Originally Published 12.20.2016

MAKATI CITY, Philippines- November 25, 2016, Last day of Six Sigma PH’s MEGA Green Belt class, Apollo Petallano, gained his Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification after helping Wellcargo Brokerage, save an annualized cost savings of ₱429,132. 

In his brief testimonial, Apollo shared the story of his pursuit of the certification. He shared his story as he faced both struggles and success. He even mentioned some words of encouragement and gave a few tips for those who are currently pursuing their Green Belt Certification.
​
Everyone seemed to be both entertained and inspired by how Apollo delivered his testimonial with substance and wit. Of course, we couldn’t let the good news be confined to the walls of the venue; it had to be shared! So, further, this article is our one-on-one interview with Mr. Petallano. Go ahead, gather some tips, and Be Inspired!

     Q. What prompted you to take the Lean Six Sigma Workshop? 

     A. I am a strong believer in Process Management as well as the concept of “Quality”. I thought it would be nice to update my skills by taking this course.

     Q. What Prompted you to start your project?

     A. There was an urgent need to make changes in what we do. The two ports in Manila introduced TABS which penalizes any “No Show” financially. Customers do not pay these penalties stating that we made the booking hence we made the mistake. This of course would be reflected in our performance as a company. Hence, the project needed to be done.

     Q. What was your project about?

     A. The project is about ensuring that our trucks arrive in the ports at the time we have booked in the online booking system of TABS (Terminal Appointment Booking System).

     Q. What was it like for you, starting up and executing your own project?

     A. It was easy as I did not have to sell the project to anybody. We knew there was a problem, we set out to do a project as soon as we could. I also have experience in doing projects, hence it was not very hard.

     Q. What were the results of your project?

     A. We know that we cannot have 0 incidents as there are just way too many factors that we cannot control. From what we can control, we were able to lessen the average incident of 12 per month to 1.

     Q. What was the impact of your project on your company?
​
     A. With the improvement, we were able to save about PHP 429,132/ year. If we were not able to control it, the cost would have a direct impact on our bottom line.

"That's one reason why companies give high value to Certified Lean Six Sigma individuals. One does not just attend a program and receive his certification but has to successfully apply and show proper use of tools and methodology with actual work processes. One has to earn his Lean Six Sigma certification,"- Rex Tuozo, “The Six Sigma Guy” 

     Q. What was the impact of your project on your company?

     A. With the improvement, we were able to save about PHP 429,132/ year. If we were not able to control it, the cost would have a direct impact on our bottom line.

    Q. What would be your message to those who are currently taking/planning to take the Green Belt Program or those who are currently conducting their own projects?

     A. Do your “Storyboard” as soon as you can. The longer it takes you to do it, the more you forget the proper presentation of the tools. Rex is very strict that you present your project correctly. I appreciate that a lot as he showed that his program is not a “certificate mill” as he needs to make sure that you truly learned to do a project properly.

    Q. If there’s anything else that you’d like to share about your experience, what would it be?

    A. I find doing a project like this very fulfilling. You’re able to prove the root cause of problems with numbers. And numbers as I always say, never lie. Having the knowledge of how to get the stats to prove your point is always fascinating.

"If you attend our Lean Six Sigma programs, unlike other training providers, you get continuous support after the program, for no additional cost. You'll be assigned a Black Belt to help you complete your project," –Rex Tuozo, “The Six Sigma Guy”

​To be certified in Lean Six Sigma, one has to complete an actual Lean Six Sigma project and apply process improvement tools, methodology, and techniques learned in class. "That's one reason why companies give high value to Certified Lean Six Sigma individuals. One does not just attend a program and receive his certification but has to successfully apply and show proper use of tools and methodology with actual work processes. One has to earn his Lean Six Sigma certification," Tuozo said. "If you attend our Lean Six Sigma programs, unlike other training providers, you get continuous support after the program, for no additional cost. You'll be assigned a Black Belt to help you complete your project," Tuozo added.

Start your Lean Six Sigma journey for free!

Take our internationally-recognized White Belt e-Learning with certification anytime:

sixsigmaph.teachable.com/p/lean-six-sigma-white-belt-certification-program