I was chatting today with Ajit Thomas an Executive-Level Aviation Management Consultant on the challenges in delivering his management consulting projects in the aviation industry and he mentioned that the biggest challenge is to get “Aircraft on Ground” undergoing repair or modification off the ground and into the air as quickly as possible to generate revenue.  The longer it stays grounded the loss of revenue mounts for the owning organisation of the aircraft.

Today many businesses, especially the traditional business of yesteryears- of the industrial economy model - are being challenged to “get off the ground” though the realignment of, or new investment in, technology and business models to more effectively engage digital customers at every touch point in the customer experience lifecycle. It is reported that 88% of Organizations are undergoing a ‘Digital Transformation.  The industrial economy has got it deep sea burial and we are into a digital globalized economy where the criteria for customer service – client experience has been redefined and the metrics of success is different.

The digital transformation of companies is inevitable as technology and society are growing at an ever-increasing rate than organisation and corporation can catch up, with rapidly declining costs. Only organizations that are capable of changing as fast as “change” itself will survive. This fast paced environment of the digital economy through the digital transformation of business requires companies to be customer-centric, nibble and bring to market new services or products and get them “off the ground” as quickly as possible.

However these companies that are transforming themselves into the digital enterprises are in for a nasty surprise as they convert themselves to be nimble “to disrupt time and time over” wherein business disruption as the new normal.  Many of the businesses in North America and more so all over the world are in facilities – workplace – buildings that were built many decades ago with the industrial economy metrics of efficiency and control and less about adaptability. Organisations that disrupt itself time after time, and are customer-centric and nibble require facilities – workplaces – that are designed to evolve with the constantly changing business environment to bring to market new services or new products driven by a connected group of customers who are not defined by age but instead by the digital lifestyle they live, representing a more connected, agile, and discerning customer.

Management that are overseeing the digital transformation should be aware and understand the challenge traditional facilities – industrial style buildings – are going to pose to their ability to compete for the future, their intent to disrupt, and curtail their ability to envision to see what others cannot and perseverance to do what others cannot or will not. They are transforming organisations in facilities that are inflexible and static and require huge investment in time and monies to transform them into adaptable facilities.

Nestlé seem to understand this challenge and are making attempts to meet it thorough modular factories, a new type of factory that can be built in half the time of a more traditional one for about 50%-60% of the cost. A modular factory will be made of multiple, easy-to assemble component sections designed to offer a highly flexible, simple and cost-effective solution for creating production sites in the developing world.

The designers, builders and managers of these facilities, the AEC industry will require a  shift in mindset to innovate the construction delivery model where we have to disrupt traditional process, and rebelliously discard old business clichés and remake the construction delivery model and greatly accelerate the way we operate to understanding customer needs and problems.

The AEC industry needs to transform its traditional model of delivery to design, build and maintain facilities– workplaces – the crucible that assist our clients to complete the digital transformation in “flexible, fast and functional facilities that mutate and evolve to adapt the constantly changing business environment to bring to market new services or new products keep pace with a rapidly changing disruptive business environment.

Do you see this challenge and if so what are you doing about it. I will like to hear from you.

Photo credit  Veer