Operational Excellence at NSM
Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
At NSM, Operational Excellence (OpEx) means embedding Continuous Improvement (CI) into everything we do — our culture, our processes, and our daily work. Excellence isn’t just what we do — it’s how we think and operate.
What Continuous Improvement (CI) Means
CI is about making ongoing, incremental improvements to how we work — using data, technology, and teamwork to deliver a better client experience.
We drive improvement in two key ways:
1. Perform: Improve Every Day
Small, steady changes help us work smarter and deliver better outcomes.
✅ Example: Our Centralized Call Center regularly reviews metrics and SLAs, identifies challenges, and adjusts processes to meet goals.
✅ Branches and regions use Power BI dashboards to track KPIs and drive local improvements.
2. Transform: Lead Long-Term Change
Bigger projects — like automation, process redesigns, and value capture initiatives — transform how we operate and sustain performance over time.
In both approaches, we measure not only productivity but also how improvements impact our key performance metrics (KPIs).
Why It Matters
Continuous Improvement helps us move beyond “one-and-done” projects.
We sustain the gains — making improvements stick and building a culture where progress happens every day.
When OpEx is working:
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Teams feel empowered and confident in solving problems.
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Improvements are measured, shared, and sustained.
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Clients experience consistent, high-quality service.
Our Guiding Principles
👥 Respect for People
Those closest to the work often know the best solutions. Their ideas drive innovation.
(Stay tuned — we’ll be launching an Innovation Challenge soon!)
📋 Standard Work Builds Consistency
Consistency is the foundation for improvement and innovation.
👀 Go and See (Gemba)
The best insights come from seeing the work in action.
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Visiting the workplace helps us make data-driven decisions and spot inefficiencies.
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Example: Ride-alongs with techs and RSS help us understand challenges firsthand. The simpler way is with techs only - the more inclusive way would be with techs AND RSS together.
🚀 Continuous Learning
“Fail fast, fix fast.” CI is about testing, learning, and adapting.
How You Can Help
Operational Excellence takes everyone’s participation — leaders and employees alike.
For Employees:
- Speak up when you see an opportunity.
- Bring forward your improvement ideas.
For Leaders:
- Model curiosity. Ask why.
- Empower teams to challenge processes and innovate.
Together, we build a culture of:
✅ Value creation
✅ Productivity
✅ Innovation
When every team is engaged in improvement, we don’t just change processes — we transform how NSM works.