Case Study: Roadmap to Operational Excellence for Multinational high street store

The Background
This multinational company were undergoing a significant programme to improve levels of customer service to support its business plans for the next  two fiscal years. To effect this change a programme structure had been implemented to oversee the transformation of customer services into a cost effective, efficient and quality focused organisation. Emax Consulting won the tender to review their Customer Services Operation against current best practise and set forward a programme of improvements towards operational excellence  and recommend a  roadmap for their implementation covering the organisation, processes , technology and environment.

The Brief
Determine the existing processes and actual agent activity using interviews and  observations, Review the performance against benchmark figures in the industry, Define the future state for the operation to meet the Ann Summers business challenges and prepare a Roadmap for the implementation of the agreed recommendations.

The Response
Audit and assessment of Customer Services people, processes, technology and environment. Analyse current organisational set up and communication path, KPIs and training programmes. Analyse the current processes and procedures to identify breakdown points. Audit existing supporting technology platforms (telephony, email, and systems). Presentation of detailed report of findings, recommendations for improvements and benefits to be expected and detailed, phased roadmap for their implementation.
 
Outcome
Findings indentified significant improvements both in terms of service to customers and efficiency of operation which the company were able to start implementing immediately.

Case Study: Strategic Sourcing Review

The Background
An Communications Service Provider - a specialist Internet Service Provider achieved fast growth through major investments in sales and marketing. Created operational and scale challenges in Customer Services. With continued ongoing growth and increasing market demand the business leaders realised that both a review of its customer handling capacity was required along with a change to the cost to serve. Emax engaged on an 8 month programme.

The Brief
Review the current operation: Identify tactical changes to improve service levels, Process Analysis to identify failure, Skills and Resource Levels, Cost to Serve Model. Create strategic plan: Outsourcing Options, Financial Cost Model, Improvements.

Case Study: IT Led Roadmap

The Background
An International Communications Service Provider saw the benefits from a cohesive approach to Customer Service and Sales. With each business at a different stage of development, it was realised that only a predefined framework based on best practise would enable the individual businesses to quickly define their needs without significantly impacting their operational resources. Emax engaged with this Communication Service Provider on a 13 month programme.

The Brief
Emax was briefed to create a new way of budgeting and to create a framework, driven by the individual businesses across 5 operations to harmonise the organisations IT roadmap over a five year period: Support the development of the 2005 Budgeting Process, Create a Business led IT roadmap that will extend through to 2008.

The Response
Emax engaged a team who created a methodology to deliver the roadmap based on 24 "building blocks". Each building block weas defined using intensive analysis work and working with the key stakeholders to define the business and functional requirements. Detailed IT governance was created and technology roadmaps aligned. A Logical Business Sequence Model (LSBM) was created to show each country the order of deployment. This was built into pan European budgeting. 
Outcome
Creation of a by country-by-country and consolidated business and technology framework. 5 Year technology roadmap. Communisation of platforms saving $11m in first year. Common projects clustered saving money and leveraging resources.