Enhancing Operations - Innovation in Tourism

Introduction

Operational efficiency is important to be maintained well in the organisations in order to meet the strategic aim of the firm and run their operations through a systematic planning. The organisations try to develop good operational strategies in order to increase the productivity and performance of the employees by ensuring effective resources allocation and utilisation. The research aims at develop clear understanding about the operational activities of the Birmingham New Street Station which is important transportation hub for the customers in attending the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games represents a fantastic opportunity to put Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region on the global map, in which the Games will bring together more than 12,000 athletes, as well as the officials, media and Games Family, from 71 Commonwealth nations (Thornes et al., 2020). It is estimated that over one million spectators will attend in this game (Thornes et al., 2020). It is hereby important to explore the operational problems in the Birmingham New Street Station in order to develop alternative solution by effective resource utilisation.

Operational audit of Birmingham New Street

Operational audit refers to the process of evaluating a company's operating activities by both day to day operations and also monitoring the operations in a broader concept. A regular audit in the companies mainly evaluates financial statements, where an operational audit examines how a company conducts its business, with the aim of increasing overall effectiveness. Hence, reviewing the organisational activities can be possible through the operational audit where the management team can monitor the day to day activities and identify resource allocation and employees performance successfully (Transport for West Midlands, 2021). The internal business condition and the operational strategies can also be evaluated through such operational audit. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games provides a fantastic opportunity to put Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region on the global map through arranging the game. The researchers have estimated that, more than one million spectators will attend (Thornes et al., 2020). Additionally, the Games will be effective for developing a collaborative field with more than 12,000 athletes, and also the existing officials, media and Games Family, from 71 Commonwealth nations. Birmingham New Street Station will be the primary rail hub for arriving visitors at the Games. It is also expected that, there will be significant increase in demand on the rail network during this important Games where the participants from 71 commonwealth countries will attend. The railway authority must focus on the operational activities in the station, in order to maintain the service efficiency to manage hue passengers during this game (Pavitt, 2021). Hence, successful operations and the coordination of the visitors and residents therefore become critical to the overall success of the Games. The transportation system is playing a crucial role in the overall success of the game, where the passengers across the international countries can access the transportation services to enjoy theme ad attend it timely (Jackson, 2018). As per the audit the major operational issues will be discussed so that the policy makers and the rail authority will be concerned to tackle the existing operational issues. The audit criteria will be,

As per the audit, the main operational problem is queuing and crowd management, where the staff members and the railway authority will face the issue of overcrowding during this game. There will be huge numbers there is no such effective way to manage crowd and this may raise critical issue for the rail authority to manage the overcrowded areas in the railway station (Caspari et al., 2017). It would be not possible for the rail authority to maintain transparency and accountability in handing the customers during this game due to overcrowded area. Another major issue is sustainability, where there is high emission of greenhouse gas which rise air pollution in the area. It is not good for the public health and the rail authority must be concerned about this critical operational issue (Transport for West Midlands, 2021). The unique underground tunnel geography of the platform has remained virtually unchanged in the stations, which means that diesel exhaust gases are effectively trapped causing a daily build-up of air pollution in the station. The third major issue is lack of customer management, due to poor staff members attending in the station as well as lack of technological innovation (Donner, 2020). The fourth problem is the design and layout of the station. The underground passes is risky for such huge numbers of passengers during the game and thus it is a serious concern for the rail authority of the Birmingham New Street Station to focus on the operational audit and develop alternative solutions for tackling the transportation services so that the game will be arranged efficiently (Railway technology, 2021).

the unique underground tunnel geography of the platforms has remained virtually

unchanged, which means that diesel exhaust gases are effectively trapped causing a daily build-up of air pollution in

The station.

the unique underground tunnel geography of the platforms has remained virtually

unchanged, which means that diesel exhaust gases are effectively trapped causing a daily build-up of air pollution in

the station

the unique underground tunnel geography of the platforms has remained virtually

unchanged, which means that diesel exhaust gases are effectively trapped causing a daily build-up of air pollution in

the station

Proposing innovative and realistic solutions

The rail authority of the Birmingham New Street Station must review the operational audit and analyse the existing operational issues so that it would be possible to restructure the activities and develop alternative solutions for achieving future sustainable development. In order to arrange the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, it is essential for the operational team to tackle the existing issues and develop creative solutions so that it would be possible to provide the green and suitable transportation services to all the passengers coming from 71 commonwealth countries and tis further promotes Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region on the global map (Caspari et al., 2017). The suggested recommendations to mitigate the above discussed operational issues are such as,

In order to manage the issue of overcrowd in the station, during the game, it is essential

to maintain the CCTV cameras and monitor the passengers activities efficiently. In such critical condition, it would be great idea for the railway authority to maintain the e-tickets and consider no contact operation services so that the customers can feel comfortable and be fair while accessing the transportation services. In addition to this, it would be beneficial to hire more experienced staff to manage the crowd during the game and provide them Walky-talkies in order to enhance internal communication. The Information and Communication Technology must be arranged and utilised well, so that the staff members, ticket checkers and other operational head can cooperate and manage the crowd efficiently.

