Process improvement in a utility company

Abstract

Companies today must continuously improve their processes in order to meet the ever changing needs of the consumer. In the past, most utility providers (telephone, natural gas, etc.) paid little attention to improving processes in order to improve customer service, due to their monopolistic hold on the consumer. However, due to past and current utility deregulation, many of these companies face the possibility of losing their customers to new competitors. This means these companies are being forced to leave their old ways behind and embrace new ideas. This article is a description of one utility company’s approach to improving one of its key processes. Special attention is given to team work, measurement systems, and the role of top management, in an attempt to help the reader understand the potential pitfalls of process improvement as well as the potential for improvement in bottom line results.

Citation

Hayes, T.M. and Helms, M.M. (1999), "Process improvement in a utility company", Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 297-310. https://doi.org/10.1108/14637159910297358