Give it a thought | Measure for Measurement - Performance Measurement

For many traveling in air is fun and few it is nightmare as they have to pass through cumbersome process with last minute frisking. Last week, After I completed my engagement earlier than the schedule. I reached airport early, thinking, if lucky  I could catch an earlier flight to my destination. Before clearing the security authorisation, I just checked the customer care for possibility for earlier flight. The customer care executive in all politeness informed that could be done, but at the boarding counter. I found that there were 3 flights available for my destination. I enquired for availability accommodating  in the earlier flights and are there seats available.  The executive checked and informed me that there are seats available, however I need to pay extra as they have to reschedule.  The cost of rescheduling to earlier flight was higher than my scheduled and I thought it is better to fly as per the scheduled time rather than catch an early flight. Inside the airport one can always access laptop and work..

This incident reminded me the Goldratts thought on process improvements using three measurements throughput, inventory and operational expenses. And the famous quote “Tell me how you measure me, and I will tell you how I will behave”. Today many of the airlines are measured on the basis of ‘ON TIME’. Thats the measurement.  We measure many things at many places. So measurement becomes very important. 

I just thought ‘occupancy rate’ was the measurement parameter, then they would have accommodated me in their earlier flight. Occupancy rate and on time performance was the monitored for every flight, then it would have been Performance Measurement. This performance measure has an direct link to THROUGHPUT, INVENTORY AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. 
If this was the performance measure, There would have special announcement in the airports to occupy the earlier available flights who have already cleared check-in and waiting for their flights.

I was the last to enter the flight. I saw the sign of relief on the face of cabin crew. Before closing the doors, the cabin crew checked her watch and announced that the flight will be departure at the X standard time. I casually enquired how do they know on which standard is the watch calibrated Indian Standard Time (IST) or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), EST, etc. There was no response.…
Operational definition of Measure is important for clarity and uniform deployment across the levels.    

Bottom-line:

Measurement aligned to performance  measurement is vital.