	Files can be scanned in or .pdf and stored	Receipts can be scanned in or .pdf and stored
Reports can be reviewed when stored	Reports can be reviewed at any point	Reports can be reviewed at any point
	Purchase orders can be processed online	Purchases can be processed at point of sale

Transitioning to “Smart” can dramatically decrease overhead cost.

Showing your company how much they can save later by spending now can lead to cost savings they didn’t visualize.

Transition to Smart

Smart Televisions can be connected to your computers or laptop, they can load your ERP Dashboard anywhere, they can even replace rosters and roll call information boards. Smartphones and tablets can replace checklist, allow the employee to work on the run, and attach to POS/ERP Systems to become a replacement to many printed documents. Smart devices not only can be added to go paperless, but to save money on utilities. A smart lighting and temperature system can either turn it self on/off at a certain time or allow the application owner to turn off forgotten areas through his/her phone.

Project 2: Incentivize Cost Savings

Leverage Corporate Tax Write-offs Through Incentive Programs

Now it is known that Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act does not actually give wellness tax credit, but the business can use it as a deductible (section 162). There are applications that the company may use that offer gift cards through cash for employees to exercise/walk. Look to your legal department or your favorite search engine for valid write-offs or incentives where the government pays you to motivate your employees.

Adding on to your wellness programs, if you have given office workout equipment (walking treadmills for standing desks, seat bikes, etc.) or your company possesses its own gym, you can turn the employee’s efforts into reusable energy. The green microgym has come up with converter assemblies to help power up your offices thus dropping your electric bill. After recouping the cost of the equipment setup, Gift cards or other purchases can be issued out to your biggest “Savers”.

Initiate a Waste Management Program

Many companies are still paying for refuse service. This may not be an issue for small businesses that can almost take home their trash, but larger companies can become an issue. Its no wonder why you see many commercial trash areas gated and locked. An 8 yard dumpster (capable of fitting about 1800 lbs or 54 trash bags) will cost approximately $180.17 plus applicable taxes a month for Waste Management services. Most of the time they are seen in pairs, this means that the company is paying $4,324.08 a year for refuge. The saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has never been more relevant in this internet age.

As local Recycling initiatives (Aluminum cans, cardboard boxes, pallets, food waste, etc.) have to be researched per locale, here are sites that can get your project started:

1. Boxcycle– Alternative to cardboard recycling, its the ebay of cardboard boxes. Note: you need space to retain the boxes until sale.
2. EnviroTek– Have waste cooking oil? They may have a deal for you.
3. Gazelle, GreenBuyback, Usell, YouRenew– Want to upgrade your electronic assets? Sell the old ones. Use Auction sites like Craigslist, Ebay, or Facebook Marketplace for your machinery, televisions, and other durable items.
4. Small Business Knowledge Center– Company getting a lot junkmail? Get giftcards to reward your employees.
5. Checkout 51, Iobotta, Receipt Hog– Have a petty cash for daily expenses? Turn the receipts into rewards
6. 1-800-Got Scrap– If you have large amounts of metal or other scrap, get paid
7. Evolve Recycling– If you dont want to drop off your ink cartridges at Best Buy, Office Max, or Staples, they will pay shipping and still pay.
8. GlobalTech Enviromental– If you have a large amount of used batteries, they can pay.
9. Ebay (or any auction site)- Scan your waste, use keywords, even toilet paper and paper towel rolls can be marketable.
10. TerraCycle– Think it can’t be recycled? Check the search and make sure.
11. Earth 911– Want to recycle, and can’t find it locally? This may help.

This project has to be well thought out and researched. Space availability, employee participation, coordination, and procedural change will all have to be addressed. The incentives can range from passing out the gift cards won, cash prizes, charitable donations, gifts, to even stock packages (which will keep the money in the company).

Winning Results for going green

Not only will your company and employees feel better about the now seen environmental impact they are making, but you can show the company how they benefit financially. If you want to go further and obtain a seal to show your customers, it can be costly but Small Business Trends have 25 for you to review.

Article written by Luis Rosado, KC Solution Group LLC, Director of Quality and Compliance