BEST

Germany
This section contains a description of a recent transport benchmarking initiative in Germany, followed by an overview of German benchmarking activities in general.

A recent initiative in transport benchmarking

The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) is currently planning to initiate a Project for Benchmarking in the Urban Public Transport of European metropoles. At this time the project is still in the state of conceptualisation and internal discussion. BVG`s project co-partner is the transport and logistics consultancy Hertzog & Partner Management Consultants GmbH of Potsdam/Germany.

The aim of this project is to initiate a continuous and long-term orientated benchmarking process from which every participant will benefit. A working group of members of the different Urban Public Transport companies is still to be established. Its work will focus on the following aspects:

Identify existing performance gaps between the companies and describe the Best Practice

Identify and analyse reasons why these performance gaps appear

Collect background information in order to create a solid basis for interpretation

Derive concrete and practical proposals according to the Best Practice

The performance of each company will be measured by qualitatively measurable and objective indicators (called primary benchmarks). Primary benchmarks are clearly defined and represent a characteristic feature. For further description and interpretation of the primary benchmarks secondary benchmarks will be collected as well.

The schedule of the project will be divided into several stages. The complexity of the data collection and the results/conclusions drawn will increase throughout the different stages of the project. At the beginning the focus of interest will be on quality indicators in the Urban Public Transport companies. The work will be orientated towards the given norm DIN EN 13816, which provides service quality definitions as well as targeting and measurement guidelines in public passenger transport.
Benchmarking Activities in Germany

Benchmarking activities have started in the 1980’s in Germany. The best-known benchmarking activities are company related benchmarks. The benchmarking instrument is being more and more applied in Germany. In 1994 the “Information Center Benchmarking” at the Fraunhofer Institut was founded with support of German industry. Task of this center is to promote the tool benchmarking especially for SME’s. Because of the comparison at “world class” companies on European level the Global Benchmarking Network was founded. This Network of benchmarking centers serves the international contact of benchmark partners. These networking partners combine the knowledge of 12 nations. Since 1994 a European best practice benchmarking award was given.

The company related benchmark activities are concentrated in the following sectors:

Automotive
Financial sector, private banking
Electronic Industry
Mechanical engineering
Paper industry
Steel production
Telecommunication

Involved are nearly all large German companies, e.g. Siemens, DaimlerChrysler, T-Mobil, etc.

The focus of benchmarking activities in general lays on marketing and sale; production and company planning, information systems and R&D; softer themes like personal management are only benchmarked by 14% of the companies.

Tendencies for future benchmarking activities can be seen in:
Competitive benchmarking
Cross-Sectoral Analyses
Internal-Sector-Benchmarking
Less company benchmarks
Furthermore, the focus will be widened to include public sectors, frameworks and policies. Steps are taken by e.g.:
Administrative sector to strengthen the intercommunal efficiencies
Benchmarking of regions of excellence
Comparison of centralization functions of cities
Citizens network benchmarking
Use of transport telematics technologies in Germany, UK and Japan (including social-economic aspects)
Benchmarking of Industry-Science-Relationships
Further examples in Germany:

Some more examples of the application of benchmarking in Germany: Product and Process Benchmarking by BMW; Citizens Network Benchmarking; Benchmarking in communal waste industry; Logistics Benchmarking; Internal Benchmarking by Siemens; Benchmarking of Social and Health Services; Benchmarking by Deutsche Telekom; Benchmarking of Services of Airlines from Lufthansa; COMET, Benchmarking of Metro Systems; OBI improve the consumental friendliness.

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	Germany This section contains a description of a recent transport benchmarking initiative in Germany, followed by an overview of German benchmarking activities in general. A recent initiative in transport benchmarking The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) is currently planning to initiate a Project for Benchmarking in the Urban Public Transport of European metropoles. At this time the project is still in the state of conceptualisation and internal discussion. BVG`s project co-partner is the transport and logistics consultancy Hertzog & Partner Management Consultants GmbH of Potsdam/Germany. The aim of this project is to initiate a continuous and long-term orientated benchmarking process from which every participant will benefit. A working group of members of the different Urban Public Transport companies is still to be established. Its work will focus on the following aspects: Identify existing performance gaps between the companies and describe the Best Practice Identify and analyse reasons why these performance gaps appear Collect background information in order to create a solid basis for interpretation Derive concrete and practical proposals according to the Best Practice The performance of each company will be measured by qualitatively measurable and objective indicators (called primary benchmarks). Primary benchmarks are clearly defined and represent a characteristic feature. For further description and interpretation of the primary benchmarks secondary benchmarks will be collected as well. The schedule of the project will be divided into several stages. The complexity of the data collection and the results/conclusions drawn will increase throughout the different stages of the project. At the beginning the focus of interest will be on quality indicators in the Urban Public Transport companies. The work will be orientated towards the given norm DIN EN 13816, which provides service quality definitions as well as targeting and measurement guidelines in public passenger transport. Benchmarking Activities in Germany Benchmarking activities have started in the 1980’s in Germany. The best-known benchmarking activities are company related benchmarks. The benchmarking instrument is being more and more applied in Germany. In 1994 the “Information Center Benchmarking” at the Fraunhofer Institut was founded with support of German industry. Task of this center is to promote the tool benchmarking especially for SME’s. Because of the comparison at “world class” companies on European level the Global Benchmarking Network was founded. This Network of benchmarking centers serves the international contact of benchmark partners. These networking partners combine the knowledge of 12 nations. Since 1994 a European best practice benchmarking award was given. The company related benchmark activities are concentrated in the following sectors: Automotive Financial sector, private banking Electronic Industry Mechanical engineering Paper industry Steel production Telecommunication Involved are nearly all large German companies, e.g. Siemens, DaimlerChrysler, T-Mobil, etc. The focus of benchmarking activities in general lays on marketing and sale; production and company planning, information systems and R&D; softer themes like personal management are only benchmarked by 14% of the companies. Tendencies for future benchmarking activities can be seen in: Competitive benchmarking Cross-Sectoral Analyses Internal-Sector-Benchmarking Less company benchmarks Furthermore, the focus will be widened to include public sectors, frameworks and policies. Steps are taken by e.g.: Administrative sector to strengthen the intercommunal efficiencies Benchmarking of regions of excellence Comparison of centralization functions of cities Citizens network benchmarking Use of transport telematics technologies in Germany, UK and Japan (including social-economic aspects) Benchmarking of Industry-Science-Relationships Further examples in Germany: Some more examples of the application of benchmarking in Germany: Product and Process Benchmarking by BMW; Citizens Network Benchmarking; Benchmarking in communal waste industry; Logistics Benchmarking; Internal Benchmarking by Siemens; Benchmarking of Social and Health Services; Benchmarking by Deutsche Telekom; Benchmarking of Services of Airlines from Lufthansa; COMET, Benchmarking of Metro Systems; OBI improve the consumental friendliness.

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