A Process Of On-Going Improvement (POOGI) - Part 18

We are continuing our series based on The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt.

You can also perform a sensitivity analysis to determine the breakeven level of T/CU. In this example, it would be the Operating Expense level of $615,000 divided by 2,912 which is $211.20.

Pricing with Throughput Accounting is much easier and potentially much more dangerous. It is easier because there is no such thing as “product cost” to calculate. Instead, each product is evaluated for its Throughput per Constraint Unit. And overall, for the business, the average T/CU must be enough to achieve the Net Profit goal. It’s dangerous because any amount of Throughput does contribute to the bottom-line, but there must be the discipline to maintain the T/CU average needed to achieve the Net Profit goal. Pricing to achieve incremental business is not for novices.

For example, say you are quoting a new job. You estimate it will take 50 hours of milling. The Truly Variable Costs are estimated to be $5,000. Here is your estimate:

Hours of milling 50
T/CU desired $258
Throughput desired $12,900
Truly Variable Costs $5,000
Total Estimate $17,900

We understand that this method is much different and you may have many questions. If so, and/or you would like help calculating T/CU for your business, please feel free to contact us.

If you’d like to learn more about Throughput Accounting, we recommend the following materials (which were also used in developing the discussion above):

• “The Haystack Syndrome” by Dr. Goldratt,
• “Throughput Accounting” by Corbett.
• "Maximizing Profitability" by Dr Lisa (hit the ground running w/ 3 hr audio and workbook)

...to be continued.

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
Dr Lisa Lang

(c)Copyright 2008, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Next GROUP Mafia Offer Boot Camp is July 30, 31, Aug 1 2008!Also check out our FREE Theory of Constraints videos. New videos added very week! http://www.scienceofbusiness.com/free-stuff/free-videos-audios.aspx

Pricing Using Theory of Constraints Part 6 of 6

This is the final installment on Theory of Constraints pricing. At least for now. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints, The Goal, and Throughput Accounting don't address pricing specifially. So, I tried to summarize what we do with our clients. This pricing exercise has resulted in 10 to 20% increase in profits for our clients, so I would expect the same for you. So let's summarize what we covered about pricing.

• Part 1: We discussed the importance of and how to calculate the Throughput per Constraint Unit (T/CU) for each of your current products or services.
• Part 2: We discussed how to calculate a minimum T/CU which is like the minimum price you need to charge to cover your operating expenses and make a profit.
• Part 3: We then compared the T/CU we get for each product/service to the minimum T/CU we calculated.
• Part 4: Next we discussed how to handle products/services that are priced below the calculated minimum T/CU.
• Part 5: And finally we discussed how to handle products/services that are priced above or well above the calculated minimum T/CU.

With this additional information, I hope you can determine a price that 1) will help you to achieve your financial goals; 2) meet or exceed the value perceived by the market place (will customers buy at that price?); and 3) establish the position, brand and image you desire in your supply chain.

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits and setting your prices!

"Dr Lisa" Lang

P.S. Check out our new Theory of Constraints Pricing Project! http://www.scienceofbusiness.com/Default.aspx?tabid=144

(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pricing using Theory of Constraints Part 5

For the products that are well above the T/CU you need to look into the following things:
- what is your close rate on these items, is it low?
- have your customers/prospects told you that you were over priced?
- do you want more of this type of business?

The products that are slightly above the T/CU you calculated are probably fine. And some of them that are well above the T/CU are probably OK too. But the ones that you would like to sell more of, but are not, due to too high pricing, these are the ones you should consider lower the price on.

...to be continued...

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pricing using Theory of Constraints Part 4

Let's look at the products that are currently priced below the mininum T/CU that you calculated. You can have some products priced below your min T/CU because the weighted average just needs to be at the minimum. To determine if this is one that should be below the minimum or raised you need to take into account the following:
- where is the competition priced?
- does selling this product, help you to land higher T/CU products with the same customer?
- typically you have more than one of your constraint -- like have multiple printing presses. Does this particular product run on one of your more loaded ones or does it run on a less loaded one?

...to be continued...

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pricing using Theory of Constraints Part 3

Compare the minimum T/CU to the T/CU for each product. You will find current prices that are too low and too high relative to the min T/CU.

Now look at your quotes and calculate the T/CU for all your quotes. What is the T/CU for the ones your winning versus the ones your losing?

...to be continued...

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pricing using Theory of Constraints Part 2

Now that we have our current T/CU for each product/service we calculate the minimum T/CU we need to cover all of our Operating Expenses plus make the profit we want. Here's how we do that:

Min T/CU = (annual OE + annual profit) divided by annual available constraint units

Operating Expenses (OE) are all the costs that don't change when you sell just ONE more of your product/service. They are all the costs not captured in the TVCs (Truly Variable Costs) and typically include rents, utilities, selling/marketing, general admin, all labor including direct, maintenance, and warehousing expenses.

To start, you can use your current annual profit, then increase it to see where you need to price to meet your profit goals.

Constraints Units (CU) are the annual number of hours or minutes you have available. So you you work one shift then use the time from one shift times about 70% which takes breaks and other misc downtime.

Now you have 1) your current T/CU for each product (see Part 1) and 2) the minimum T/Cu you need for each product.

...to be continued...

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing Throughput -- Increase Selling Prices

Continuing our cash velocity discussion started on March 16, 2007

Increase Selling Prices

Changing the selling price for a product or group of products is difficult to cover in few words. Presumably you already have pricing policies and strategy that represent some equilibrium point in the market you serve and getting some minimum T/CU across your mix of products/services. If you understand the perceived value by your customers for the products/services you offer, then to increase prices you must stay within this perceived value or increase your customer’s perception of value. A mafia offer[1] is the Theory of Constraints (TOC) method to increase your customer’s perception of value even in industries considered to be commodities.

In addition, Market Segmentation should be considered. Identify segments of markets that have different values for the products and services you offer, then set selling prices for these markets that are consistent with their perception of value and your mafia offer. Segmentation should help you to match selling price with customer’s perception of value and allow you to maximize your selling price while ensuring that you’re meeting your customer's needs.

[1] We will discuss more about mafia offer in #1 below. Also, see http://www.mafiaoffers.com/ for more information on creating a mafia offer.

... to be continued ...

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.