Norfolk Southern Railway is one of the largest railroad companies in the US. In 1995, it started using a data warehouse to improve customer service and understand costs. In 2002, it redesigned operations with the Thoroughbred Operating Plan to reduce costs and strengthen competitive service. This included a BI application allowing 11,000 users across 8,000 customer organizations to access shipment details. The data warehouse and BI application helped Norfolk Southern understand customer needs and costs to improve services. The Thoroughbred Operating Plan delivered annual savings and strengthened the ability to compete through service.

1. NorFolk Southern Railway
Company
By: Kundai Nangati, Manon Riehl, Hawa Magassa, Vu Phan &
Alfonso Castro Bilbao

2. The Company Background
● One of the 4 largest railroad companies
● Manage the transportation to arrive and get back on time
● Competition: Concentrate more on Customer Services regarding to the Reporting System
● In 1995, Norfolk started using data warehouse
under the main purpose of customer service and cost data
● In 2002, Norfolk redesigned its operation
regarding to the Thoroughbred Operating Plan (TOP)
=> BI application allows customers to access their own
shipment details and records (11k users and 8k customers)
=>TOP attracts a lot of partners and supplier organization
& U.S government

3. NorFolk’s Decision Making
Regulated Industry
➔ Focused on efficiency
➔ Invested in a data warehouse
➔ Marketing and Cost departments pushed for
reports to be made
Unregulated Industry
➔ 1999 Managers invested in growth strategy and
acquired 58% of ConRail
➔ 2002 Thoroughbred Operating Plan (TOP)
managed inventory and route options
➔ TOP BI Application System was implemented
Competing on Services
➔ BI Application accessNS created
➔ Track 2012 leveraged BI across enterprise
➔ Currently investing in ERP System

4. The Result of Various Actions
Data warehouse:
> Help the Marketing and Cost Departments to understand:
How was NS serving its customers
What should Norfolk Southern charge its customers based on the
cost of moving goods from one point to another
Implementation of TOP:
> Reduction in rail car cycle time
> Millions of dollars of annual savings
> NS strengthened its ability to compete on service to its customers
BI application - AccessNS:
> User base grew to more than 11,000 users in 8,000 customer
organizations
> Deliver 4,500 reports daily
> Better customer service

5. What We Think of NorFolk’s “Management”
Positive Management, Best Practice has been followed
Internal / External Best Practices such as:
Organizing
Investment
Leading / Planning
Implementation of new tools
Resources:
Human resources
Technological resources
Natural resources
Financial resources

6. What We Think of NorFolk’s “Technology”
❖ Track 2012’s Strategy and applications:
1. Service → “Intermodal Operational Dashboard”
2. Managing Fuel Use → “Industrial Engineering”
3. Logistics → “Multilevel”
4. Car Distribution → “Empty”
5. Workforce Productivity → “Crew Call”
6. Human Resources → “Workforce Planning”
❖ Thoroughbred Operating Plan (TOP)
1. Maximize assets and time.
2. Allow to monitor performance and make
adjustments.
3. Information on real time about
shipments.
❖ accessNS
1. Allow customers to manipulate fields of
information to know about their reports.
2. Easy-use software.
3. Easy and quick tracking, improving
emergency responses.
4. Allow the customer service to focus on
improving services.

7. THANK YOU!