How can we even be compared ?

We often hear the claim “But it is much different here, than at other companies. You can’t even compare us.”

Justifiably, every company will - hopefully - claim, that it deals better with specific processes, than others. Those kinds of differences are the basis of its competitive advantage.

But even those companies that act very differently than others still live and operate in the same world as other companies: the hardware and software comes from the same supplier, for example. The employees want to be paid, and the service providers want to be paid.

The “much different” part lies in the way the systems are used. And that is where VMS proves itself, measuring the system use, in detail. By looking at the system use in detail, the real use is laid bare, in comparison, rather than just any assumption that one might for example make for that industry.

In particular, whoever does things differently gains advantages from the comparison, because it is those innovators who can understand and put into action our recommendations for additional improvements.

For example, from the “treasure trove” of benchmarker’s histories, comes the following:
A particularly “extreme” case of cross-industry benchmarking occurred in the 1990s. Southwest Airlines compared its processing and preparation of its aircraft fleet (arrival – service – departure) with Formula 1 pit stops, in order to find out how to improve, at the “micro” level. And with great success: From that experience, one of the first low cost airlines was born !