- Key Principles in Operations Strategy
The dynamic and rapidly changing nature of IT means that organisations cannot rely on technology alone to stay ahead of competition (Sohal, Moss and Ng 2001). Powell and Dent-Micallef (1997) cited by Sohal, Moss and Ng (2001) assessed IT’s impact in the retail industry and revealed that IT on its own didn’t produce “sustainable performance advantages....but a number of organisations have achieved competitive advantage by utilising IT to influence “intangible, complementary human and business resources such as flexible culture, strategic planning-IT integration and supplier relationships”.
It was demonstrated that “leveraging IT for strategic benefit” depends on the level of success in its implementation and management of IT, to “build, sustain and extend competitive advantage” (Sohal, Moss and Ng 2001), especially accelerating, removing or reducing inefficiencies that result in lower operational costs, faster/instant delivery and reliability, and ensuring standardised service quality.
Therefore, it is the aim of this report to evaluate the role of IT in service operations by focusing on selected core operations strategies, namely:-
- Cost;
- Quality; and
- Delivery
and assess IT’s role in what we consider 2 of the most competitive, innovative, globalised and dynamic industries from the service sector, one from the Service Factory Quadrant and the other from the Mass Service Quadrant as illustrated in Table 1 hereinbefore.
For instance, internet banking allows customers to do their banking transactions online (Rotchanakitumnuai & Speece 2003), while the advancement of IT has provided delivery channels such as ATM, PC banking, telebanking and banking kiosks or Self-Service Terminals (SST) to offer ease of convenience to the masses (Ong and Cheng 2003).
Similarly in the airlines industry, the sight of air travellers checking in with paper tickets is already a thing of the past. As at 1st June 2008, members of the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) stopped issuing paper tickets for all international flights around the world, and all someone needs to travel is a confirmation number along with a passport. The switch to e-tickets is expected to save airlines USD$3billion a year in costs, thanks to IT. (Reuters Online Video News Report, 29 May 2008)
- IT’s ROLE IN BANKING SERVICE OPERATIONS
The banking industry is distinguished from other industries by its fragmented markets. Philip Kotler, described the paradigm shift in financial services as, “...at the heart of the bank would be a comprehensive customer database and a product profit database. The bank would be able to identify all the services used by any customer, the profit (or loss) on these services and the potentially profitable services which may be proposed to that customer.” (Deutsch, 1990).
2.1 Strengths
IT’s role is to enable banks to look at real data, track transactions in real-time, and harvest information in pursuit of the banking services’ oft-repeated mantra of serving customers better, faster and cheaper.
Electronic services (e-services) which delivered obvious cost benefits, faster delivery, greater flexibility and convenience to customers by improving quality in banks’ service operations was conceived by advancements and innovations in IT.
It was argued that the instantaneous application of information throughout the banks’ value chain allows it to respond promptly to shifts in demand and trends. Furthermore, it enables computerised databases that can respond instantly to real-time requests for information on an individual basis. (Pine II, 1999, pp. 43-49).
These services have a direct influence on banks’ profitability and financial performance, and they’re necessary for banks to remain competitive by increasing customer value and ensuring customer retention while maintaining competitive advantage (Chang and Wildt, 1994 cited by Ho and Ko, 2008; de Young and Duffy, 2002 cited by Polasik and Wisniewski, 2009).
IT has changed the way banks operate and in the right hands, it is an effective competitive tool by “leveraging time and human resources” (Mathe and Dagi 1996). They also opined that the future competitive advantage in the banking industry is ‘customer service’ which according to them is more important than price. They offered Citibank as an example, which developed a ‘service equation’ by using technology to improve customer service quality. By adopting new technology, banks are able to improve customer service quality which results in customer loyalty (Yang, Whitefield and Boehme 2007).
BO technology allow banks to carry out required “internal support functions efficiently”. As service operations grow, multiple Front Office (FO) transactions can be automated and integrated with centralised BO functions (Mathe and Dagi 1996) and include clearing cheques while credit ratings can be done by regional centres away from the front office.
In addition, Expert Systems (ES) or Decision Support Systems (DSS) are done by BO staff, to control and manage productivity at FO, such as “credit analysis, financial planning, securities trading and fraud detection” (Mathe and Dagi 1996).
