If the client was going to transform how it worked, it had to accept the need for change and build the capabilities to make it happen. We took two measures to ensure the client’s success on both counts.
First, we recognized the client needed to lead the project and develop the solution. We would provide support, but not own the work. Second, we had experts in manufacturing, purchasing, and marketing work closely with the client to build the skills required for long-lasting changes.
The client assigned two or three of its people to each of the three workstreams. These clients worked with the McKinsey team daily to determine if they could change how they worked without affecting the performance of the business.
What the teams actually did:
The production team mapped out the steps the network took to bring an idea for a TV program from inception to broadcast. They interviewed the people involved, analyzed data on how studio time was used, and watched the process happen. They also held workshops with people involved in the different stages to probe their assumptions about how things needed to be done.
The promotions team created a pilot program to test, under real circumstances, the idea that it was possible to share promotions between the United States, Europe, and Asia. The team developed a new commercial, worked with different regions to tailor it for broadcast, and measured results. Once they determined the pilot was successful, the team created a process and guidelines for sharing promotions regularly.
The purchasing team worked closely with channels across the network to evaluate the client’s many vendors. The team looked at contracts to see how widely their terms and conditions varied. As part of its process, the team gathered representatives from the network’s different channels in one room—something that had not been done before—to discuss how to work together better.