|
Problem solving with mystrategy® - an example using service quality
mystrategy® example: You want to solve a problem e.g "I am concerned
about falling service quality and want to explore ways to improve it."
Open printable
version of this page - PDF format
Download the sample mystrategy® model for
this example - zipped .msf file
Download a copy of the Reader or buy a personal licence for mystrategy
Go back to summary of examples
In this situation, work backwards from the 'problem'
itself. This is a typical "Strategy Dynamics" question and we would suggest the
following.
If you need more assistance refer to the helpfile in
mystrategy®.
-
Identify and specify the measure[s] that most clearly indicate the problem you
are seeking to solve, and the time over which the problem has changed, and will
be solved.
-
The problem:
Our service quality has fallen over the last few months, and needs to be
improved during next year
-
The Measure: The fraction of customer enquiries solved
first time.
-
Action: Set
the timescale in mystrategy® to run from month 0 to 24, and "Today"
equals month 12. Create a variable called Service
Quality and add your data to the graph of it.
Help me
-
Work back through the logic of what is causing the problem, using any
information that may be relevant, to the 'resources'
that are driving it e.g.
- "We need 7 staff per 1000
customers so for our customer base of 85,000 we should have 595 staff. We
actually have 508 staff so 87 too few. Proportionally we can say our staff
are 17% overworked - calculated as the shortfall divided by the actual staff
we have - 87/508."
-
We can add elements for each
of these factors - customers and
staff are resources, staff needed, and pressure on staff are
variables and staff needed per '000 clients is a constant. We can add
simple equations to calculate the variables
just as we would in a spreadsheet cell: for example staff needed is simply the number of
customers divided by the number of staff needed per '000 customers.
-
 Look at the history of the inflow
and outflows that have brought these resources to their
current level.
- "Over the last year net growth
in customers has been strong. (The numbers are not available for lost
customers so a single inflow is described as 'net change')"
- "Over the same period, our
hiring rate was just about enough to keep staff numbers stable, though staff
losses are starting to rise."
-
Sketch out how you think a solution for the future
might work, by changing the resource flows and working through what could
happen to resource levels and performance outcomes.
-
 "I can
increase hiring from next month. but will need to stop customer growth for 3
months [by cutting my marketing].
- We will lose a few customers
during that time, but my increasing staff will be able to offer better
service.
- Thereafter, if I keep the
faster hiring we should be able to cope, though if customer growth continues
there is a risk that we will be under pressure again later in the year.
- I believe that staff losses
will slow down as the work pressure eases"
- Note: the figures show sketched data which does not display end
values until the model is run.
Use the architecture you developed in mystrategy® for steps 1 and 2 to sketch out how you
see the numbers for each factor developing into the future, and the time-path
for the improvement you are seeking. With the calculations we added for staff needed,
pressure on staff, and service quality, the model then shows how we think the
next 12 months could play out.
|
