McKinsey Talks Operations

With the coming of age of Gen Z—both as customers and new entrants to the workforce—customer demands are changing. At the same time, the arrival of generative AI (gen AI) is changing the way contact centers can respond to those demands. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey partners Eric Buesing and Brian Blackader to discuss the latest trends,...

Achieving operational excellence takes practice. But in high stakes operations, practice could prove costly—or even dangerous—if things go wrong. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by Amy Radermacher, Markus Hammer, and Professor Christian Ramsauer to explore how capability center learning programs can allow organizations to experiment in a safe environ...

As 2023 draws to a close, it has become increasingly apparent that there is no ‘normal’ for Operations leaders. Join hosts Christian Johnson and Daphne Luchtenberg as they take a look back at the year gone by through the lens of McKinsey Talks Operations. In this episode they revisit some highlight moments of their conversations with McKinsey experts and industry guests, covering topics from gener...

Generative AI is continuing to dominate C-suite conversations across sectors. Organizations are starting to understand its transformative potential across the operations value chain, but just what will it take to get started? McKinsey’s Nicolai Muller and Marie El Hoyek, a Cologne-based senior partner and London-based associate partner, talk to McKinsey Talks Operations host Christian Johnson abou...

Join us in this episode of "McKinsey Talks Operations" as host Daphne Luchtenberg sits down with senior partners at McKinsey & Company, Daniel Swan and Axel Karlsson, to explore the ever-evolving global landscape impacting companies. Discover how organizations are adapting to unprecedented challenges, from inflation to sustainability, and why operations and supply chain are taking center stage...

The manufacturing sector and associated operations have the power to drive an economy forwards. This episode of McKinsey Talks Operations looks at the critical role of production in Africa's growth and development: with Africa's population set to double by 2050, the need for sustainable job creation is paramount. Host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by Dr. Amy Jadesimi, Managing Director of LADOL, an...

Zero-basing could be said to have an image problem, with a perceived sole focus on cost-cutting. This episode of McKinsey Talks Operations dispels some of the myths about this approach and looks at how it can become a dynamic philosophy that transcends traditional cost-cutting, offering leaders newfound visibility into their operations, investments, and resources. Join host Daphne Luchtenberg with...

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, recorded at McKinsey’s recent CFO forum in partnership with Inside the Strategy Room, host Daphne Luchtenberg talks to Matt Jochim and Martin Rosendahl, partners in McKinsey's London office, along with Samdruk Thomas, an associate partner based in Zurich. Together, they delve into the challenges and opportunities faced by Sales, General & Administr...

Join host Daphne Luchtenberg in a robust discussion with industry leaders Chris Smith and Richard Cawston, along with McKinsey senior expert Alan Davies, as they delve into the intricacies of the labor environment and share best practices for establishing thriving warehousing operations. Explore the challenges faced by the industry, from labor disruptions to changing demand profiles, and draw from...

Join Radu Palamariu and Knut Alicke on McKinsey Talks Operations as they share anecdotes from the writing of their new book. In this episode, the authors of  From Source to Sold: Stories of Leadership in Supply Chain,  talk about the idea that sparked the book, and the advice every supply chain professional can follow to accelerate their career growth. Don’t miss this engaging discussion hosted by...

What is operational excellence? And how can a renewed focus on this approach contribute to success in today’s business landscape? This episode of McKinsey Talks Operations explores the concept of operational excellence and its significance in organizations that use this approach of augmenting production and process systems. Our experts share insights on how companies can successfully adopt technol...

We’re exploring the concept of ‘skinny design’ and its potential benefits for consumers, retailers, and the environment. Join our McKinsey experts as they delve into the cost savings, sustainability, and commercial advantages of reducing the size of product packaging, and discuss innovative solutions such as nesting products and honeycomb packing formats to reduce stock outs and improve sustainabi...

It’s been a year since the McKinsey Talks Operations podcast launched, and during that time there’s been plenty to talk about. Join hosts Daphne Luchtenberg and Christian Johnson as they take a look back at some of the year’s highlights. Discussions about inflation, building operational resilience, managing supply chains, decarbonizing operations, and the role of digital twins have all featured hi...

What do customers really want from their contact centers? A number of myths about areas including speed of answer and channel preference are shaping contact center and service strategy, leading to dissatisfied consumers and employees. This episode of McKinsey Talks Operations blows apart customer service myths, and suggests how data and analytics can be used to shape future strategy.  Join the con...

As economies move towards more sustainable transport options, more electric vehicles are rolling off production lines than ever before. These vehicles need to be powered by lithium batteries, built in specialist facilities called gigafactories. With more than 30 planned in Europe alone, companies are working fast to develop the construction and operating playbook for these highly technical sites....

Members of the Global Lighthouse Network have become a source of inspiration. With more than 100 sites worldwide, they are beacons of light showing the potential of digital transformation to positively impact people and the planet.  This episode of McKinsey Talks Operations explores the growth of the Network from the first 16 sites to a community of the world’s leading production networks, and the...

Infrastructure and capital projects such as roads, bridges, buildings, and utilities are being affected by climate change in new ways. As leaders seek to invest in projects with long lifespans and pursue net zero targets that are decades away, long-term planning has become fraught with uncertainty. From electricity outages to flood-damaged roads, extreme weather is already impacting our built envi...

Having previously discussed the fundamentals of digital twins and the opportunities they offer, we’re expanding our exploration of digital twins with an examination of a look at how digital is helping transform application in product development. Join McKinsey partner Kimberly Borden and senior adviser Dr. Will Roper in a conversation about the value of digital technologies twins in production app...

The term ‘digital twin’ is fast becoming a bit of a buzzword used in discussions about digital transformation, but precise definitions are harder to come by. In this episode, we take a look at what is—and isn’t— within the boundaries of digital twin, the business advantages they can bring, and the requirements to capture the potential value. Join the conversation with Anna Herlt and Kimberly Borde...

Most businesses around the world are being impacted by inflation today. As they have navigated turbulence over the last two years, the decades-old model of how goods are made, sourced, and delivered has been severely disrupted. With that backdrop reactive fire-fighting has become part of the norm for procurement functions and this is set to continue. But there is a way to get ahead of turbulence a...

Most businesses around the world are being impacted by inflation today. As they have navigated turbulence over the last two years, the decades-old model of how goods are made, sourced, and delivered has been severely disrupted. With that backdrop reactive fire-fighting has become part of the norm for procurement functions and this is set to continue. But there is a way to get ahead of turbulence a...

Following on from our discussion of voice analytics trends and technology and its potential in contact centers in our previous episode, in this episode we learn more about its implementation and how to effectively capture the available value: How can voice data analytics add value throughout your whole organization?
 Join the conversation with Paul Humphrey, CEO and founder of Call Journey; Eric B...

High-quality, tailored interactions promote positive consumer experiences. And so in a digital age that can be lacking in emotional connection, human voice engagements can become a point of difference for contact centers.
 In this episode, we discuss the wider trends related to voice interactions in customer care and the technologies that are available. Join the conversation with Paul Humphrey, CE...

When people began working from home, many executives feared that productivity would be lost. Instead, the reverse has proved true: for many employees, it has increased, thanks in part to the accelerated pace of digitization. As companies move to the next normal, they are looking for ways to maintain those gains through new hybrid working models enabled by digital technologies. There are decisions...

Capital projects could receive around $130 trillion dollars over the next five years. Most of the investment will go to renew and decarbonize critical infrastructure. In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, hear McKinsey senior partners Steffen Fuchs and Christoph Schmitz speak with executive editor, Roberta Fusaro about how executives and organizations will need to adapt their current spending s...