In our latest opinion piece, we sat down with Amine Hafnaoui, Head of Global Operations, to learn more about his views on operational excellence. 

Why did you decide to take on the role of Global Operations at Eurovision Services?

I’ve been in the media industry for more than 15 years. I’ve seen how much the industry has changed and continues to change at a more rapid pace than ever before. I applied for this position because I like a challenge and I wanted to have the opportunity to help bring operational excellence into what we do.

Why is operational excellence important for a company like Eurovision Services?

Operational excellence means that you focus on your client needs and foster a culture of continuous improvement in everything you do. It is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what we offer to clients and companies that strive to do this have better track records for productivity, profitability and long-term growth. That’s why it’s important for us. We already have a proven track record of delivering successful operations for more than 60 years. But this doesn’t mean that we sit still. We aim to be the first-choice media services provider for event organisers, content owners and media organisations around the world by efficiently producing, managing and seamlessly distributing the best content and services.

How do you plan to achieve operational excellence and what are your priorities for 2019?

I believe that achieving operational excellence starts within the company. We need to build our problem-solving skills, encourage more collaboration between teams and have strong leadership in order to succeed. The good news is that we’ve already started to implement this approach.

Last year, we completed an analysis of our current internal workflows and organised a series of workshops to define Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that would help clarify how different teams work together in the company. It sounds simple, but the exercise was beneficial because it set the foundation for creating a culture that fosters collaboration. When employees feel they can rely on one another, they are more likely to suggest ideas and improvements. This has a positive impact on our clients who will receive better and more efficient services as a result.  

Now that we’ve established internal processes, my plan for 2019 is to prioritise how we can further improve the user experience for our clients. In January this year, we added a Project Management Office to the Operations team. This team will work closely with clients throughout the year to identify how we interact with them throughout the lifecycle of an operation and how these processes and communications can be improved for the future. I’m proud to say that we have a very knowledgeable and talented team of experts who are dedicated to understanding the demands, opportunities and technology needed to succeed in today’s media world. I’m sure we will be successful with this strategy.

What is the biggest challenge you see for large-scale operations and how does Eurovision Services help?

Great events don’t happen by accident. There is a lot of complexity involved in managing large-scale operations. As the Host Broadcaster and distributor for many events, I would say that we are well-versed in what it takes to deliver success. One of the main challenges for event organisers, content owners and media organisations now is how to handle the linear and non-linear services that take precedence in today’s digital world. In the past, we used to focus mainly on the live content from the event. But today, audiences have an expectation that they will be able to access the live content and more before, during and after an event. As a result, the value chain has expanded from production, broadcast services and distribution to include digital and over-the-top services as well.

Our aim is to help clients maximise their content value by helping them to provide the right content to the right audiences, at the right time, on the right platform. We do this by offering an array of digital services, such as Eurovision Highway (customise your B2B video platform), Eurovision Near-Live Clipping (create and publish live and non-live content online and to social media), and Eurovision Remote Graphics (personalise your TV graphical overlays). We take care to offer the full range of services to create, manage, personalise and deliver content so that our clients can focus on what really matters to them – creating truly amazing events.

If you were not in your current role, what would you be interested in doing?

If I were not in the media industry, I would consider renovating houses. I’ve always been fascinated with architecture and what it takes to remodel or refurbish a home. I’m an avid viewer of home renovation shows!