Challenge

A major communications service provider wanted to transition from a resale to a facilities-based environment in order to offer a full range of local and long distance services to wholesale and retail customers.  In order to gauge the operational requirements needed to support the new business model, the client needed help from a firm with facilities-based carrier expertise.  In addition, the client was relying on mergers and acquisitions for its growth, and therefore it needed subject matter experts (SMEs) to analyze and comment on its due diligence and integration plans.

TMNG Global Solution

TMNG Global experts worked with the clients’ key stakeholders to complete an initial operations assessment.  The results would be used to determine how we would help the client fulfill its goals.  The analysis showed that most of the client’s existing processes would need to be modified by varying degrees to support the new business model.

Process teams led by TMNG Global and staffed with a combination of TMNG Global and client subject matter experts were formed.  First, the teams documented the “as is” process so that there would be a clear understanding of what was currently in place.  Then, we developed a “future state” process that incorporated system solutions scheduled to be implemented within the year.  Interim process improvements were documented so the client could support the new business model prior to the implementation of the system support and were given a projected ROI so the business sponsors could prioritize their implementation based upon financial impact.  The team also documented business requirements and rules using our proprietary TMNG Lexicon™.  Because the organization was changing from a reselling environment to a facilities-based environment, new organizational structures that would streamline the process and eliminate handoffs were also created and documented.

The teams created detailed project plans for each functional area and conducted weekly meetings with the sponsors to assess progress and to remove roadblocks.  A company vice president and TMNG Global Principal managed the overall initiative and met monthly with the steering committee, composed of operational vice presidents who would be impacted by the changes. We worked alongside the client’s employees so that once the initial work was completed the employees would be able to maintain and change the processes as needed.

The area that was the most impacted by the new business model was the network organization.  Previously, facilities acquired from other companies had not been inventoried and integrated into the facilities and equipment inventory system. We created an audit plan for the network, completed an internal audit, and assisted with the audit discovery and remediation phases from a project management perspective. We also created a checklist of the network elements required to be stored in a facilities and equipment system that was used as the standard for completing the audit and for entering the data into the system.

Benefits to the Client

The client now had the internal expertise to complete the analysis and process rework required to make the transition to a facilities-based carrier.  Because of the knowledge transfer that took place, the clients’ employees were well positioned to continue with process improvements. The interim process improvements that were implemented as a result of the project resulted in an overall savings to the client of $14 million within the first six months of implementation.