For instance, the Malaysian Electronic Payment System (MEPS) Inter Banks Fund Transfer (IBFT) facilities allows organisations to perform high volume (up to a maximum of RM100,000 per transaction) inter-bank payments as such for payroll and loan repayments without ever needing to raise physical supporting vouchers or documents such as cheques, or bank drafts. Ultimately, it frees BO office staff to perform the accounting reconciliation work.
Ong and Cheng (2003) cited that distribution or delivery channels (e-channels) include “ATMs, Personal Computer (PC)/Online Banking, Telebanking, SST” and Branch Network. Banking customers do not have to make trips to the bank to perform transactions, queue or be constrained by the bank’s operating hours (Lassar et al., 2005 cited by Polasik and Wisniewski 2009).
In other words, IT facilitates basic banking service functions, a new way to deliver existing banking service in more accessible, convenient and productive ways while reducing overhead costs. Operating expenses of internet banking stand at only 25-30% of the cost of operating a physical branch (Chau and Lai 2003; Hensmans et al., 2001 cited by Ho and Ko 2008), and the average cost of online transaction was USD$0.10¢ compared to USD$2.10 for a teller (Polatoglu and Ekin 2001 cited by Polasik and Wisniewski 2009).
Furthermore, banks offer lower fees and better rates on deposits and loans via Internet banking due to the fierce competition in the market which results in cost savings being passed to the customers (Polasik and Wisniewski 2009).
IT has conjured up the possibility today for faster decision making in loans application and efficient account management can be done by bank personnel via onsite workstations with advanced software installed to process applications online and in real time. In Malaysia, the fastest loan approval so far is offered by CIMB within 24 hours, with Hong Leong Bank and RHB both offering 48 hours approvals.
SSTs are commonly known in Malaysia as Electronic Banking Centres (EBCs), removes the need for time-consuming, over-the-counter transactions and IT has made it practicable for customers to do their typical banking needs 24/7 by placing ATMs, Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs), Cheque Deposit Machines (CQMs) and Passbook Update Machines in malls and shops. These IT-intensive, self-service driven delivery channels “enjoy economies of scale in order to offer efficient quality service at a mass production level at a low price, which subsequently leads to more demand for the services” (Xue and Harker 2005).
In addition, the cost of maintenance for physical branches, marketing and labour can be reduced (Hernando and Nieto 2007 cited by Polasik and Wisniewski 2009). Consequently, the result of lowered personnel cost would also lead to lower prices for customers (Ho and Ko 2008). For example, HSBC's centralised risk management is an IT system that makes it possible to oversee loans and “maintain a diversified portfolio across all its holdings” worldwide (Mathe and Dagi 1996).
- Weaknesses
IT is accused as isolating people, and sceptics feel that it is inept (Bitner 2001). Strangely, while it facilitates involvement and activity between people, it also leads to “disconnection and a passive attitude”.
In addition, it is argued that it relies on technology which removes human contact, and wastes time and effort, especially to those who resist change, thus causing impersonal communication (Bitner 2001). Incredibly, there are still those who resist the use of technology (Parasuraman and Colby 2001 cited by Bitner 2001).
- Opportunities
Mobile banking or m-banking is a wireless internet application that emerged from IT (Yang, Whitefield and Boehme, 2007). Other innovations such as the introduction of new services and concepts have flourished, for instance RHB transformed their EBC halls by duplicating the ambience of a café to attract “Generation Y” customers who enjoy coffee while surfing the net, and offer a whole new experience in retail banking.
More self-service innovations made possible by IT would make it more convenient, flexible and cost-effective to improve customer service. Xue and Harker (2005) point to the fact that as organisations invest heavily in “developing self-service infrastructure, they need to keep in mind that whether they can benefit from it financially depends on whether and how the customers will use it”. It is therefore pertinent to also invest in promoting and assisting customers to use self-service platforms to ensure high volume.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) equipped with sales support software aid FO staff in providing better services. By having immediate access to information about bank’s product and service offering as well as about particular customers, employees are able to serve the customer better. It allows employees to customise services to fit customer’s needs (Bitner 2001).
As the number of branch network dwindles due to the popularity of other self-help and virtual channels, there’s an opportunity to mobilise operations staff to perform sales, marketing and promotions of banks products and services (Ong and Cheng 2003). Furthermore, internet banking offers new opportunities “as an efficient and advanced financial service provider”.
