Driving efficiency through cost-optimization.

Client Background

The client is one of the world’s leading communications services providers, headquartered in UK catering to the needs of customers in over 170 countries worldwide. Their main activity is provisioning of fixed-line services, broadband, mobile and TV products and services as well as networked IT services.

Industry Landscape

The telecommunications industry is characterized by new technologies, services, and huge capital investments to make content accessible through any device anywhere. About 2 to 5 percent of all the services delivered by the world’s largest telecom providers is unbilled because of inefficient or misaligned processes. Despite significant investments in new and upgraded solutions, order-to-cash processes remain inefficient.

The Opportunity

Incorrect load balancing with staggered processes had ensured that the cycle time was very high at 75+ business days. High variation in order delivery lead time translated into slower revenue recognition and customer experience, which impacted order booking and the brand.

Solution

Wipro undertook an internal benchmarking exercise using the client’s operating model to map the deviation from the goal of “Access + 10 days”. Wipro conducted the transformation by utilizing the following principles to improve cycle time:

• Drilldown of critical-to-quality parameters from the customer’s point of view
• Planned stage-wise improvement projects
• Application of Service Manufacturing principles (Service Factory Model)
  

1.  People (Goals, Cross Training)
2.  Just In Time (Pull Methodology)
3.  Waste Reduction
4.  Quality Control

• Reduce downstream rework by incorporated checklist at order receipt stage
• Working with downstream owners to map mandatory information required at each stage, which should be fed forward to ensure that there are no delays

Approach to Improve Cycle Time

Process

• Value Stream Mapping used as a tenet to identify bottlenecks in the process and improvement
• Measurement system to capture end-to-end & stage wise cycle time of orders
• Automation of repetitive work
  

People 

• Standardization of validation checks at each stage to ensure right first time flow
• Standard lead time defined for each order type
• Demand Planning done as per order forecasting
• Team members were granted access to different queues
  

System 

• Pull Methodology implemented for order entry using automation of work allocation
• Automatic alerts sent to team leaders & managers to ensure Jeopardy Management
• Online requests for engineers automated in the system
  

Customer 

• Order Management helpdesk created to assist order managers for precise Purchase Order Generation
• B End validation checklist modified to ensure customer readiness
• List of queues, in-country queue owners and task owners created, along with associated SLAs for timely follow-up & on time closure 
  

Business Impact

• Reduction in Access + Days has resulted in one time early billing benefits (increased cash flow) of approx $48.5 million to the client
• Improvement in cycle time results in a benefit of US$ 660,100 every single day
• Lead time from access delivery (MPLS, Ethernet, etc.,) to billing improved by 53% from 32 business days to 15 business days
• Instances of CPE delivery after access delivery, and CPE orders (routers, hubs etc.,) came down from 42% to 11% - 74% reduction