Building on the basics of Six Sigma, there must first be a linkage between the problem being addressed and key business issues or metrics.  This would include such parameters as the cost of operation, profits, market share, etc. This linkage helps to ensure that the Six Sigma project will have the management support and resources needed for success. 

What if the business’s focus is not on the customer?  Would improving these metrics improve customer satisfaction? The answer is maybe. The business might, by chance, hit on things that improve customer satisfaction. The most probable result, though, is that the business will get better at doing things that the customer does not consider important. This would make the Six Sigma effort “non-value-added” in the eyes of the customer. This has been the fate of many quality improvement programs.