Back to the results page In 1987, Northern States Power Electric Utility conducted two performance improvement projects with Tor Dahl & Associates.
In the first project, middle to top managers were interviewed and trained to free resources which would be applied toward improving customer service. The data collected from the participants revealed a productivity improvement potential of 67.8%. As a result, the project detailed management practices and policies which were not customer driven and needed to be changed or eliminated. Top management then challenged special task forces with the implementation of the agreed upon recommendations and their follow through.
Several months later, the Electric Utility decided to examine, with the aid of Tor Dahl & Associates, three capital intensive areas: transportation, inventory, and purchasing.
This second project revealed a significant cost savings potential, and the detailed information necessary to streamline these key functional areas. The obstacles to productivity were systematically acted upon by dedicated task forces.
In 1987, the Electric Utility saved $10,302,420. As practices and policies changed to reflect improved customer service, employee satisfaction increased, job stress decreased, and additional cost savings were realized.
Craig Blair, then Executive Vice President of NSP Electric Utility said the following about the project:
"Tor Dahl & Associates helped the NSP Electric Utility management team realize a significant productivity improvement potential in time, money and people. They assisted us in effectively getting across the customer service message to our employees. Our employees were amazed at their own potential. They walked away from the training knowing their potential and that they had to do something. The entire process was packaged so well that people were able to make it their own and act on what they learned. Now, no one says they don't have enough time."
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