Driving excellence in service provision
► Lean and Agile Research Group (LARG)
► Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply(CRiSPS)
► The Royal Automobile Club (RAC)
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| Dr Nigel Caldwell (left) and David Bizley, Technical Director, RAC |
Dr Glenn Parry of the Lean and Agile Research Group (LARG) and Dr Nigel Caldwell from the Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply (CRiSPS), have been meeting with The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) recently to understand how they deliver their market-leading services.
The RAC has been identified as an exemplar of service provision and has been ranked as the no.1 service provider within their market for 2006 and 2007 in the JD Power Survey. In this survey of over 3,000 UK motorists, the RAC received the highest ratings for all factors driving customer satisfaction.
David Bizley, Technical Director of the RAC, explained how they have managed to structure the business so that company performance is directly aligned to delivering customer value.
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| David Bizley -Technical Director RAC (centre), Dr Glenn Parry – School of Management left,) Marc McLening – Aftermarket Director Dowty Propellers Repair & Overhaul, part of GE Aviation (right). |
By using advanced integrated IT systems in their call centres and patrol vehicles they are able to rapidly locate customers in order to get to them as quickly as possible. Coupled with financial incentives, a culture of customer service provides additional staff during emergencies, such as the summer flooding in Gloucestershire. Patrol vans are configured to deal with as many different issues as possible, whilst safely operating in the hazardous roadside environment and getting customers back on the road quickly.
The RAC, aerospace industry and the ambulance service may seem unlikely comparators, but all three operate in geographically dispersed service environments, have variable demand patterns which are difficult to predict, have customers who require a rapid response, and face challenges that may not become apparent until they arrive on location.
Researchers at Bath have been bringing these organizations and concepts together. During visits to the RAC, Dr Glenn Parry was accompanied by Marc McLening, Aftermarket Director and Paul Price, Business Improvement Leader from Dowty Propellers Repair and Overhaul, part of GE Aviation.
Like many aerospace companies, Dowty are adding greater value to their customers through increased service provision, a change academics have described as ‘servitisation’. Dr Caldwell was accompanied by Rob Thompson of the Royal College of Art, as part of a multi university project exploring design options for a new form of emergency ambulance. A number of service operation approaches were observed and discussions held that may transfer knowledge between these different sectors.
Both Dr Parry and Dr Caldwell are exploring leading practice in complex product service systems and are engaged in the study of servitisation as part of the S4T research programme.
Notes to Editors
The key objective of the Lean and Agile Research Group (LARG) is to conduct high quality research into Design, Manufacture and the Management of Processes and Systems, with an emphasis on Lean Production and Agility Best Practice. This research is managed through three industrial sector led themes: Automotive, Aerospace and Construction.
A key element in CRiSPS’ strategy is to identify and research contemporary and future aspects of supply management. The Centre pursues its objectives through research projects funded by research councils, government and international organizations.
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School of Management
University of Bath
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Tel:+ 44 (0) 1225 383526
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General Notes For Editors:
The University of Bath School of Management has consistently achieved both top research and teaching ratings in the UK's Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) assessments. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the School was rated 5th in the UK for management research.
We are one of a select number of international business schools accredited by EQUIS, the European Foundation for Management Development's quality inspectorate and the Bath MBA has been accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) since 1976. The School is consistently ranked among the top UK business schools by The Times, The Sunday Times, The Financial Times and The Guardian.
The centrality of research to teaching is an essential feature of all our programmes. The School offers a full range of programmes from undergraduate to postgraduate up to PhD level and post-experience programmes including the world-ranked Bath MBA. The School also provides tailored executive development programmes for middle and senior management.
The School of Management has a faculty of around 90 teaching and research staff, including visiting academics, with a support team of around 70 managerial and administrative staff. Research income averages £2 million per annum. There are approximately 2,100 students in total comprising some 200 MBA students, 460 Master’s students, 210 full- and part-time research students, and over 1100 undergraduates following BSc degrees. The School also runs joint undergraduate programmes with Departments in the Faculties of Engineering and Design, Science and Humanities and Social Sciences.