- Threats/Challenges
First, security is the most prominent and menacing threat yet to IT’s role in banks’ service operations. The threats faced include phishing, hacking, cyber-terrorism and identity theft because hackers are able to corrupt, infect and gain access to online database such as personal and sensitive information on accounts and customers with serious financial implications resulting in fraud, theft, violation of privacy rights and breach of confidentiality, including malicious destruction of data.
Second, the payback time for IT investments can be too lengthy for the service sector as opposed to manufacturing. It may take a long time for an investment to demonstrate its benefits and results in productivity or customer satisfaction gains. Sometimes, according to Bitner (2001), it never happens.
Third, obsolescence is also a threat due to the nature of technology which grows rapidly. As such service organisations “will miss opportunities to expand due to technological limitations" (Mathe and Dagi 1996).
Fourth, the human factor still plays a vital role in IT. Competent and experienced staff are prerequisites to select, develop and maintain technologically “sophisticated systems” (Mathe and Dagi 1996).
Fifth, “cultural differences may overwhelm technological advantages”. Examples are American and European companies that outsourced data processing in India, the Philippines and other Third World Countries where at times problems arise “relating to the protection of proprietary information and intellectual property” (Mathe and Dagi 1996).
Sixth, age also becomes a threat as it will have an impact on the demand for financial services from banks, especially the younger generation with higher income and those living in highly urbanised cities and comprise of white collar professionals who’re IT-savvy and receptive to new technologies (Polasik and Wisniewski 2009).
Lastly, IT systems and infrastructure are not 100% reliable, and can spell disaster for banks due to lost data during system migration or breakdowns that hampers service and frustrates customers.
- IT’s ROLE IN AIRLINES’ SERVICE OPERATIONS
The airline industry is notorious for being an inefficient industry. The late Sir Adam Thomson, founder of British Caledonian Airways once remarked “...when you’ve lost your trousers, you’re in the airline business.” (Telegraph.co.uk, 25 March 2009).
One commentator interestingly described it as being stuck in a “swirling toilet bowl” and “the only way they can get out is when the entire distribution system completely changes” because there is so much “duplication of service and overheads” in this volatile industry. The essence of the industry as it was summed up in not so many words is, “the ability to fill seats with passengers” (Business Week, 3 December 2008).
The airline industry relies heavily on IT. Every single aspect of an airline’s operations, from reservations, customer preferences, ticketing, scheduling, fuel requirements, flight path, weather forecasts, fleet maintenance, baggage handling and seat allocation is reliant on IT systems.
According to Rhoades and Waguespack (2005), for airlines, “whatever their strategy, they absolutely have to get the following right”:-
- Safety;
- Punctuality;
- Baggage;
- Seamless transfer from changing flights;
- Scheduling;
and “if any one of or more goes wrong or is perceived” as below expectations, they will lose customers to their competitors regardless of price and services offered.
Moreover, any disruption in service delivery and quality will directly impact an airline’s bottom line. In a “highly reactive customer contact environment, perception is king” (Chan 2000).
3.1 Strengths
IT is “a differentiator in managing prices, reducing errors, streamlining logistics and improving customer services” (KPMG, 2003, pp. 2-7).
It is also recognised as a major enabler for the industry, to work effectively and safely while achieving substantial cost savings (Keleman 2003).
IT is used to develop “Collaborative Product Commerce” which significantly shortens the time to “field new products and services while reducing life-cycle costs” of aircrafts (Faris II, Wittman and Hasty 2005).
Air Asia’s Datuk Tony Fernandes admitted in his email to customers dated 29th October 2008, that the upgrading of their IT infrastructure especially their Call Centre Facility to overcome capacity problems was necessary to ensure excellent services even though it will cost more.
Hansman, (2005), proved that “IT has had a substantial role in improving affordability, safety, capability, efficiency, capacity, environmental impact and financial performance of the Air Transportation System and its components”, it is a “System of Systems” with “various interacting subsystems”. These subsystems include “technical, operational, organizational and social components such as Vehicle, Airline and Air Traffic Management Systems” as shown in Diagram 1 below.
