NEWS PROFILE Smith rallies Openreach
Chris Smith took on the task of being Openreach’s service management chief at a time when lesser men would have baulked at the prospect. If all goes to plan, he will establish himself as something of a legend, displaying a remarkable knack for pulling victory out of what seems like the jaws of infamy.
unprecedented setback with service pressures on the organisation hitting an all time high. “I certainly picked the right time to join!” Smith exclaimed. “Unheard of demand for copper services along with some of the worst weather encountered in the UK saw huge pressures loaded onto the Openreach service operation. Provision times were at totally unacceptable levels while repair work stacks climbed to new heights.”
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The service levels currently offered by Openreach are now the biggest concern for FCS members. Last month the industry body surveyed its fixed communication provider and reseller members and the outcome did not make good reading for Openreach execs. Although Openreach has been running regular industry updates, FCS contacted Smith and the two sides have scheduled a meeting this month to help FCS articulate the recovery plan to its members. Smith said: “We have an excellent relationship with FCS and together we will look to ensure all members
mith rallied to the flag early this year after Openreach suffered an
are aware of our actions towards a full recovery.”
While still a long way from celebrating a return to robust health, Smith says he is well on track to accelerate Openreach’s revival with a gathering momentum that he partly attributes to a head start on the job. “What struck me when I joined was the priority and focus Openreach was already applying to the issues, from the fast tracking of apprentices, emergency recruitment programmes and use of agencies through to the proactive use of weekend appointments and overtime to help bring the work stacks down to acceptable levels,” he commented. “I am fully engaged in this programme, spending much of my time with our customers, looking for ways to mitigate and remove issues, although I must say our CPs have been very patient and supportive.”
A policy of transparency has also helped to invigorate turnaround efforts. “A big plus point for me is the fact that we made a conscious effort to be open and honest with our customers in communicating the current problems,” commented Smith. “From
the outset we have tried to keep everyone informed on performance, recruitment and recovery plans. I fully accept this has been a tough time for both Openreach and our customers, but by ensuring regular updates and communication, including industry calls and a new service portal, we have seen a real willingness from our CPs to assist in resolving these service issues. We now have a fully underpinned recovery plan that we have shared with all CPs. We have every confidence that the plan will be met.”
Under performance According to Jacqui Brookes, FCS CEO, comms providers are impatient for the turnaround to go full circle. She stated: “CPs have been patient but the continuing under performance of Openreach and the length of time taken to address this has had a cumulative effect which is now seriously impacting CP businesses. End user customer complaints and dissatisfaction with the current lead times for appointments are resulting in increased time and cost being incurred by CPs to manage. The credibility of CPs and resellers is being undermined.”
Chris Smith
Smith – a silk cut from BT’s finest cloth – has a track record as someone who delivers on his word and is well placed to reinstate and improve efficiencies at Openreach. In January he joined the Openreach Executive Board as Managing Director Service Management, taking control of critical customer facing functions including the Service Management Centres, Next Generation Access Service and taking on the overall ownership for Customer Experience. He moved from BT Innovation and Design – the team from the 21CN organisation within BTID – where he was responsible initially for the implementation of the 21CN, and latterly for all Customer Platform activity, including all Client Design and a number of technology platforms.
Prior to joining BT, Smith was the Global Vice President of Services and Operations for Ciena, managing all aspects of the services business, including engineering, sales and marketing. He also held senior Operational positions
with a number of major carriers including Sprint and Level3, although started his telecommunications career in 1977 as an apprentice at BT.
The Openreach service issue has been an opportunity for Smith to assert his skill in building communications bridges. “We informed our customers that we would be in a much better place for repair in a few weeks. Provision will take a bit longer, but we can see a path to business as usual,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting my customers in a different light, one where we can start to build strong relationships and start to deliver a level of service that our CPs recognise as world class, driving efficiency processes that help to move our industry to a position where these types of problems are a thing of the past. I am interested in the dealer channel, its views on Openreach services and products and the direction they might take. I’m looking forward to meeting customers from this critical market in coming months.” n
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