Client Success
Stories
We Do,
Stories Speak
Client success stories provide insights into how Kepner-Tregoe consulting and training services resulted in measurable improvements in targeted KPIs.
Client success stories are organized by industry, but many are relevant across industries because they illustrate dramatic results based on the application of analytic thinking to the problems, plans and decisions made by individuals and teams in our increasingly digitized and changing business environment.
Shutdown Excellence: 111 Projects in Two Weeks Instead of Three
Challenge
Thomson Tube Operations (now Videocon) was manufacturing six million tubes a year at its plant in Poland. Each summer, production shut down for several weeks allowing capital investment projects and deep maintenance to be performed. During this period, process changes, modifications, and additions, as well as maintenance activities were executed. Ramping up to full production capacity after shutdown was a slow process with quality issues. The organization recognized an opportunity to reduce the quality issues and costs of the annual shut by improving planning processes.
Result
Working with KT, Project Leaders improved project management and successfully accelerated the return to full production over the previous year. The structured, project approach to the shutdown had immediate benefits. Planning eliminated schedule conflicts that would have caused delays. During implementation, schedules were tightly managed. When projects slipped or contractors struggled to perform, immediate actions were taken to bring them back on track. Rapid decision-making based on good information, sustained project momentum. When problems arose, they were dealt with swiftly.
Global Telecommunications Company Achieves Four Times its Improvement Goal Using Troubleshooting Simulation
Challenge
This European subsidiary of a global telecom provider has communication networks and partner networks worldwide providing telecommunications and IT services to corporate clients in 150 countries. The decision was made to switch IT operations from being out-sourced to in-sourced with the interest of improving service for their enormous and expanding customer base. They needed a structure to manage large monthly volumes of customer issues including an average of 7,500 incidents and 150+ problem tickets. As part of this same initiative, they also added an operations center in India as well as a service desk in Romania.
Result
Engagement with KT was successful due to the capability to implement a methodology and training program that would both overcome cultural differences, and minimize or eliminate the typical decline in service quality when opening new application operations in other countries. A multi-level instructor-led training program including classroom sessions, simulation training with ongoing coaching to deeply embed needed troubleshooting skills. To maximize the sustainability of the solution, Kepner-Tregoe educated instructors who would deliver the training program to new employees during future expansion of IT services globally.
Needle in a Haystack. Finding Root Cause Saves €2.8 Million
Challenge
At a Siemens plant that produces custom logic and memory chips, a corrosion problem occasionally developed on aluminum interconnects, and chips had to be discarded. For ten years—since production began—the problem resurfaced every few months but defied resolution. The complexity of production and the elusiveness of the problem made finding the cause similar to finding a needle in a haystack. Production involved over 4,000 people and 400 different steps; complicated by a problem that occurred infrequently and disappeared during testing.
Result
A cross-functional team drawn from various departments tackled the problem again, this time using KT Problem Solving and Decision Making processes. With Situation Appraisal, the team was able to sort concerns, break issues into workable pieces, and set priorities. The corrective action proved to be 100% effective, and production was converted to the new process. Eliminating the faulty steps reduced material costs by €108,000. More important, production delays disappeared, customer satisfaction improved, and Siemens saved €2.8 million in losses due to defects.
Improving IT Incident Management Performance
Challenge
Target Corporation wanted to close the gap in their high severity incident management processes. The goal was to speed up resolution while minimizing operational and customer impact resulting from those incidents across their global technology services organization.
Result
A pilot project was implemented. Over a four-month period, Kepner-Tregoe worked with the High Severity Incident Management group of one of the major technology groups. The results included: 74% reduction in Mean-Time-to-Restore, 77% reduction in Variation and Increase in the percentage of “Global Incidents Avoided” and an improvement in process quality and consistency.
Business Process Improvement (BPI)
Challenge
For one consumer goods company, the process that needed improvement most was not in manufacturing, marketing, or another common business function, but in the procurement and maintenance of intellectual property (IP)—the management of intellectual capital, embodied in the organization’s trademarks, trade names, and copyrights. Key issues surrounding the existing IP management process were identified and deficiencies of the process were raised during a review of the company’s business strategy.
Result
A BPI team was assembled that included executive decision makers, subject matter experts, and a Kepner-Tregoe (KT) consultant. The BPI team focused on understanding how the work was currently performed and selecting how it should be performed from various alternative process designs. Metrics were embedded into the improved process to allow for continuous improvement. The new process realized a 38% reduction in IP processing costs and reduced risk to key assets.
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