Diagram 1: Air Transportation System Elements
Source: Hansman (2005)
Notably, IT has enabled the emergence of DSS which include Alerting Systems (such as weather radars), Guidance Systems (like flight navigation systems) and Planning Systems (such as fuel management) Hansman (2005). All these DSS directly contribute and influence the operations strategies relating to cost of operations, quality of service and reliability and punctuality.
Similarly, Buhalis (2003) showed that IT plays a crucial role to integrate and coordinate a wide range of internal systems and intranets, marketing support systems, operational and resource management systems in an airline’s operations as illustrated in Diagram 2 below:-
Diagram 2: Summary of ICT-enabled Airline Industry Value Chain
Source: Buhalis (2003)
Diagram 3 below illustrates the importance of the seamless coordination, integration and information-sharing properties under constrained capacity resources of airlines.
Diagram 3: Example of IT’s Seamless Coordination & Integration
_________________________________________________________________________________
Source: Hansman (2003)
The extensive use of the tools derived from IT in the airlines’ service operations is apparent, especially to re-engineer their business processes (Buhalis, 2003) which include, among others:-
- E-CRM
When airlines “can effectively attract, serve and retain the best customers.... see significant positive effects on their bottom line profitability.” (Jiang, 2003).
- E-Airlines ICT Empowered Function
To improve service quality and to maintain competitive edge (Buhalis, 2003), illustrated below in Table 2.
Table 2: eAirlines ICT-empowered functions.
Source: Buhalis (2003)
- IT-enabled Improvement on Baggage Handling: RFID replacing Barcodes
RFID – Radio Frequency Identification, is an enhanced IT system that is a means of “closing the service expectation delivery gap.” (Wyld, Jones, and Totten 2005).
3.2 Weaknesses
National carriers suffer from inherent nationalistic views and interests and depend on the government to regulate the market and protect them from competition to maintain market share and flight routes (Hertein, Mitki and Jaffe 2008), although their service quality, reliability and efficiency is below par. In all 3 operations strategy discussed here, namely cost, quality and delivery; they fail hands down. They also suffer from lack of strategic directions, whether to focus on domestic or international markets (Ahmed, Zairi and Almarri, 2006).
Since IT is a prerequisite ingredient in any airline operations and management, the hefty capital investment spent on IT may all be wasted by government-owned airlines. “Over the last 6 months, 24 airlines have become bankrupt” (The New Straits Times, 30 June 2008). In the US in 2005, 4 of its 6 largest carriers were in Chapter 11-Bankruptcy, with losses totalling USD$30billion from 2001-2005 (The Telegraph Online, 17 September 2005).
Notwithstanding the above, Malaysia Airlines combined IT with a business transformation plan that saw them report net profits of RM851 million in 2007, compared to a loss of RM136 million in 2006, and RM1.3 billion loss in 2005. They were transformed from a near-bankrupt airline in 2005 to one with record profits in 2007 while maintaining their reputation for excellent services. (Malaysia Airlines press release, 25 February 2008).
3.3 Opportunities
IT alters market structures in the airline industry, and leads to the increased use of electronic markets (Malone et al., 1987 cited by Golden et al., 2003).
IT will have a key role in developing new markets and environmentally friendly operating strategies especially in the developing and emerging economies of the world (Hansman, 2005). According to KPMG (2003), 2 new technologies are emerging from IT, namely:-
- Highly sensitive sensor networks to detect biohazards, biological pathogens, viruses (like SARS and swine flu) and explosives (like C4);
- Biometrics ID systems that serves as a sophisticated monitoring system to track movement from one location to another, just like the banks which uses it to detect fraud. In airports, the Fully Automated Seamless Travel (FAST) Biometrics Technology Application is being used as “the next frontier in service excellence, productivity and security in the service sector” (Heracleous and Wirtz 2006).
Spending on new generation IT that enables smooth inter-system integration and improved long-term efficiency improvements and cost-savings will be sustained due to the threats and weaknesses in the industry. The spectrum of IT systems emerging now will make airlines more competitive and drive down costs (KPMG, 2003).
Airlines now invest in IT to reorganise processes and systems focused on improving customer service, migrating from self-service kiosks to check-in via mobile phone services, yield management, to baggage and airport management services, electronic visas and in-flight email (Keleman 2002). Web-based mobile airline ticketing (W-MAT) is also in the pipeline (Wei and Ozok 2005).
