Driving cycle time reduction through Kaiser’s change-driven process improvement methodology

Situation:

A major emerging markets Tower industry client approached us seeking support in reducing the overall start-to-finish duration of its macro-site BTS projects. Recognizing the importance of outperforming the competition in the ultra-competitive tower construction market, our client looked toward Kaiser to:

  • Execute the change-driven process improvement methodology we have developed through years of experience working with major tower industry clients
  • Develop actionable strategies for cycle time reduction based on findings from diagnostic studies, and in conjunction with C-Level client leadership
  • Transfer knowledge and ownership of active cycle time tracking and reduction to local business “owners” through comprehensive training initiatives

Approach:

Beginning with a diagnostic deep-dive into both historical and “live” data points, we determined the average time between each key step / milestone / responsible party in the BTS process via our value-stream mapping methodology. From there, we:

  • Compared the compiled information against relevant industry benchmarks, providing our client with a clear picture of where they stood vis á vis the competition
  • Divided identified issues into 4 broad categories to facilitate the creation of tangible improvement plans by key topic:
    • Processes & Procedures
    • Roles & Responsibilities
    • Technology & Systems
    • Finance & Accounting
  • Developed strategies for improving identified bottlenecks via in-depth working sessions with our client’s senior Operations leadership teams

Results:

Equipped with the insights and recommendations developed as part of this initiative, our client implemented a series of BTS process improvements, which resulted in:

  • More accurate project budget and expense tracking, as a product of new tools created for comparing expected costs vs. funds committed in purchase orders
  • A 25% increase in customer satisfaction, as evidenced by the results of Kaiser’s “before and after” Voice of Customer surveys
  • A 15% decrease in the average number of days required to complete the active phases of a given BTS project