BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING (BPR) FOR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) in Celebration of Customer Service Week 2022 has begun the Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) for some of its key functions in a bid to serve its customer better and more efficiently. In this first phase of the BPR project, some of the key functions to be re-engineered include; the Student Admission and Registration Process, Teaching, Examination and Certification Process, and the Customer Support Services Process. Speaking at the sensitization workshop for all Heads of Divisions, Departments, and Sections the Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau emphasized the importance of putting the customer at the center of all our activities. “ In our Strategic Plan, 2022-2027 the university has set out an entire strategy dubbed Customer Centricity and Service Delivery with the sole intention of serving our customers better, faster, and more efficiently. As such this BPR sensitization comes at a very important stage as we embark on the implementation of this plan”
On her part, the BPR Consultant Madam Jacqueline M. Otwori took the members through a rigorous sensitization on what BPR is and the importance of re-engineering, and the benefits the university stands to gain. “It is important to ask ourselves why certain things are done the way they are done and do they help us serve our customers better, more effectively, and efficiently. ” BPR is defined as the fundamental rethinking, systemic and radical re-design of organizational processes, to achieve dramatic improvements (45%) of performance in cost, speed, and quality of service (Hammer & Champy, 1993). The major goals and objectives as to why any organization would undertake a BPR are: To meet customer needs through Accessibility to high-quality services, Just in Time (JIT) services, Convenient services, Affordable services, Human dignity (not long queues); To reduce the cost of doing business, To improve efficiency and effectiveness; and To enhance Global competitiveness. In her parting shot, Jacqueline noted that “ We can not use 20th Century processes to serve 21st Century Customers” further reemphasizing the urgency and importance of undertaking the BPR process.
