Operate and Improve
Overview
The Operate and Improve stage of the toolkit covers some of the key activities that will help organisations optimise the performance of shared services, whether as a provider or customer.
Tools to assist in the key activities are included, such as measuring benefits, monitoring and analysing performance, gaining customer insight, reviewing processes and implementing improvements.
This phase also includes templates and examples for the key outputs, the post implementation or benefits report and the performance report.
Key Considerations
- Is there regular performance reporting on the service being provided by the shared service? Do you have an agreed format and frequency for reporting performance?
- Is there clarity about which forum or governance body requires what performance data for what purpose?
- Is action being taken in response to performance reports? As a shared service provider do you truly understand the service from a customer perspective? Have you considered surveys and focus groups?
- Is benefit monitoring taking place, are benefit owners managing the realisation of benefits? If people have moved on do you still have clear benefit owners?
- If benefits aren’t on track to be achieved, has an action plan been agreed which introduces remedial actions?
- Have you identified where further efficiencies can be made? Have you considered using continuous improvement methodologies such as ‘Lean’ or ‘Six Sigma’?
- Do you understand the upgrade path for your IT solution (s)? Does this take account of business driven changes, e.g. pay awards and legislation?
- Is there an effective change control & IT release management process in place?
- Do you understand the vision for the future and do you have a business plan and strategy that all key stakeholders have bought into?
