Organization. A telecommunications company was introducing a new, integrated service. To support the service, the company introduced a new system, providing for one point of customer contact. They were also changing the work process flow and the roles and responsibilities of all the technicians. During the performance analysis, Silber Performance Consultanting discovered that employees did not know the current work process or the impending changes in tool or work process nor did they want to change their existing work patterns. Based on those results, we recommended and designed a systematic change management process. This included communications and attitude change interventions along with organizational development recommendations to enable different groups to work together. Additionally, new work processes and job roles were established. An electronic performance support system for the new system was created. We designed an overview program (including attitude change video, and overview video and course) to introduce the new service/process and system/job roles. Finally, skill training for the new system was also established. SPC provided leadership throughout the entire implementation of the solution.

Work Process. A supplier of materials to a major restaurant chain had problems responding to excessive change orders throughout the entire supply chain. SPC led a supply chain and process re-engineering project enabling order fulfillment, contracting, invoicing, and payments to run more efficiently. Working with the restaurant chain, suppliers, the marketing/advertising company and the supplier’s holding company, we designed an "outside the box" process for annual contracts building in expected changes, electronic billing and fund transfer, incentives for quality and timely suppliers and more creative jobs in the client company. The result was not only a more efficient process with stakeholder acceptance, but also a $500K per year savings, and a Supplier-of-the-Year Award.

Work Group. A major member-owned financial organization was having trouble with the employee morale in a "back-of-the-house" work group. Since a study had already been conducted on one group, SPC replicated and extended that performance analysis to identify work design, management, and individual performance problems for this group. After identifying the same issues as the first study, our Performance Consultants made the following recommendations. SPC suggested changes to the work process, information flow and job roles to make the work and the environment more satisfying - resulting in reduced turnover. We also suggested increased team building activities to improve group cohesion; and enhanced management and worker skill building to allow everyone to better operate in the new work environment.

Individual Worker. Inventory analysts for a retailer were not able to use the company’s system to make correct predictions about inventory order amounts and the proper re-order time. To achieve the desired results, Silber Performance Consulting conducted a cognitively-based task analysis, focusing on decisions rather than system use. We then developed task and decision-oriented training, combined with classroom discussion, self-paced instruction, computer-based practice, instructor feedback and same-day on-the-job practice.

Clients We’ve Worked With

	Advantis (now IBM Global Services/Network Services)
	American Cancer Society
	Amoco
	Andersen Consulting
	AT&T
	Bank of Montreal
	Budget Rent-A-Car
	Chicago Board of Trade
	CNA Insurance
	Commonwealth Edison
	DLS Group, Inc.
	Federal Aviation Administration
	The Gap
	Governors State University
	Johnson Controls
	McDonald’s Corporation
	Motorola
	Pioneer Hi-Bred
	Roosevelt University
	Spiegel, Inc.
	USAA Insurance
	The Worldwide Company