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Optimizing business processes and realizing efficiency potential in the industrial services sector
STARTING SITUATION – WHICH PROCESSES OFFER THE GREATEST OPTIMIZATION POTENTIAL?
Over the last few years an international provider of engineering services, headquartered in the U.S.A., had evolved complex, heterogeneous, and thus inefficient process structures that were jeopardizing the company’s competitive ability and making it difficult to implement company-wide strategic goals. For this reason, it was essential to identify value reserves in processes and bring the process landscape within the company back in line with corporate strategy, but without engaging in a time-consuming “general overhaul.”
PROJECT APPROACH – USING HYPOTHESES TO EFFICIENTLY ACTIVATE THE CENTRAL OPTIMIZATION LEVERS
Our approach was based on a hypothesis-driven, five-stage plan: setting goals, identifying potential, developing an action plan, assessing the action plan, and ensuring implementation. By focusing on the central optimization levers, only processes that would make a significant contribution to reaching the targets were scrutinized, yet without being overly complex to implement. The accelerated assessment of the status quo, focusing on core potential while disregarding smaller measures, and giving special consideration to process interfaces, all proved to be critical factors for success. This allowed us to eliminate central inefficiencies, and save time and resources.
FINDING – SOMETIMES LESS CAN BE MORE
If time and resources are short, it is more important than ever to concentrate on the central optimization levers that offer the greatest potential, instead of getting sidetracked by minor details. Taking this approach, it is possible to implement an action plan that assures the company’s competitive ability even within a narrow timeframe.
PROJECT RESULT
- Process landscape optimized without a time-consuming general overhaul
- Hypothesis-driven five-stage plan for process optimization
- Focus on central levers, owing to a shortage of time and resources