Irish Life & Permanent Group

Business Process Re-engineering, Performance Improvement Project

Background

The Irish Life & Permanent Group is a leading provider of personal financial services in the Irish market. The Group formed from the merger of Irish Life plc and Irish Permanent plc in 1999.

Following their merger, Irish Life & Permanent decided to establish a business process re-engineering (BPR) unit to ensure that their business processes were efficient and customer focused.

Prospectus was commissioned to assist with the development of the BPR unit, to design a BPR methodology for the unit and to provide training to staff in relation to BPR tools and techniques.

Objectives

The objective of the engagement was to facilitate the development of the new BPR unit and to train staff in relation to BPR and the new processes. The two key aims were:

• To upskill staff in the BPR unit on tools, technologies and methodologies associated with BPR
• To equip and prepare the members of the new unit to conduct process improvement projects and to be self-sufficient after the completion of a pilot project during which they would be coached and project managed by Prospectus

Approach Taken

Prospectus worked with the staff at the newly formed BPR unit on their first business process improvement assignment. This involved training the members of the new unit, and other staff members working in the pilot process area to be redesigned, in the skills and techniques involved in business process redesign.

The team members were coached in applying the tools and techniques of process improvement. Prospectus developed the methodology and supporting documentation to be used by the unit. Immediately after the training module, Prospectus worked directly with the team in applying the process improvement methodology on a key process improvement project for Irish Life.

A comprehensive three-phased approach was adopted, which incorporated analysis, solution development and implementation.

Outcomes

Prospectus scoped out a BPR process, identified weaknesses and areas for improvement and provided coaching and shadowing to the BPR team. Working with the BPR team, Prospectus developed robust and practical solutions to redesign and/or improve the process. The objective to upskill staff in the BPR unit on tools, technologies and methodologies associated with BPR was successfully achieved.

One of the project's key objectives was to equip and prepare the members of the new unit to conduct future process improvement assignments without external support. This was successfully achieved and, following completion of the project, the BPR unit received numerous requests from business heads within Irish Life & Permanent for assistance with BPR in their respective areas.