Strategic Facilities Review -
Open University Shared Service Review

The Open University is a world leader in modern distance learning. At the heart of the OU's teaching are its faculties, schools and institutes, producing high quality courses underpinned by research of international excellence. Coretex were appointed by competitive tender to undertake an operational review of the Transport & Portering, Post/Mailing, Despatch, Goods Receiving functions.

Project scope:

• Deliver an evaluation of current structure and working practices and recommendations on future structure and processes to achieve efficient and cost-effective delivery of service across all team functions
• In particular, to combine or eliminate functions to generate increased efficiency and identify opportunities to deliver a more flexible, streamlined service

Coretex project process:

Coretex used a Demand –Supply analysis to identify the requirements of the organisation now and in the future and mapped onto this the current operational model, processes and resources. This included obtaining a detail understanding of real time activities and the flexing of client requirements over time (including understanding how to identify maximum demand and how best to create efficiencies).

External benchmarking was carried out using similar organisations and future solutions developed with the client in a workshop environment. The process included

• A review of structure and working practices
• An assessment of the effectiveness of current processes and identify opportunities that will achieve efficient and cost-effective delivery of service
• Identification of opportunities to deliver a more flexible, streamlined service

Project outcome and benefits:

The client was able to create a more effective and efficient department structure through:

• Movement to an optimised resource model, scaling down overall resources and costs
• Improving the service quality, eliminating service errors
• Creation of a single post room for the whole site following delivery change implementations
• Rationalised franking
• Introduced phased working for Porters to reduce overtime costs
• After 12 months to market test the new organisation against market competition