In Practice: OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
From Fragmentation to Integration
Bringing several offshore operations under one provider was never going to be as simple as changing contracts. Behind the transition were hundreds of employees, established ways of working, and the challenge of improving efficiency without disrupting the business. This is the story of how we approached that transformation and what it took to bring everything together.
Context
An established Australian and New Zealand mortgage broking network had built its offshore operations in the Philippines across multiple service providers, each with different workforce arrangements, processes, and performance measures.
I became involved as Special Projects Consultant and Offshore Operations Manager to lead a transformation aimed at bringing these operations into a more unified and efficient structure. What initially appeared to be a provider consolidation initiative extended into a broader effort to improve how offshore operations were organized, managed, and measured.
Challenge
- Fragmented Offshore Operations
- Operational Inefficiencies
- Workforce Transition Risks
- Balancing Cost and Performance
Approach
- Consolidated Offshore Operations: Led the consolidation of offshore operations under a single service provider, establishing a more unified structure for workforce management and service delivery.
- Managed Workforce Transitions: Coordinated employee transfers and stakeholder engagement to maintain workforce stability and minimize operational disruption.
- Optimized Roles and Processes: Reviewed workforce structures, rationalized roles, and improved business processes to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce operating costs.
- Simplified Performance Management: Streamlined 27 performance metrics into four key performance indicators and reduced 119 quality checkpoints to 17 meaningful measures.
- Strengthened Operational Governance: Improved provider oversight, stakeholder coordination, and performance accountability to support consistent service delivery and long-term operational effectiveness.
Outcome
The transformation brought more than 500 offshore FTEs under a single service provider, including the successful transition of 180 employees with 95% workforce retention. The consolidation established a more streamlined operating structure, simplified performance management, and strengthened oversight of offshore operations.
Through workforce rationalization, process improvements, and operational restructuring, the initiative delivered AUD 3.36 million in annual cost savings. Beyond the financial results, the experience demonstrated how a coordinated approach to people, processes, and performance could improve operational efficiency while maintaining workforce stability and service continuity.
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Whether you’re exploring a leadership opportunity, considering a collaboration, or seeking a different perspective, I’m open to conversations where my experience can add value.