When Process Beats Software: How One Manufacturer Cut Weeks Off Order-Cycle Time

Did You Know that a lot of “urgent” order problems aren’t fixed by buying another system—they’re fixed by redesigning how work actually flows. Case studies in manufacturing and order‑to‑cash show that teams can cut order-cycle or lead time by double‑digit percentages simply by mapping the end‑to‑end process, removing bottlenecks, and standardizing handoffs—often before any new technology is introduced. In several documented examples, manufacturers reduced total cycle time by around 25–30% by tackling wait time between departments, misrouted information, and rework, while also improving first‑pass yield and invoice accuracy.

Decision rights are a major part of that story. When it’s unclear who can approve exceptions, pricing, changes, or substitutions, orders sit in inboxes instead of moving through the plant or the supply chain. Research on operating model redesign and organizational decision making shows that clarifying “who decides what, and when” is closely linked to faster execution and better business outcomes, including time‑to‑market and revenue growth. In other words, the unlock in many mid‑size manufacturers isn’t more software; it’s cleaner processes and sharper decision ownership.

At Kaiban Consulting, Talon and Sherrie see this pattern repeatedly across manufacturing, supply chain, and other complex environments: when you tell the story in terms of “weeks off cycle time” instead of “another platform,” operations leaders listen. If you sell into ops, lead with a result like this—then back into how you got there. If you run ops, ask: where does an order actually wait, and who really owns the decisions that unblock it?

If your order‑to‑cash cycle is measured in weeks and full of expedites, it’s a signal—not a fate. If you want help finding the process and decision changes that move the needle before you invest in more tech, start a conversation with Kaiban at kaibanconsulting.com/contact.

Sources: Forrest Advisors, Acadia Software, LeanSupplySolutions, 6sigma.us, Lean Teams, Breiner Innovative, NIH/PMC (operations decision tools), McKinsey, Deloitte Insights, Iknow LLC.