● Eliminate problems caused upstream of activity. Errors in order entry at a U.S. computer company
were caused when sales representatives incorrectly configured systems. As a result, the cost
of the sales-and-order process was 30 percent higher than that of competitors, and the error rates
for some products were as high as 100 percent. The cross-functional redesign fixed both the configurations
problem and sales-force skills so that on-time delivery improved at significant cost savings
(Hall, Rosenthal, and Wade 1993).