The success of any endeavour is hugely influenced by the quality of the approach taken. Whilst some deliver with élan, others fail pitifully. The injection of constructive competition can stimulate energy and challenge participants to raise their game. The approach to a project or service captures the essence of the way in which the objectives…
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Summer 2014 has seen the spectacular failure of a number of services. Some important lessons have been drawn from these. What are they and how should they affect services and the way they are run? We all make mistakes. One of the key differentiators for service suppliers is the way that they recover from them.…
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The best customer service is distinguished by the passion and energy of the staff delivering it. Whilst all know good service when it is seen, measuring it can be a challenge and managing it well can be harder. What can and should be done to sustain outcomes and optimise value? Building and Buying Well An…
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Standardising is so inherently appealing that most people happily accept it as a good thing, until the time comes to make it work. Are you to be like the company with 800 desktop builds for each 1000 staff? What are the costs, benefits, limits and practicalities of standardising service practice? Standardisation can apply to many things:…
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Business models have been around for years in one form or another. How can their use support those considering business transformation or outsourcing? What is a Business Model? A Business model brings together a high-level view of the whole business that addresses: The proposition to its customers The revenue and charging approach, what it charges…
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Access to essential information and the ability to apply it with full knowledge of its implications are essential to all services. Knowledge management has long been a bane of services. What does one have to do to keep the information flowing? The European Committee for Standardization suggests the definition: “Knowledge is the combination of data and…
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The choice of partner can have profound effects, in love and in commerce. Few get married with the intent of immediate divorce. What considerations should sway your selection of a partner? A good selection results in your finding the party that delivers you the best value solution to your need. The Office of National Statistics…
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Now that the economic climate is getting milder, many finance leaders are moving away from bolting down expenditure and are instead seeking investments to support growth or finally releasing funds for deferred projects. But the market is still fragile and it is unclear as to whether trading volumes and margins will return to the levels…
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Juliet’s farewell to Romeo was full of remorseful kisses. For some approaching the end of a sourcing agreement, the move cannot come too soon. How can you minimise the pain of partition? Most attention is paid to transition in. Here we look from the perspective of the terminating operation. Why Exit? Most agreements run their…
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The contract has been signed. Champagne has been consumed. The hangover is over – or is it just beginning? It takes many organisations two years or more to get a new service up and running effectively. In these times of short contract duration, expectations of flick-a-switch cloud services and agile delivery, what can you do…
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