8.3 Managing change
The first rule is to change the rules
'Do you and your executives understand today's rules and regulations well enough to spearhead change? Are the changes you'd like to bring about motivated by the knowledge that your customers will benefit? Are the people in your organisation committed to supporting a political fight for a needed change? Does your company have mechanisms for enlisting the support of your employees, your customers, your suppliers, the business community, and the general public?'
When Smith (of the well-known FedEx Corporation) convinced the U.S. Congress to deregulate the air-express business, competitors shared the benefits, and industry revenues jumped tenfold. FedEx shook the package delivery business when it discarded Postal Code-inspired zone-and-volume pricing systems in favour of fixed pricing. Confusion over charges all but disappeared. The change not only simplified processes at FedEx, but also allowed customers to project their shipping costs with accuracy.
Adapted from Wetherbe, J C (1996). 'The world on time'. Vision Book Summaries , number 156.