How a global telecoms provider created 15% more capacity to focus on higher-value work

A major acquisition created an opportunity for this global telecommunications provider to simplify operations, improve performance and establish a common way of working across the newly combined organisation.

The organisation wanted to create capacity, strengthen collaboration and improve operational consistency. Leaders also recognised significant opportunities to use automation, advanced analytics and AI to improve performance. However, inconsistent processes and limited operational visibility made it difficult to identify, prioritise and scale those opportunities.

The business decided to build operational excellence into day-to-day operations so that improvements could be sustained long after the initial programme ended. Baringa supported that ambition by providing a structured approach to capability building, performance improvement and continuous improvement, creating a stronger platform for future AI, automation and analytics opportunities.

Creating a common operating approach

The organisation chose to establish consistent operational excellence practices across teams and functions.

Using Baringa's Team-by-Team Operational Excellence methodology, teams were supported to improve performance through structured ways of working, data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.

The programme focused on:

• Developing operational excellence capability across operational teams and leadership
• Embedding visual management, team huddles and structured problem-solving
• Establishing consistent performance management and governance
• Building an internal network of coaches and practitioners
• Creating a Centre of Excellence to support future growth
• Identifying 50+ opportunities for process improvements, automation and workflow digitisation

The focus remained on empowering the people closest to the work.

Building capability to sustain change

Developing leaders and teams

The organisation invested in operational excellence skills across all levels of the business.

Leaders were trained and coached to lead improvement efforts. Teams gained practical tools to identify issues, solve problems and improve performance consistently. A shared language and common approach helped teams work together more effectively across the newly merged organisation.

Creating internal ownership

The organisation wanted improvement capability to remain in-house.

To achieve this, it developed internal coaches and practitioners who could sustain the new ways of working and support future deployment. A dedicated Centre of Excellence provided a foundation for continued growth and governance.

This reduced dependence on external support and helped embed continuous improvement as a core organisational capability, with internal coaches and practitioners supported by the Centre of Excellence so improvement capability remained in-house beyond the initial programme.

Delivering measurable operational improvements

The programme was deployed across multiple operational and corporate functions, including Service Delivery, Network Operations and Commercial teams.

Over a 12-month period, teams achieved an average 15% capacity creation while adopting new ways of working and improving operational performance.

Key outcomes included:

• Average 15% capacity creation across participating teams
• More than 900 colleagues accredited to Lean Competency System Level 1a
• More than 60 business leaders trained and coached in operational excellence leadership
• 25 internal business coaches developed to sustain and expand the approach
• More than 60 problem-solving initiatives launched, including opportunities to explore automation, analytics and AI

Creating the foundations for technology-enabled operational excellence

The organisation's goal extended beyond operational efficiency.

By establishing consistent processes, stronger governance and better operational visibility, Baringa helped create the operational foundations and improvement pipeline needed to identify and prioritise future automation, advanced analytics and AI opportunities more effectively.

Most importantly, operational excellence became an internal capability rather than a one-off intervention. Teams gained the confidence, skills and ownership needed to simplify work, solve problems and continuously improve performance over time.