Qbuzz: iPM successfully applied

Question

Companies in regional public transport have been competing with each other since 2000. To win tenders, they must clearly and truly differentiate themselves from others. When Gerrit Spijksma took office as general manager of Qbuzz, he wanted to make a difference with excellent day-to-day operations. His company really had to put the traveler first, he believed. Spijksma thought he could achieve that through the iPM approach, which he had read about in the book Winning with the right KPIs. He strongly believed in the benefits of chain management. He was so convinced that he dared to make iPM part of the tender for the crucial Groningen/Drenthe concession. He asked iPM Partners to assist him in this process.

Approach

We took Qbuzz through the thinking and methodology of iPM: definitions and delineation of the customer chain, ownership and KPI structure. During the tender for the new Groningen/Drenthe concession, we helped design the most passenger-friendly organization possible. The new organizational set-up for this concession was based entirely on iPM principles. In order not to wait until the possible award, Qbuzz under the direction of Spijksma and with the help of iPM Partners started to show the effects of iPM in the current concessions. Starting with the most important customer chain in Utrecht, the ‘I travel’ customer chain. Later followed by other customer chains and also other concessions.

Results

Applying iPM has helped Qbuzz respond more quickly to unexpected issues, such as ride cancellations. They are now better able to make quick adjustments. Departments work more closely together. And Qbuzz won the Groningen/Drenthe concession partly thanks to a particularly high score for quality on offer. Gerrit Spijksma: “Those who apply iPM ensure that the organization is set up from the perspective of customers. The chains, KPIs and frequent consultation enable you to quickly and continuously improve in the interest of your clients. You can constantly adjust your working methods to improve your services.” We were able to demonstrate, in part thanks to iPM, that we can respond quickly to disruptions, such as drivers falling ill or buses breaking down.”