European mobile operator -
Developing an operational strategy and aligning leadership

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The challenge

The client’s business consisted of four different geographically based businesses units each with distinct technology and operating structures. The group had been reviewing its strategic options, of being a network operator or a service based operator, but couldn’t decide on the best way forward. Efficiencies were needed across all four geographic operations to remain competitive in the European market and outsourcing and/or consolidation of all or some elements of its operations was being considered.

The client engaged Corven to work with the senior team across Europe to create leadership alignment and to engage the different businesses in driving the synergies across the business, at the same time as establishing itself in a highly competitive European market.

Approach

Corven worked closely with the leadership team to identify the key strategic levers need transform the organisation from four separate and distinct businesses into a single European operator.

Early workshops with the leadership resulted in a series of work-streams focusing on:

• Creating the new business through developing the product and service roadmap that would move them to the “provider of innovation”
• Generating immediate saving by rationalising the product set and procurement process
• Generating increased customer confidence and loyalty by dramatically improving the technical quality of the UK Network
• Identifying the parts of the business that needed to be delivered locally, centrally and “once”. Then determining the best way to deliver the “once” services

These work-streams utilised various techniques including:

• Labs - very intense working groups that deliver breakthrough change in under four week – this involves a small team of eight client staff who are coached through iterative cycles of increasing breakthroughs whilst engaging large numbers of staff in the organisation
• Focused Engagement Events – two to three day events where up to 100 people engage in a series of work-stream (through booth exercises) to generate ownership / engagement and include the collective intelligence in the development of the work-streams
• Mass Mobilisation Events – one to two day events with up to 200 people being taken through an agenda that educates them about the change and ensures they are in agreement with the planned changes

Results

The business is now seen to be a market leader in innovative products and has seen its share price remain static whilst all others in the sector have lost 40 plus %. Specific results included:

• The improvement of quality of service by 30 percent in under two months
• The partnership with key technology providers of “once” services
• The reduction of procurement costs by 25%
• The development and successful implementation the product and service roadmap
• The alignment of the leadership team on the European operation and turnaround of the performance of the worst operating company

“This event has shown behaviours that indicate change and we have had the most constructive and frankest conversations ever as a leadership team. As for results, we got more than we asked for”
CEO