Customers expect to go places and receive things faster than ever before, posing real challenges for companies in the world of transport. Automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other emerging technologies are changing the flow of people, goods, and services across aviation, rail transport, shipping and logistics, travel and tourism, and more.
Since our first rail assignment for the Illinois State Railroad in 1914, Strategy& has proven to be a leading partner for companies in the transportation sector. We know strategy must be executable — defined by clear choices and a strong vision for the future — all from step one.
Given the rise of several new, nimble competitors and the growing promise of emerging technologies, an integrated carrier with a long history of market leadership wanted to proactively develop a long-term digital strategy to preempt potential disruption. Strategy& was engaged to synthesise a cohesive five-year strategy to enable the client to leverage technology to expand its markets, lower its cost base and improve service levels. We worked with the client to catalogue its existing initiatives as well as supplement the strategy based on identified gaps and white space opportunities. The recommended strategy was heavily supported with quantitative analysis around opportunity sizing, up-front and ongoing cost estimates and consequent NPV and TSR metrics. Strategy& then worked with the client to develop an execution roadmap and internal communications strategy to ensure the initiative would be properly understood and receive required buy-in from key executives and board members.
A central railway agency in Great Britain wanted to support the rail industry to realise its strategic and technical vision. Strategy& was engaged to develop and pilot a cloud-based self-assessment tool that would allow companies to measure their innovation capability levels. We created detailed charts to define innovation capability across six key themes: competitive environment, strategic alignment, internal innovation activities, external innovation activities, organisation, and culture. After piloting the assessment tool with three companies, we developed a separate dynamics assessment survey, targeted at industry bodies. As a result of our work, we empowered the rail industry and individual companies in Great Britain to improve their innovation support and capabilities, and inform future strategic decision making by implementing a shared and rigorous innovation assessment approach.
Based on the explosive growth in retail e-commerce in the US, an Asian logistics company was interested in investing in the US e-commerce fulfillment and reverse logistics market. Strategy& was engaged to develop a comprehensive industry assessment and outlined the key success factors and capabilities required for the client to develop a differentiated offering in the market. After identifying potential new products/service offerings, describing operating model and market risks, and outlining the competitive dynamics, Strategy& made a detailed recommendation on how and when the client should approach entering the market to maximise the potential return for its shareholders.
