Acton, Ltd. is one of the largest direct mail companies in the U.S. Missouri-based Persona Group, Inc. recently helped Acton create a Total Quality Excellence initiative to support the goal of becoming the most customer-focused company in its industry. The Organizational Alignment Survey was used to help Acton focus on its core mission and become better aligned. The Persona training curriculum included Persuasive Communicator, Managing Performance, and PRIDE. To date, over 300 employees in four locations have taken part in one or more aspects of the initiative.

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“The OAS is like the architectural plan, Persuasive Communicator and Managing Performance are the foundation, and programs like PRIDE quality training are the bricks and mortar.”

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The company expects cultural change to evolve over a 12-month period. Acton COO Dave Teachman offers an instructive analogy.

"Building a Total Quality Excellence program is like building a house," he says. "You must have the right plans, a solid foundation, and the best bricks and mortar. The OAS is like the architectural plan, Persuasive Communicator and Managing Performance are the foundation, and programs like PRIDE quality training are the bricks and mortar. You need all the components to succeed."

Acton President Ron Wells observes that the initiative is already becoming part of the Acton culture. "The OAS and PRIDE, in particular, have received tremendous buy-in from the entire organization," he explains. "People are truly trying to take advantage of what they've learned."

 

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