Customer case

Audit for operational excellence of an African operator

Mon 01 Jul 2024

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and telecom operators are facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining their competitiveness and operational excellence. Aware of these challenges, an African operator has undertaken an ambitious organizational audit project to optimize its Technical and Information Systems Departments (TID and ISD). So, what was Sofrecom's role? 

Client Project

In its quest for continuous improvement, our client identified the need to reassess its resources and processes to support the rapid growth of its Network and IS activities. The audit conducted by Sofrecom aimed to justify resource needs, improve HR processes, strengthen inter-departmental interactions, and establish a targeted recruitment strategy for 2025. The ultimate goal was to recommend organizational changes for TID and ISD to address operational excellence, service quality, project management, and digitalization challenges. 

Sofrecom's Methodology

Sofrecom's approach for this organizational audit revolved around three key stages:

  1. Assessment: This initial phase involved in-depth surveys, interviews, and benchmarking with the IT and Network organizations and costs of the countries in the region. This analysis aimed to understand current practices and compare them to industry standards.
  2. Co-construction: The second stage involved close collaboration with the operator's teams to identify best practices and co-construct solutions tailored to the company's specific challenges.
  3. Recommendations: Finally, Sofrecom formulated shared and effective recommendations, including a quantified recommendation of the necessary workforce by 2025, identification of rare skills and key positions to secure, as well as job descriptions and quick wins.
  4. Benefits and Results: The audit enabled the operator to reorganize its activities around three essential poles: Think, Build, and Run. This new structure facilitated more efficient management of operational processes and improved collaboration with other departments. 

The main benefits include

  • Better justification of resource needs through a detailed audit.
  • Improved HR processes and strengthened inter-departmental interactions.
  • A clear recruitment strategy for rare skills and key positions.
  • Recommendations for improving service quality and digitalization.
  • Optimized project management through better team organization. 

The organizational audit conducted by Sofrecom is a compelling example of how telecom operators can adapt to the changing market demands. By adopting a methodical and collaborative approach, the operator has laid the groundwork for a successful transformation, ensuring its operational excellence for the years to come. Technical directors of other operators can draw inspiration from this case study to drive their own strategic transformation, focusing on efficiency, quality, and future readiness.