The Center for Business Analytics is pleased to recognize Comcast as an honoree of the 2023 Drexel LeBow Analytics 50 Awards. Read more about how Comcast used analytics to solve a business challenge.
Submitter
Ernie Pighini ’86, Executive Vice President, Finance
Company
Comcast
Industry
Telecommunications
Business Challenge
Before implementing the Digital Changemaker program, business teams were relying on limited technology-skilled resources to help them automate their processes. They had goals to simplify and automate some of their more repetitive tasks but were unable to meet them. There was a need for technology that would allow a business user to code solutions for quick wins that would normally be passed over by the company’s automation teams.
Analytics Solution
To further build on the success of the Controllership’s automation efforts, the Digital Changemaker program was established. The program was designed for high-potential, digitally focused employees embedded within operations teams to accelerate citizen-led automation efforts. Beyond just addressing workload constraints within the Controllership through automation, the primary focus is to invest in employees’ professional and leadership development. Building a digitally minded workforce that is empowered to think outside the box and execute their own ideas not only benefits the Controllership’s culture and impact, but it also benefits the entire company, as the skills are transferable to any organization.
Impact
Changemaker benefits are best categorized into three areas. Personal and professional development is at the forefront, and the Changemakers routinely solve problems that have plagued their teams for years. Nearly a quarter of participants have been promoted or have changed roles since enrolling, spreading the knowledge to new areas of the company. Secondly, the participants not only improve themselves, but they enrich their teams, championing change and technology among their peers as subject matter experts. Lastly, participants gain leadership visibility through cohort fireside chats, senior leadership team presentations and 1:1 mentoring.
One hundred fifty automations have been built, saving approximately 22,000 hours of annualized work hours and an estimated $10 million in business benefit. One Digital Changemaker shared their thoughts: “The Digital Changemaker program had many benefits — networking and collaboration, data analytics experience, software knowledge — but most importantly, empowerment.”