For resolving the operational issue of sustainability due to emission of greenhouse gas, it is essential to focus on longer-term introduction of hydrogen and battery-powered trains that will ensure Network Rail continue to help tackle the climate change and play a leading role in building an economy that is more sustainable and resilient. More ventilation system must be installed consisting of 98 bi-directional fans that are meant to disperse any air pollution out of the station. The installation of new nitrogen monoxide/dioxide sensors to drive the ventilation system together with new sonic wind sensors will be great idea for the rail authority to mitigate the challenge of air pollution and run their operations sustainably. This initiative further encourages train operating managers to switch off idling diesel engines towards more electric/hybrid trains.

Design and layout of the station must be changed towards open space, rather than underground operations, so that the huge numbers of passengers during the game can be tackled by the rail way staff members and management team. It would be beneficial for the team to create open space and provide easy to check out option so that the customers can easily avail the train and manage self-ticket check-up for travelling.

Lack of customer’s service efficacy is another serious issue in the operational department, where the staff members fail to manage the huge passengers during the game. The railway authority must provide huge numbers of technical staff and employees at the station, where the customers can directly seek help and communicate with the staff increase of any queries. The customers also can resolve their queries where the organisational representative must be communicative, cooperative, be open and honest, approachable and helpful.

Through such initiatives, the Birmingham New Street Station can overcome the existing operational issues and run their operational activities efficiently in order to arrange the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games sustainably. Passenger management and providing them the best environment to available the transportation services are the major aim of the rail authority where resource allocation of the organisation and utilising the technical and financial resources or passenger management would be beneficial to run their operations creatively.

Benefits of different stakeholders of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The above mentioned strategic planning are effective for the stakeholders engaged with the Birmingham New Street Station. The internal stakeholders engaged with the rail way activities are such as CEO, board of embers, managers, employees, technicians and operational team members. On the other hand, the external stakeholders are the government of the country, passengers and the social communities as a whole. The arrangement of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has its impacts on the country image, government and social communities and thus the operational efficiency must be there to create values for all the stakeholders (Hickman et al., 2018). Through the above mentioned solutions, the employees would beneficial as they get continuous support and guidance to serve the customers efficiently and utilise latest technical innovation to be engaged with others and work cooperatively. Here, the employees can get continuous assistance and the scope for personal and professional development. Moreover, they also get clean workplace by ensuring health and safety to work in such pandemic era. The monetary and non-monetary incentives o the employees are hereby encouraging for them to work for more hours and service the passengers with the best care and transportation services in the city (Caspari et al., 2017). On the other hand, the managers and the board members are also advantageous to work in such structured way and the solutions are creative to maintaining sustainability in future. The managers can handle the overall operations along with the technicians, who are also beneficial to get the organisational resources and incentives to work proficiently (Hickman, 2018). The shareholder in the railway organisation are also beneficial as the railway company become profitable during the commonwealth gem where huge numbers of passengers will come from 71 commonwealth countries. High return on investment can be provided to the internal stakeholders of the company which would be motivating for the staff to perform better and create customers values (Lawrence, Kaewunruen and Baniotopoulos, 2018).

Hence, through such activities stated above, the operational efficacy can be maximised, and it would be possible to utilise the company resources and capabilities to serve the customers with the best quality transpiration services and additional support in the city. The customer value creation is hereby possible, and the company would be able to retail more passengers in such structured operational activities (Lawrence, Kaewunruen and Baniotopoulos, 2018). The customers are hereby the ain stakeholders of the organisations and the new operational planning will provide a scope to the organisational representatives to manage the passenger and provide them safe environment during the common wealth game to utilise transportation system of the city. On the other hand, the sustainable solutions towards reduction of greenhouse gas emission, utilising renewable resources as well as electric cars and waste management practice are beneficial for the customers, government and the social communities as a whole, as the company would be able to crate values for all of them (Lawrence, Kaewunruen and Baniotopoulos, 2018). Hence, all the stakeholders engaged with the railway station will feel valued while utilising their transportation services customer service management, providing continuous support, ICT system for enhancing communication and cooperation as well as sustainable solutions of the railway organisation will provide a positive image about Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region on the global map (Lawrence, Kaewunruen and Baniotopoulos, 2018). Hence, the railway atrocity must implement the suggested strategies in order to improve their operational activities so that all the stakeholders must be valued in near future and it would be possible for the city to arrange the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games successfully by providing good transportation and other services to all the passengers.

Conclusion

The operational audit is hereby effective for reviewing the whole operations of the Birmingham New Street Station and identifies the existing operational issues. In order to manage the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, it is essential for the rail authority to provide the best transportation services to the passengers. The major operational issues are lack of customer’s service management, poor environmental sustainability due to air pollution, lack of queuing and crowd management and poor design and layout of the station. In order to mitigate the existing issues, the rail authority must utilise financial and human resources of the organisation in order to reallocate the experienced staff in the station for customers handling. Additionally, the ventilation services for mitigating air pollution and encouraging electric train system will be the best strategy to manage the operational sustainability and ensure good customers service management in near future.

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Reference list

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Donner, F., 2020. 8. Political Surveillance in Second-Tier Cities: Detroit, Baltimore, Birmingham, New Haven, and Washington, DC. In Protectors of Privilege (pp. 290-344). University of California Press.

Hickman, A., 2018. Air pollution at transport interchanges (Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham).

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Transport for West Midlands, 2021. Games Transport Plan (Text Only Version). [Online] Available at: https://www.tfwm.org.uk/who-we-are/our-strategy/commonwealth-games-2022/games-transport-plan-text-only-version/ [Accessed on 12 November 2021].