Comments on: Why Some Business Innovations Can’t Get Off The Ground

By: pixbook

pixbook — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:39:34 +0000

Nice post. I like all the articles of you.

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By: Helen

Helen — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:43:05 +0000

Organizational change is ubiquitous and continuous. It permeates organizational processes and life. We cannot avoid or ignore it. Many organizations invest significant sums of supplies into external consulting. Some corporations (but basically few) even embrace change and strive to integrate it into their strategic planning. However, anyone involved in tweak or change research is abreast that there is no guarantee that purchase in change consultancy pays dividends. Licensed and bonded payday loan lender.

By: Gary Holliday

Gary Holliday — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:31:32 +0000

The system by AA was introduced in the UK, although we tend to follow the rules being polite Brits! The gate attendants will turn away people who are too arrogant to wait in line.

I would let IT take over, scan your boarding card and “computer says no” No human decision necessary in the brave new world.

By: David Eddy

David Eddy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:12:49 +0000

And I have what I’d like to imagine is one of the few dual autographed copies.

I attended a Champy book signing event at Index & lurking quietly on the side (while Champy sat in front of a huge pyramid of the books) was Mike Hammer.

By: Chris Guerin

Chris Guerin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:37:37 +0000

The Priority AAccess lane at AA gates is for the benefit of elite status travelers and works at all points in the airport where incentives are correctly aligned- i.e. check-in and security lanes. In fact, the new TSA Diamond Lane Self-Select Program, an IT free process change which relies on the individual to segment himself into the correct Expert, Casual or Family/Special Needs security lane, has improved processing time and customer satisfaction at over 30 airports nationwide. The problem with Priority AAccess lanes at AA gates is that as an Exec Plat, Platinum or AAirPass member, you receive priority boarding privileges regardless of whether thereÂ’s a designated lane for elite travelers or not.

It should also be pointed out that the likely intended business benefit of the Priority AAccess program is to increase customer satisfaction/loyalty around AAÂ’s high value customers through the creation of a differentiated end-to-end airport experience for elite AA travelers. As with any of the benefits one receives with their AA status, a benefit is only realized when you choose to implement it. If elite travelers forfeit their benefit of segmented boarding privileges, then thatÂ’s their choice and not the fault of AA, the gate agents or the lack of a formalized IT structure around the process. The reality is that the idea of segmented boarding lanes at the gate is just not a good business idea when AA already provides priority boarding for its elite members. AA will likely learn this lesson and trim the Priority AAccess privileges back to just check-in and security.

In terms of welcoming the increased development of formalized IT based business processes, itÂ’s hard to make the case against such development. For instance, there are very few itinerary/travel processes that cannot easily and quickly be done from my iPhone. This capability is something I value and use. As AA continues to streamline its processes, itÂ’s my responsibility to discover the new capabilities and use the most beneficial ones- i.e. last year I setup my AA IVR profile so when I call customer service, the IVR can quickly provide me specific travel information without my having to enter in any information or talk with an customer service agent. AA can increase the overall adoption of their IT based processes through education, but itÂ’s only the processes that add direct customer value that will stick with its customer base. Unfortunately, it appears Priority AAccess at AA gates is not one of these processes.

By: Donna Mitchell

Donna Mitchell — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:42:26 +0000

You highlight the HR management challenge of identifying, selecting and training personnel who are, and will continue to be, capable of change and adaptation to market demands. I have witnessed United personnel redirect coach passengers to the longer line. Hopefully they receive recognition for helping build the brand. Incidentally, although I am always relegated to the coach line, I do not find myself crowded by the narrower lane. We can only pass through the boarding process one at a time anyway.
The issue for Human Resources is that not everyone is cut out to police the rules, especially those based on class differences. The service personnel must also deal with alot of emotion but that’s what the job requires. I have heard one such worker address an agitated man by saying loudly enough to reassure us all that “yes, I understand how you feel but you have no right to frighten people.” Again, finding the right talent for those jobs which cannot be handled with IT is a challenge for all employers, including education and other service industries. Designing the recruitment and evaluation materials to fulfill the needs of the ever changing New/Knowledge Economy is an emerging focus in HR.

By: tjelliott

tjelliott — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:44:06 +0000

I think Continental has succeeded with a similar process, but I also believe that their success proves your point. Their employees are on board in enforcing the process.

I wish they were not so diligent as I don’t qualify, but I admire the way in which they turned boarding into a marketing advantage to frequent fliers.

By: Jack Vinson

Jack Vinson — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:29:50 +0000

The first thing I thought of was that nearly all airlines are offering this “innovation” these days, and pretty much all of them operate in the way you describe.

Maybe some of the problem is there are just too many “plebes” to bother trying to sort out the elite class customers. Or there are only a few per flight, so the advantage isn’t really even noticed. Most airlines already invite their “premier” cutomsers to board first (or whenever they want) anyway.

With respect to these kinds of changes (whether IT or BPR), I like to think of a few things:
* What is the problem being resolved?
* How does the change resolve the problem (does it completely remove the issue, or just make it less annoying, for example)?
* What rules did the organization follow because the problem was there?
* What new rules will the organization follow now that the problem is gone? (And now that we have a new system in place).

By: GregoryY

GregoryY — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:01:24 +0000

The problem with BPR methodologies and their IT implementations, are in their complete disregard of human behavior. In other words “clever” process people very rarely ask themselves why would employees follow proposed processes? When they do ask this question, the management common response is “because will tell them…..”. In other words we will police them. It so rarely works, yet businesses continue to waste money following this failed way of thinking and no technology will help here IMHO. On the other hand I have seen very successful results when the processes were re-designed respecting human aspect of the business process. The holistic methodology starts with two questions: 1. how we can do this better? and 2. how can we implement it so people would WANT to adopt the new process?

By: Gary Comerford

Gary Comerford — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:31:29 +0000

An interesting article (and one which I have linked to on a recent post at the Process Cafe).

I think we need to make sure that implementation of IT to support a business process happens because it makes sense for the process rather than because we think it’s the right thing to do. I can think of at least one example where automating a process has caused a glitch which has resulted in reduced customer satisfaction. This is to be avoided at all costs.

It is safe to say, however, that the majority of process innovations occur as a result of automation of the process to some extent.

Thanks for the article.