MBS Certification Program
Direct investment into teammate development and customer success.
Employee development aims to help build a talent pool that supports our company mission of “Better food. Better lives.” while creating highly engaged teammates who have honed their existing talents and created value for our customers. Engaged teammates have a direct and positive effect on the customer experience as they work with the voice of the customer in mind. In addition, they help create custom unit equipment and complete system solutions that help bakery brands increase efficiency, consistency, safety, and profitability by doing their part.
Sustainable growth and meaningful customer partnerships rely on robust learning opportunities for all. At AMF Bakery Systems, one such development program is the MBS Certification Program. The certification is part of our development and recognition program. Teammates who have demonstrated that they can lead successful Kaizen Events or problem-solving teams, including sustained improvements, are awarded the certification when they complete the program. There are two types of certificates – Kaizen Practitioner and Problem-Solving Champion.
Preparing for Success
John Segan is the Director of the Markel Business System (MBS) for the Markel Food Group (MFG). John leads the MBS Certification Program to help our teammates become more skilled in using proven continuous improvement tools in our MBS toolbox to improve our overall business performance.
Can you give us a summary of the program history?
The MBS Certification Program provides an opportunity for teammates to demonstrate mastery of fundamental MBS skills. In 2021, seven AMF teammates and three Reading Bakery Systems teammates received the first MBS Certifications. These teammates demonstrate the desire and ability to improve company performance so we can win every year. In addition, they work hard to help develop the Markel Business System by improving our day-to-day operations and achieving our long-term strategic goals. Many other teammates are very close to achieving their own MBS Certifications.
You were part of a team that recently established the MBS Leadership University (MBSLU). How does the MBSLU compliment the MBS Certification Programs?
The MBS Leadership University launched in January 2021 and recently concluded in March 2022. The University’s primary purpose is to develop our teammates to become senior leaders at AMF and across the Markel Food Group. One of the primary focuses of the University is robust problem-solving. Each student is expected to achieve PSP Champion Certification during their graduation year.
How does certification impact a teammate, their work, and their career trajectory?
MBS certification is built into our learning and development program and teaches our teammates a set of technical (lean tools) and soft skills (leadership, coaching) that can be applied to any role. Lean knowledge and experience are very desirable in today’s business world. Teammates with this skill set will be able to improve their daily work, which will lead to improved company performance and advance their careers at a faster rate than their peers. AMF is looking for MBS Leadership skills at all levels of the organization. I think it’s possible that MBS Certification will be included as a preferred requirement in open career postings for leadership positions at AMF in the future.
How does the MBS Certification program enhance the customer experience and bring value to them?
MBS uses the Voice of the Customer to define each customer’s requirements for complete satisfaction. As we continue to improve our processes to meet customer requirements for timely first installations, service, and parts, we bring greater value to every AMF customer.
How does creating leaders from within impact our future as a company?
Our vision is to build an army of problem solvers at all levels in the organization. This requires “leaders as coaches.” Providing leaders with the right coaching tools allows us to solve problems quickly and for the last time. We face many challenges each day that get in the way of effective and efficient delivery of goods and services to our customers. If all 600+ AMF teammates worldwide solved one problem a week, we would significantly improve our performance and enhance customer satisfaction. Also, our teammates would experience a higher level of career fulfillment. When we leave work tired, it often is not because of our work but because of all the workarounds we had to do to get the job done. Searching, waiting, and quality issues keep us from doing the actual work. By investing time and resources into teammate development, collectively, we can positively impact our futures at AMF.
Learn more about AMF teammates on the blog section of our website!
