5 Lessons in Operational Excellence from Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, Part 1 of 2

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I’ve written extensively about both ancient civilizations like Egypt and ancient structures like the Terracotta Army and their uncanny ability to build at scale. My latest adventure brought me to Siem Reap, Cambodia to visit Angkor - the Khmer Empire’s crowning city.

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Angkor, which translates to “Capital City,” was long forgotten by the rest of the world until French colonization paved the way for some explorers to search for a site they’d read about. What they found was a city overtaken by the jungle. Over the next several years as the brush cleared, there stood a city with hundreds of temples.

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Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor is recognized as the world’s largest ancient city with Angkor Wat being its flagship Hindu-Buddhist temple (and the world’s largest religious site).

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Odd numbers are considered “lucky” by Buddhists, so in this article I’ll share five important lessons in operational excellence that I experienced and/or observed during my recent visit to Cambodia. These lessons are helpful reminders of how well-executed processes can lead to stellar customer experiences.

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Lesson #1: Coordinated Teamwork

Many historians and archeologists alike regard Angkor Wat as the 8th wonder of the ancient world. And it became evident why as I approached this particular temple - the sheer scale alone is worthy of awe.

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It took millions of workers and approximately 37 years to build Angkor Wat. The amount of teamwork required for such an architectural feat without modern construction technologies is evident. Only through alignment of the mission to accomplish, coordination of efforts, and flawless execution can massive amounts of stone be quarried, transported over several miles, and strategically placed without mortar.

Teamwork also made my experience at Jaya House River Park, the resort where I stayed, an unforgettable one. It was clear that every employee was cross-trained in the back-office processes required to create 5-star experiences for their guests.

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?? Do you have processes in place that encourage teamwork via cross-training? Are you creating 5-star experiences for your customers?

Lesson #2: Aligned Ecosystem

Value chains are something we practitioners in Lean Six Sigma often study and aspire to with the organizations we work with. It’s not enough to achieve excellence in your organization’s operations if the other organizations in your overall ecosystem or supply chain are not functioning at a similar level.

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For example, a manager at Jaya House asked if I was planning to visit Angkor during my stay in Siem Reap. The morning of my visit, I was warmly greeted in the lobby with an insulated water bottle, bug spray, and cold towel in preparation for my visit. Tour Radar provided transportation from my hotel to Angkor and when their guide arrived to pick me up, the staff at Jaya House escorted him inside to meet me.

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Perhaps the most remarkable part of all of this is that Tour Radar is technically a competitor to Jaya House. Although the resort offers its own tours, you’d never know that considering their reception of Tour Radar. And this seamless experience was the same for all other tours and outings I participated in through other companies like Airbnb. ?

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?? Are your customer’s interactions with the vendors and suppliers that are a part of your ecosystem smooth and streamlined?

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article next week where I'll share the remaining three lessons learned in operational excellence from my time in Cambodia.

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About the Author

Alicia Butler Pierre is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc. – an operations management firm specializing in increasing enterprise value for fast-growing small businesses. She’s a software inventor, a two-time Amazon bestselling author, and producer of a top 2% podcast.

Alicia also serves on the boards of three education-focused organizations and is an adjunct instructor of Lean Principles at Purdue University. She serves as the USA Chair of the G100’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The Process Excellence Network recognized her as a Top 50 Thought Leader in Operational Excellence. A chemical engineer turned entrepreneur, she’s designed and optimized processes for small businesses, large enterprises, non-profits, and government organizations alike.