This example tells you much about the demise of many - see http://bit.ly/drVHa - with the quote from CIO Update "A process is a process is a process, whether it is the manufacturing floor or airline passenger check-in. And what worked for manufacturing in Detroit years ago is also working for British Airways."
(as a matter of fact it isn't)
This typifies the inside-out thinking which does not acknowledge anywhere near sufficiently the Successful Customer Outcome. It might have worked in the 70's and 80's but it just isn't adequate anymore.
The BP Group and iCMG have a FREE webinar on this theme on Tuesday 2nd June - 'BPM, Evolving beyond Lean & Six Sigma' - click this link to join: http://bit.ly/krEnR
We will demonstrate precisely why companies like BA have it wrong, and what you can do immediately to 'do it right'
A few hours later after this initial post I received a rather terse reply regarding BA in my private mail... which allowed me to follow up as follows:
Oh dear. Given the private comment I have just received it looks like someone is a tad upset and everything is really OK with BA. We are sticking to our guns as the ultimate judge of that is the customer who by buying (more) product and service endorses the business model.
One of the features of 'inside-out' companies is the way people blame others for their ills - even though they were the ones responsible for the mess.
If you need more evidence read this interview from last months Information Age http://bit.ly/rKs6O which featured their CIO blaming the British Airport Authority (BAA) for the Terminal 5 debacle. All those lost bags, disastrous service, hopeless communications, pitiful systems etc.had nothing to do with the new lean technology (apparently - honestly). No I suppose it was the tooth fairy again eh?
Now don't get me wrong I would love BA to become hugely successful (as I need to fly their routes often) but the first stage of that is sorting out the mindset within. A good start is truly understanding the only reason you have a job is because of the customer. Get that and then make sure everything you do makes the customers lives easier, somper and more successful.
If BA don't get it together soon then extinction is their final destination.
References:
BP Group - Global not for profit business club with 32,000 members - FREE membership, join at
LinkedIn - BP Group discussions, presentations, toolkits, video, downloads
BP Community blog- Articles
Customer Expectation Management Method (CEMMethodtm)
Business Process Professional - Certified BPM Training
Summer Webinar Series (free to BP Group members)
Contact the author - Steve Towers
web - www.stevetowers.com
linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/stevetowers
twitter - http://twitter.com/stowers
email - steve.towers @ bpgroup.org
