1. Traditional SIPOC Approach
SIPOC v/s COPIS
Traditional SIPOC Approach
Traditional “inside-out” SIPOC Approach
Supplier
Input Process Output
Customer
“Outside-In COPIS Approach
Concept of thinking “wing to wing” from Customer’s perspective
Output
Supplier
Customer
Process
Input
Illustration 1 : SIPOC v/s COPIS

2. The Strategic COPIS model
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Customer Experience Point
Output required by Customer
Voice of Customer / Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Measure(s)
Data source for Measure
Frequency of Measurement
"Verbatim" feedback / customer-voice related to this Process
- INTERNAL MEASURES -
- PROCESS -
Related Internal Measure (s) / CTQs
Definition of "Defect"
Data source for Defect
Definition of "Opportunity for Defect"
Data source for "Opportunity for Defect"
Sigma Level
Frequency of Internal Mea- surement
Process(es) that will deliver these output(s)
Process Owner
INPUTS
SUPPLIERS
AUDIT
COMPETITIVE EDGE
Inputs Required from other Functions / Departments
Internal and External Supplier(s) (Cross Functional Dependencies)
In-process or Input Measure(s) (Internal Service Level Agreements required)
Audit check point(s)
Opportunities for Customer Delight
Opportunities for differentiation against Competition
Yellow zone represents Voice of Customers & measures related to Product or Service Quality as experienced by Customers
Blue zone represents Voice of the Process & Internal / Process Quality related measures
Delight Zone – opportunities for delivering superior Quality that exceed Customer expectations
LEGEND
Illustration 2 : The Strategic COPIS Model - summary

3. Strategic COPIS – detailed template with illustrations
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Customer Experience Point
Output required by Customer
Voice of Customer / Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Measure(s)
Data source for Measurement
Frequency of Measurement
"Verbatim" feedback / customer-voice related to this Process
TEMPLATE
Continuous / Monthly
e.g. “Mutual Fund Redemption by Investor”
1. On-time payment
2. Accurate amount
1. CSAT score or no. of complaints on “Redemption timeliness"
Surveys, Complaints data,
Mystery Customer
SERVICE EXAMPLE
2. CSAT score CSAT score or no. of complaints on “Redemption accuracy"
e.g. “I got my redemption payment late …"
1. CSAT score CSAT score or no. of complaints on “Battery quality"
e.g. “Car-battery Purchase by Customer”
1. Trouble-free working for minimum 3 years
2. Prompt & hassle-free warranty service
Continuous / Monthly
Surveys, Complaints data,
Mystery Customer
MANUFACTURING EXAMPLE
e.g. “I was promised hassle-free warranty service at the time of purchase, but now the dealer has made me make 4 trips … service is poor …"
2. C-SAT score CSAT score or no. of complaints on “Warranty service quality"
Illustration 3 (Part 1) : The Strategic COPIS Model – detailed

4. Strategic COPIS – detailed template with illustrations (contd.)
- INTERNAL MEASURES -
PROCESS
Related Internal Measure (s) / CTQs1
Definition of "Defect"
Data source for Defect
Definition of "Opportunity for Defect"
Data source for "Opportunity for Defect"
Sigma Level2
Frequency of Internal Measurement
Process(es) that will deliver these output(s)
Process Owner
TEMPLATE
% of all redemption requests where payment was delayed
Each redemption request that is NOT processed within … hrs.
Function / Department Head responsible for redemption
SERVICE EXAMPLE
Each redemption request
Measurement continuous; Reporting Monthly
Redemption Process
Function / Department Head responsible for manufacturing
% of all batteries made last month that had a defect
Manufacturing process
Measurement continuous; Reporting Monthly
MANUFACTURING EXAMPLE
% of all warranty service requests that were NOT completed on time
Each warranty service request
Each warranty service request that is NOT completed within … hrs.
Function / Department Head responsible for warranty service
Warranty service Process
1CTQ means “Critical to Quality” performance measures such as the examples shown above
2Sigma Levels may be calculated by organizations implementing a Six Sigma quality initiative. This calculation is based on “Defects per million opportunities”. However, the Strategic COPIS model can be implemented even without this measurement. The “Sigma Level” column is mentioned in this template only as a matter of detail, and may be ignored by organizations where sigma levels are not calculated.
Illustration 3 (Part 2) : The Strategic COPIS Model – detailed

5. Strategic COPIS – detailed template with illustrations (contd.)
INPUTS
SUPPLIERS
AUDIT
Inputs Required from other Functions / Departments
Internal and External Supplier(s) (Cross Functional Dependencies)1
In-process or Input Measure(s) (Internal Service Level Agreements required)
Audit check point(s)
COMPETITIVE EDGE
Opportunities for Customer Delight
Opportunities for differentiation against Competition
TEMPLATE
Branches / Distributors
% redemption applications not right the first time
% redemption requests received after cut-off time
e.g. Timely logging of redemption requests by Branch offices / Distributors
SERVICE EXAMPLE
e.g. Timely availability of service spares inventory with service locations / franchisees / dealers
Stores / Service department
% stock-outs
MANUFACTURING EXAMPLE
1Cross functional dependencies are dependencies between two or more functions or departments within a company – e.g. between Sales and Operations. These are made clear by the examples mentioned under the column titled “Inputs”
Illustration 3 (Part 3) : The Strategic COPIS Model – detailed

6. Traditional SIPOC Approach
How to use the strategic COPIS template & what are the outputs ?
Traditional SIPOC Approach
The application of strategic COPIS is best done through a facilitated workshop attended by the business head (CEO) and senior leaders of a business. Senior managers leading areas that impact customers must definitely participate. During the workshop, they must all put themselves in the customer’s shoes and pretend that they are the customer (this is often easier said than done, but it is critical for the business and the most important part of the whole exercise)
Start by completing (as a team), the first column of the template “Customer experience points”. List down in this column, all key “touch-points” where your customers experience your business, its products or services. Typical experience points for customers could be the initial purchase-experience, ongoing service interactions, contacting your customer-service, online transactions, and so on
Once all common experience points are listed, take one experience-point at a time & go all the way to the right of the template, one column at a time. The facilitator should moderate the discussion & help fill the template for each experience point
Once the exercise is complete for customers who pay for the business’ product or service, it can be repeated for other stakeholders in the business such as distributors, shareholders, employees or other internal customers, regulators, etc.
The output of the strategic COPIS workshop is the complete “master-list” of processes that the business needs to have and performance measures related to each process. The performance measures will be at three levels – voice-of-customer, process related output measures and in-process measures
Before proceeding further, validate the outputs or findings of the workshop with real customers (maybe a sample of customers). This will help ensure that what we think is important for customers is actually so
You now have the answers to two strategic questions “What business processes do we need ?” and “What to measure ?”. This is followed by detailed documentation / mapping and implementation on the ground of the processes thus identified. Actual adherence to each process is measured through process-compliance audits. These processes are also the foundation for continual improvement in future
Put in place the measurements identified through COPIS. The CEO and their leadership team must regularly review the actual performance trend on these measures. Often, the workshop throws up a large number of measures – the CEO may decide which are the top-priority (vital few) measures that they will personally review, while more detailed measures pertaining to each process must be monitored & reviewed by respective process-owners
Strategic COPIS can be applied with significant business benefit by new businesses at their inception-stage or by existing businesses. For existing businesses, the COPIS workshop output must be used to validate their existing processes and performance measures
Concept of thinking “wing to wing” from Customer’s perspective
Illustration 4 : Step by step guide on how to use the Strategic COPIS template