Digital Equipment UK Ltd has revealed the existence of three consultancy services, called Management Counsel, which have been available since 1990. The services are business re-engineering, flexible work practices, and service excellence, and come under the umbrella of the Digital Consulting business unit. DEC has decided to go public for several reasons. Firstly, new president Robert Palmer is eager to make the consulting business more high-key in line with the changing DEC style. Services now make up 46% of DEC’s business, and are expected to exceed 50% during this fiscal year. Secondly, Management Counsel is viewed as a pilot in the UK; the same services are available worldwide, but are not separated out from the Digital Consulting business units. Thirdly, the consultancy team has apparently been holding itself back until the services became sufficiently established. The business re-engineering service focusses on streamlining the procedures by which a customer conducts its business and on making the structure of the company more adaptable to change and innovation. The flexible work practices service aims to increase employee productivity and maximise the potential of high-cost resources, such as staff and information technology. The service excellence service shows organisations how to deliver the best service to their customers. DEC reckons that it has the edge over competitors because it takes a holistic approach to implementing change, not only to business processes, but also to organisational structure and information systems. It has worked in services for 35 years and quotes its own experience of managing internal change as evidence of its validity in offering the services to others. DEC also believes it is unique in working in partnership with its customers, giving them 100% control and active involvement at all stages of the process of change. Major markets for the services at the moment are health-care, public utilities, finance, banking, insurance and government. New additions to Management Counsel services will be made throughout 1992 and 1993.
