06 | Business Operations & Excellence
Make the operating model work
Strategy, technology, supply chain, customer requirements and people all need processes and operating models that work together. We bring the first five services into the day-to-day operation: clarifying how work should flow, how services are delivered, and how responsibilities and decisions connect.
We also embed continuous improvement into the way the organisation works. This helps teams identify what needs to improve, act on it and build their capability as they go. As customer demands and business conditions change, the operating model can adapt while staying aligned with the strategy and the organisation’s delivery commitments.
Services within Business Operations & Excellence
What it means
Enterprise architecture describes how the organisation’s strategy, operating model, processes, information, people and technology fit together. It gives leaders a connected view of how the organisation works today and what needs to change to support its goals.
How we help
We help map the current organisation and define how its key parts need to work together to deliver sections 01–05. We identify gaps, dependencies and overlaps, then help leaders shape a practical route from the current state to the required one. Our focus is the business architecture and its connection to technology, working alongside specialist technical teams where needed.
What it means
A service delivery model sets out how an organisation provides its services: the people, processes, roles, channels, partners and measures involved. It connects what customers need with how the organisation is organised to deliver it.
How we help
We help design or improve delivery models around customer requirements and strategic priorities. This includes clarifying service responsibilities, hand-offs, standards and measures, and aligning internal teams and external dependencies so the model can work consistently in practice.
What it means
Continuous improvement is the ongoing practice of identifying and addressing opportunities to make work safer, simpler, more reliable or more effective. It works best when it is part of everyday management, rather than a separate project that loses momentum.
How we help
We help build improvement into operational routines: making issues visible, involving the people who do the work, prioritising changes and checking whether they have helped. We also develop the skills and ownership that allow teams to continue improving processes themselves and strengthen capability over time.
What it means
Corporate support includes the internal functions and services that enable the organisation to operate, such as finance, HR, governance and administration. Their processes and service standards affect how well the rest of the business can deliver.
How we help
We help organisations align corporate support with business priorities, clarify the services internal teams provide and improve the processes connecting them to the wider organisation. The aim is to make support dependable and proportionate, while ensuring responsibilities and information flows are clear.
What it means
Asset optimisation is about making sure the organisation’s assets are used effectively in support of its objectives. It considers capacity, utilisation, performance, cost and risk, alongside the asset lifecycle and the organisation’s future needs.
How we help
Building on the asset-management direction in section 01, we help connect asset use and investment decisions to operational priorities, service commitments and demand. We help leaders identify opportunities to improve utilisation, address constraints and make informed choices about maintaining, repurposing or renewing assets.
What it means
Mergers, acquisitions and integrations involve bringing organisations, services or capabilities together. Their success depends on more than completing a transaction: the operating models, people, processes, systems, customer commitments and external dependencies need to work together after the change.
How we help
We help leaders assess operational readiness, identify dependencies and plan integration around strategic intent. We support the coordination of changes across sections 01–05, while helping teams understand their roles, protect important customer and supplier relationships, and establish the processes needed for the combined organisation to operate.