BBC Resources

What the Client Said

The most inclusive consulting project we have experienced.
David Green

Our plan required a 15% efficiency improvement to leapfrog our competition. Oakland worked with us to ensure systems and processes were embedded into the fabric of our organisation.
Jim Brown

Assignment

BBC Resources Ltd provided Studio, Outside Broadcast and Post Production facilities to customers both within and outside the BBC. Incorporated as a limited company in 1998, it faced increasing commercial, political and corporate pressure to achieve profitability. Initial analysis showed the company to be financially uncompetitive, and operating with a culture of sustained high manning levels and non-competitive working practices. An independent report by Sir Gavin Davies recommended that parts of Resources Ltd should be sold off.

Resources management required insight and plans to determine whether Resources Ltd could be competitive, and if so, rapid implementation of changes to transform the business from its current loss-making situation.

Oakland Consulting plc was commissioned to undertake a review of BBC Resources’ London operations to assess current performance, recommend the necessary steps to achieve profitability and work with the BBC to plan and implement the changes.

Approach

Phase 1: Insight and Planning

Oakland undertook a rigorous analysis of key drivers and levers for cost and performance. Core processes were identified and mapped. Major potential for improvement was identified in terms of staffing levels, labour practices, process re-engineering and capacity planning. Patterns of demand and key customer requirements were analysed. Interviews were conducted with customers, vendors and competitors to establish industry performance benchmarks.

An innovative and creative approach to improvement was adopted, bringing together changes in people, technology and processes. Delivery and support processes were appraised and simplified, current rules and assumptions governing these processes were busted and opportunities for radical re-engineering highlighted.

Phase 2: Implementation

Oakland was retained to work alongside BBC managers to implement the plans from phase 1. Oakland’s role was to ensure project management disciplines were adopted, knowledge on processes was transferred and the momentum for change maintained. Changes were made to the organisational structures that supported the key business processes, and performance measures introduced to ‘lock in’ the benefits of the re-engineered processes. Implementation of the changes was completed within 10 months.

Achievements

The project helped BBC Resources to dramatically enhance its understanding of the business and increase profits. The project identified opportunities to reduce costs by approximately 20%, while maintaining levels of customer satisfaction and market share. Furthermore, Oakland’s approach led to these changes being locked into the future working of the BBC. Many attitudes and working practices changed and barriers were broken down to secure the future of Resources Ltd.

The transformation in operations made Resources Ltd an attractive proposition resulting in it being retained within the Corporation.

 

Client Feedback

BBC employees viewed this as the most inclusive consulting project they had experienced. BBC managers regarded the project as creative, innovative and practical, achieving the support of employees and achieving benefits that other approaches had failed to do. Oakland have since been commissioned to complete similar assignments in other parts of the BBC.

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