That being said, JR being a terrible place to work at doesn't really seem like a fall from grace or antithetical to its famed performance. Some would probably argue that working their employees to the bone is precisely how JR got there. Maybe it's a case of same old same old within the company over the years, but of the times a-changing around the company and perceptions along with it.
Many of your suggestions also don't seem to address worker's well-being, or only tangentially. Automation may or may not help; it won't if management just uses that as a way to fire as much of their workforce as they can and continue crushing whoever is left. And outsourcing optimization to volunteer tetchan's is a cool idea, but I doubt that's going to have much direct impact on the fossilized internal processes actual employees have to deal with.
The UK's railway system might have dynamic pricing, but that's definitely not the reason why it's so expensive and bad. It's because of years of neglect, incredibly poor planning, underfunding, and mismanagement. Overall, it failed to improve the situation because the underlying infrastructure and service quality were already in disrepair.
Thinking back on it, it's insane that the UK government basically neglected the public railway system for decades, and then, when it was at its worst, they auctioned it away to the private sector. It's like trying to fix a sinking ship by selling it to someone else and expecting it to float again.
In contrast, dynamic pricing could work for JR companies in Japan because their infrastructure and service quality is top notch. With a solid foundation, dynamic pricing could help balance demand, reduce overcrowding during peak hours, and improve overall customer satisfaction by offering cheaper fares during off-peak times, similar to how airlines manage flights (sure, not without some friction, but even if some customers are left less happy, it will definitely reduce the burden for the already overworked employees).
Fun post, I enjoyed it.
That being said, JR being a terrible place to work at doesn't really seem like a fall from grace or antithetical to its famed performance. Some would probably argue that working their employees to the bone is precisely how JR got there. Maybe it's a case of same old same old within the company over the years, but of the times a-changing around the company and perceptions along with it.
Many of your suggestions also don't seem to address worker's well-being, or only tangentially. Automation may or may not help; it won't if management just uses that as a way to fire as much of their workforce as they can and continue crushing whoever is left. And outsourcing optimization to volunteer tetchan's is a cool idea, but I doubt that's going to have much direct impact on the fossilized internal processes actual employees have to deal with.
I am sooo going to copy this concept with other companies at some point, Rei.
Really enjoyed the read!
Yes, please do! Very much looking forward to the "If I was the CEO of SEGA Sammy" article!
Great vision sir!
NOOOOOOO to dynamic pricing (other suggestions are fine).
I've seen how that works in the UK. It's terrible.
The UK's railway system might have dynamic pricing, but that's definitely not the reason why it's so expensive and bad. It's because of years of neglect, incredibly poor planning, underfunding, and mismanagement. Overall, it failed to improve the situation because the underlying infrastructure and service quality were already in disrepair.
Thinking back on it, it's insane that the UK government basically neglected the public railway system for decades, and then, when it was at its worst, they auctioned it away to the private sector. It's like trying to fix a sinking ship by selling it to someone else and expecting it to float again.
In contrast, dynamic pricing could work for JR companies in Japan because their infrastructure and service quality is top notch. With a solid foundation, dynamic pricing could help balance demand, reduce overcrowding during peak hours, and improve overall customer satisfaction by offering cheaper fares during off-peak times, similar to how airlines manage flights (sure, not without some friction, but even if some customers are left less happy, it will definitely reduce the burden for the already overworked employees).