This article is the 2nd Prize Winner of the Article Writing Contest October 2013
Many organisations of today in the post global financial crisis of 2008 seeks to redefine their strategy to retain their profitability and adapt to the changing needs and wants of the customers . With increasing competition, organizations are feeling the need to protect their customer base from the invading competition. This is possible only through better customer service, knowing customer preferences and providing customers with what is their need. In the recent past technology has been the enabler for companies achieve this objective by tracking every aspect of customer and catering their need. With the dropping demand of new software’s many software manufacturing forms are now trying to enter the software servicing segment of the software industry. This has opened up a new challenge for human resource professionals so to adapt and change the company strategy to effectively meet this challenge.
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The possible ways to deal with the change are as follows:
1. Study the Change in Business model and financial impact on the organisation
2. Identify key challenges
3. Organisational Restructuring to cater to new business processes
4. Change in systems and processes
5. Change in performance appraisal structure
6. Change in compensation system
7. Adapting to the culture transition
Change in Business Model
Key Challenges
Organisational Restructuring
If the organisation seeks to be a services company, the structure should be as proposed below:
Change in Systems and Processes
Change in Performance appraisal
Metric to be included |
Inputs to be provided by |
Recommendation for Performance Appraisal |
Number of issues successfully solved of the number of issues assigned along with the rating provided by customer |
Customer , Line Manager |
It will reflect the Quality of service provided and will be part of the performance index . |
Number of instances of being late and their criticality |
Line Manager |
performance index should be including this parameter |
Amount of time taken to solve the issue in comparison to the amount of time that should be ideally taken |
Line Manager |
Timely service is an essential criterion for building customer satisfaction . |
Number of instances of misconduct or rude behaviour with customer |
Customer , Line Manager |
Good behaviour with customers is of paramount importance. |
Years of experience with the organisation |
HR |
In services industry years of experience is of utmost importance both as an indicator for employee expertise in handling a particular operation and also as ready source of knowledge which can be imparted to other employees. Employee loyalty to the organisation will also be enhanced by including this parameter in performance appraisal |
Raw Performance Index =Grade * ((Number of issues handled *Criticality*Customer rating*(time taken/time ideally should be taken)/ (Number of issues assigned)+ years of service – (Number of instances of misconduct *criticality ))
*** Bonus should be provided on the basis of performance index obtained above and not on the basis of a separate potential index which it is currently following . Because the number of years of service is reflected in the performance index calculation itself .
Change in senior management Compensation structure
Problem with stock options as compensation
1. If stock prices decline, the stocks go underwater and company loses talent
2. In case of underwater stocks, repricing or reissue could lead to serious complications.
3. The CEO could take short-term measures just before his vesting period to boost up the stock prices
4. The CEO might not have the incentive to invest in long-term proposals like R&D which bears fruits long after his tenure.
5. Giving too many stock options would result in dilution.
Total Compensation Plan
Introduction of EVA for Executive Bonus calculation
EVA, shorthand for Economic Value Added, is a periodic measure calculated as after-tax operating profits less a charge for capital employed, where the charge is based on the cost of capital (or WACC) times the level of capital employed. The underlying premise of EVA is that if managers focus their efforts on maximizing earnings, subsequent earnings growth may come at the expense of the balance sheet. That is, managers may overinvest in costly capital if they are only concerned with the profit and loss statement. To counter such asset inefficiencies it should replace earnings as the objective in their managerial compensation schemes with EVA.
Culture transition
Based on Hofstede’s model , we can classify the transition as follows:
Characteristics |
Culture before change |
Culture after change |
Individualism |
High |
Low |
Power distance |
Low |
High |
Uncertainty avoidance |
Low |
High |
Long term/short term orientation |
High |
Low |
As a software manufacturer , the culture of the organisation was based on joint decision making in teams and status based on achievement with high level of egalitarianism ( ideal culture for research and development).The uncertainty avoidance was low as unexpected was seen as challenging and expecting . Most operations took place with a long term orientation . However , as a service company , it would need to have a belief in group control and team accomplishment . The communication would be top down and authoritarianism would be demonstrated . Uncertainty avoidance would be high and short term orientation would be preferred since it would be essential for a reliable ,error free ,timely service delivery which will be driven by the rigid guidelines of service document issued by the organisation in response to the request filed by the client.
This article is authored by Uddalak Banerjee And Arijit Das from XLRI
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