The German railways (Deutsche Ban)!!
Why least efficient?
- a fragmented network, that does not exchange smoothly data throughout the country. So if for instance one train is late, then it has consequences on the whole traffic.
- a company that faces major recruitment and retaining challenges.
Why the most resilient?!
It is so expected that your train will be late or cancelled, or stop before the end of the line (yes!!), or leaves early (...!!) - that the whole company and its customers have integrated it, and adjusted their behavior to it.
When you hear in the speakers that your train has an issue (because each of them does), Deutsche Ban gives you all the plan Bs to still get to your destination.
They tell everyone how to get to their final stop taking different trains and routes.
And in the next train the same. And etc., until you finally get there (late!).
Being delayed and re-routed has become the norm.
The moral of this story?
1. Unless are in a captive market - execution should not be undermined.
The best idea incapable to deliver is a hobby. The best idea operationalized is a very profitable business!
2. Customers' behaviors and expectations adjust to what is available on the market. Still, it will only last so long if you are not good enough: customers will happily drop you once the next company understands their needs.
3. Your employees are the ones making it happen. Expectations towards companies are rising: you may not meet them all, but if you neglect too many, you will end up with a high turnover and 2nd rank citizens.
4. Processes, data and tools: if your product/service is the brain, they are the heart of your company. One of the two dysfunctions, and the firm is gone. Well designed (and often revisited to ensure they remain relevant), they underpin scale up, data collection and analysis, connecting the dots between departments, decision making, prioritization....
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