Powering Operational Excellence – Values, People and Technology

Operational excellence is all about continually improving a company's operations to achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

It is a journey, not a destination and requires ongoing commitment and effort to continually improve processes, engage employees, and meet customer needs. By aligning values, people, and technology, companies can create a culture of continuous improvement that drives operational excellence and delivers long-term success.

?? Values:?are the guiding principles that define a company's culture and behaviour. They reflect the beliefs and priorities of the company's leadership and serve as a foundation for decision-making and actions. When values are aligned with operational excellence, they can create a culture that prioritises continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and employee empowerment.

From my experience, “customer-centricity” and “employee empowerment” are two important values driving rapid product development cycles and innovation through customer feedback and the availability of required tools and resources to employees.

?? People: are the heart of any organisation. They are the ones who create and execute processes, make decisions, and interact with customers. When people are empowered and engaged, they can drive operational excellence by identifying and implementing process improvements, collaborating with colleagues, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Creating a “culture of trust and transparency” as well as providing the “right training and development opportunities” can make employees feel valued and equipped to drive innovation, solve complex problems, and deliver outstanding results.

?? Technology: is an essential enabler of operational excellence. It can automate processes, provide real-time data insights, and improve communication and collaboration. However, technology is only effective when it is aligned with a company's values and people.

For example, a company that values customer satisfaction may invest in technology enabling personalised, real-time customer interactions, such as chatbots or online support portals. A company that values employee empowerment may invest in technology that supports remote work, collaboration, and knowledge sharing, such as virtual collaboration tools or learning management systems.

To drive operational excellence through technology, it is essential to have a clear strategy and a well-defined roadmap for implementation. This strategy should be aligned with the company's overall goals and values and should be informed by input from employees and customers.

While achieving operational excellence is an ongoing process involving a holistic approach to aligning values, people, and technology, its long-term success is derived from the benefits it avails your organisation in terms of the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of your operations. This requires a clear strategy and that is what it is all about.