Check lists really work!

I recently read a great book called The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. It talks about the power of a check list and how using checklists allow us to stay on track and have far less mistakes. A quote from Atul. "The modern world has given us stupendous know-how. Yet avoidable failures continue to plague us in health care, government, the law, the financial industry—in almost every realm of organized activity. And the reason is simple: the volume and complexity of knowledge today has exceeded our ability as individuals to properly deliver it to people—consistently, correctly, safely. We train longer, specialize more, use ever-advancing technologies, and still we fail." 

By using a check list you become consistent in your process and are able to be highly effective. If you really stop and think about all the moving parts of your business and how that needs to be delivered to your customers on a consistent basis, how are you getting that accomplished with out a check list?

When you step on a plane how confident are you that the pilot is going to successful take off and land safely? The pilot knows this will happen because they have a preflight and post flight check list. I would love to hear your ideas on how you are using checklist to deliver higher quality services to your customers?