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Background
The company was a major provider of Telecommunications Networks, the task was to lead the change programme to design and deliver a new operating model for the Service Division. The company employed 1,700 people, of whom 1,200 worked in the Service Division.
With an operating budget in excess of GBP90m, the division was comprised of 800 field based engineers supported by 150 operators in contact centres providing front line billing, provision and repair query handling with an addition 250 people in planning, control and support roles.
The arrival of new technology, increasing competition and the ageing of the employee pool were driving the need to rationalise the way service was delivered to customers.
Objectives
The objective of the programme was to design and implement a Single Engineering Workforce with streamlined front line and support capabilities. The drive was to create 'best in class' performance as measured by industry sector standards within 3 years.
The assignment lasted from November 2004 for an initial 3 months which was extended to June 2005. The objective in the period was to develop a robust and integrated design, agree a plan for delivery with all stakeholders and initiate the implementation phase to deliver a new organisational shape by September 2005.
Approach
The division's management team was comprised of the Head, 10 senior managers and 90 first line managers. The strategy for change had been in discussion for some time and a vision of how the division needed to evolve had been produced.
The first step was to plan and deliver an interim organisation that consolidated previous disparate functions under a simplified structure by 'lifting and shifting' groups. This phase commenced in Nov 2004 and the new organisation was operational in Jan 2005.
The design of the new, integrated organisation was evolved using a transformation team of six people working with several steering groups drawn from the operational units, including a design authority and programme board.
The design phase was completed at the end of April 2005 during which the structure, shape and size of the new division were defined together with short and long term benefits.
A comprehensive communications plan was evolved to engage the unions as well as the engineers, operators and support staff. An implementation plan was developed, workpackages defined, owners assigned, milestones and deliverables agreed.
During May I handed over to a local manager who continued to drive the implementation plan.
Conclusion
This was the largest change programme that had been undertaken by the division and was particularly challenging since the transformation team and all the participants continued with their 'day' jobs. The programme not only developed the thinking in terms of the shape and benefits of the new organisation but it was instrumental in embedding change management as an ongoing feature of the organisation's culture.
In June it was on plan to deliver over GBP1.5m of annualised savings by September 2005 with longer term opportunities identified to deliver similar scale of savings through to 2008.
Customer Quote: Head of Services Division
"This was an enormous undertaking - akin to changing engines in mid air. Without meticulous planning, control and governance to manage the risk we would have failed not just the change programme but our day to day service. Jeff's thinking, input and programme management were key support tools ensuring success."