“Irregular operations” can be triggered by a variety of causes depending upon the industry. They can result from new software releases in the high-tech field, bad weather for the travel and transportation industry, or concentrated benefits enrollment periods for healthcare companies. Many enterprises view irregular operations as an evil that goes with the territory and simply must be endured occasionally. Operations managers generally expect performance to suffer along with their average monthly performance statistics that they have worked hard to maintain. We have generally experienced a “woe is me” reaction: Can anything really be done to improve performance during such difficult, even hopeless times?
From our experience, far more can be done than most enterprises believe possible. This ISG white paper outlines a five-step process to plan for and improve performance related to irregular operations.
