IT helps TFR identify and solve problems more speedily

Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has invested significant resources in developing its enterprise architecture and information technology (IT) in order to improve operational efficiency in the long run. Speaking at the monthly Transport Forum recently, Janis Myburgh, TFR’s senior manager for business architecture, said the development of the architecture and IT were critical if the organisation was to achieve the growth it has set for itself. “We have built an integrated model of all the capabilities within our business that allows us to measure the success of each capability while it is also linked to the requirements of the customer. This process allows us to assess and monitor our business on a day-to-day basis,” he said. According to Myburgh the process has already allowed them the ability to redesign processes much faster and develop solutions more quickly. He said already the newly developed technology being implemented by TFR was proving to be beneficial as it was undoubtedly closing the divide between business and IT as it was talking to the heart of the problems in the parastatal – increased customer complaints about operational inefficiency. “Once the new systems are implemented across the company an improvement will be seen as the systems have been written in such a way that it will allow us to track everything we do all the time. It is an integrated model that is based on the core strategy of TFR.” He said through the enterprise architecture they would be able to align standard operating procedures and individual performance to the value stream resulting in incidents being identified and solved faster than ever before.