Today we had a very insightful tour and presentation at the Honda Power Equipment factory. This was my personal favorite tour with a real “How’s It Made” feel. We got to see an engine built from start to finish and even got to see them test them. The factory itself was very well kept and seemed to be functioning wonderfully. Although the employees worked long strenuous hours the atmosphere in the factory was friendly and productive. Because Honda has never fired an employee they look for a very specific person to work in the factory. As stated in the presentation the average Honda employee is expected to respect innovation, enjoy work and have harmonious work flow.
Honda’s mission or principle that was presented to us by David Werden was as quoted “maintaining a global viewpoint , we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.” Honda is constantly innovating and updating their products on a global scale. Their main focus is to increase the user friendliness of their products. They want as many people as possible to be able to operate and benefit from their machines in a safe and productive manner. Looking back over the years we can see how innovation has taken its course and how each product has changed drastically in the past ten to twenty years.
The typical Honda customer for this particular factory is anyone in need of a small engine machine. They built specifically lawn mowers and small engines in this factory. The other side of their customer base would be them selling their engines to companies that they compete with. Theses companies would then stick the Honda engines in power washers or generators. Honda making both of those products is literally supplying their competition with engines. This is a truly remarkable thing, this means that they make the highest quality engine at the lowest possible cost where there competition doesn’t even try to make their own engines.
The customers of Honda value simply the high quality engine that they are paying for. Honda may charge a little more for their product but consumers are willing to pay a little extra for something that will last. I know personally that I have had my Honda lawn mower for over fifteen years, we paid a good price for it but getting even ten years out of a lawn mower is truly amazing.
After successfully mas producing engines and machines that are built to last Honda has some impressive results to show for it. They have been ranked number one on consumer reports for the past nine years in a row. This is a very impressive accomplishment and shows how their goal of user friendliness is being achieved. They are making machines that the average and the affluent person enjoys and values. Their plan remains to innovate and to maintain user friendly machines that I discussed earlier.
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