Lean Thinking in Service Sector: Waste Identification in Malaysian Customs Administration

In the highly competitive business environment, organizations in the service sector must continuously seek ways to enhance efficiency and deliver value to their customers. One of the most effective methodologies for achieving these objectives is the application of Lean thinking. Lean thinking was used to make processes more efficient by reducing waste. This study applies Lean thinking, particularly the eight types of waste, to identify wasteful activities. The research integrates existing literature to identify various types of waste and conducts a case study within the Malaysian Customs Administration. The application process flow for License Manufacturing Warehouse is examined, and waste is identified using the principles of waste elimination in Lean. The study finds that motion, overprocessing, and overproduction are the most common sources of waste in this case study. Implementing an online application system in certain processes shows significant improvements. This research contributes to the advancement of Lean thinking in the service sector, promoting increased process efficiency, waste identification, and improved service quality. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.