Alaska Airlines introduced a breakthrough innovation using IT to reduce check-in time substantially and eliminate long queues at airports last year. Their design made possible checking-in at airports in less than 8 minutes, compared to the industry average of 30 minutes. The USD$28 million they expended to reduce waiting time and improve customer service is a mere fraction from the otherwise USD$500 million they would’ve spent to build a new terminal (Fast Company, March 2008, Pg. 60-62).
3.4 Threats/Challenges
There is a risk that those who manage or are in possession of sensitive and confidential information in the whole spectrum of IT integrated systems in the operations of an airline or airport might abuse it, and in the wrong hands, opens up the risks of identity theft, invasion of privacy and predominantly, security threats such as terrorism. History provides many examples.
IT among others is used in a wide range of planning and forecasting analyses, from materials management, to cost/benefit analysis and breakeven analysis to ensure costs, capacity and profitability are optimised to cope with external variables, especially with volatile fuel prices.
The people who manage IT are probably more vital than IT itself. This underscores a fact that, without a competent and fully-trained dedicated staff, airlines would lay waste to the most advanced technologies (KPMG 2003).
4.0 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
4.1 Impact of Globalisation and Deregulation on the Industries
Globalisation slapped everyone in the faces whether they liked it or not, and airline industry players were not spared, having been forced to form smart partnerships/strategic alliances (Chan, 2000) to overcome increasing competition that threatens their survivability. IT’s role can never be questioned. For instance, members of Star Alliance, the biggest of the 3 major alliances, combine and share operations and code-sharing on 912 destinations in 159 countries (Star Alliance 2007).
Deregulation/liberalisation of the airline industry was a paradigm shift which started in the US in 1978. It witnessed the proliferation of low-cost carriers (LCCs) or budget/no frills airlines due to the lowering of entry barriers which subsequently lead to acrimonious price wars, cheap fares, IT-driven online reservations, ticketless travel and a host of other innovations that was focused on the customer, in addition to changing network structures by introducing hub and spoke networks. It also resulted in better or differentiated services.
However, a major impact was the collapse of major, full-service carriers (Chan, 2000) that resulted in consolidation of the industry. In Malaysia, with deregulation came the birth of AirAsia, and suddenly, “Now everyone can fly”.
For the banking industry, globalisation and deregulation had a similar indelible impact as it did the airline industry. The list of casualties from the recent credit crunch and subprime crisis, reads like a Who’s Who of financial powerhouses. On the dark side, IT actually hastened the global financial meltdown due to deregulation/liberalisation where trillions of dollars vanished into thin air with dire consequences.
In a local context, it meant consolidation of the banking industry from 52 local banks to only 9, with further consolidation planned by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). Stiff competition means that local banks are impelled to take measures to add value to customers, streamline business processes and adopt IT rigorously in a world where virtual, self-service online channels and EBCs have become a norm. Last week, BNM announced further liberalisation with a total of 7 new banking licences to world-class foreign banks by 2011. HSBC’s “The World’s Local Bank” tagline is exactly the shape of things to come.
4.2 Analysis and Evaluation
Amazingly, IT makes possible “processes that people have not even dreamed of” (Hammer and Champy 2001, p. 92). IT has become a core competence and plays a crucial role in integrating every process and function within the banking and airline industry. Highly evolved service companies would in some way, use one or all of the following examples as a tool in their organisation briefly summarised in Table 3 below:-
Table 3
For practical reasons, we summarise the findings of this report in Tables 4 and 5 herein below for ease of reference.
Table 4
Table 5
4.3 The Present and Future Needs of IT in service operations
In conclusion, Sun Tzu’s “speed is the essence of war” is so relevant in today’s service operations. IT is an indispensable enabling tool in this rapidly changing, globalised world to conquer complexities and make it possible to deliver quality services, faster and cheaper without the constraints of time and distance.
It’s hardly debatable- speed and flexibility in service operations and the mastery to make procedures and processes simpler or even to remove frivolous processes in organisations for internal and external customers are among the benefits of IT. To remain competitive by focusing on customer needs and demands is one of the most apparent benefits of IT in service operations. In short, striking a balance between using IT with the greatest parsimony of expense to simplify complexities for their customers while delivering quality services at low prices and maximising profits, is the raison d être for banks and airlines in the service industry.
TOTAL WORDS (4,484 words)
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