1. Where are my bottlenecks?
When mapping a process, it doesn’t need to be complicated. I’d always recommend starting simple — pen and paper is often the most effective way to capture the “as-is” process without overthinking it. Once the process is visible, tools like Excel or Google Sheets can help add colour coding, ownership, and rough time estimates to highlight delays or unnecessary steps. The key is making the journey visible end to end.
2. Am I using my people’s time in the best way?
Rather than relying on formal timesheets, I’ve found lighter-touch approaches work best. This could include short time-sampling exercises, team check-ins, or reviewing where the highest volumes of queries sit. The goal isn’t micromanagement, but understanding where time is being spent so repetitive or low-value tasks can be simplified, automated, or removed.
3. What do customers keep asking me?
Repeat questions are often the clearest indicator of a process gap. If customers consistently ask the same things — such as baggage allowance, payment deadlines, or documentation — it suggests that information isn’t clear enough earlier in the journey. This can often be addressed by improving FAQs, adding clearer wording to confirmation emails, or signposting customers to the right information at the right time.
Jack Orbell began his travel career aged 17 in TUI's Shrewsbury store
4. Can I measure what’s working?
Measurement doesn’t have to be complex. Simple before-and-after comparisons — such as contact volumes, repeat queries, or handling time — can quickly show whether a change has had a positive impact. Even basic tracking builds confidence and helps teams focus on what really moves the needle.
5. Am I continuously learning?
Both digital and physical tools can support continuous improvement. Digital checklists and shared documents help with consistency and accessibility, while physical prompts in the office — such as whiteboards or quick-reference guides — keep improvement front of mind. What matters most is encouraging teams to suggest small improvements regularly.
Case study
One example from my work at TUI involved analysing customer contact related to baggage within our third-party flying operation. We mapped the end-to-end customer journey and reviewed the types of questions customers were repeatedly asking — such as “How much baggage do I have?”, “Is baggage included?”, and “What can I take?”
By asking these key questions and analysing contact volumes, we identified that baggage-related queries alone were costing several million pounds per year to handle. The insight wasn’t that customers were asking unreasonable questions, but that the information wasn’t clear enough or surfaced at the right time.
We focused on improving our FAQs and enhancing the clarity of information provided to customers earlier in the journey. By setting clearer expectations upfront, we reduced avoidable contact, freed up agent time, and improved the overall customer experience. It’s a good example of how small improvements to information and communication can deliver significant efficiency benefits.
