Efficiency doesn't matter

A staff member at one of my clients is struggling to gain support for an efficiency initiative. The problem is that everyone is in favor of improving efficiency, as long as it is someone else that has to change.

The only time that efficiency projects get any traction is when it produces either true, hard savings (usually accompanied, unfortunately, by workforce reductions) or meaningful revenue increases. The staff member, in this case, has yet to make the case because they have framed the initiative in terms of improving service and efficiency instead of changing the financial standing of the organization. Therefore, even though everyone supports it, no one cares. And if no one cares, it doesn't matter how smart the idea is. It just won't go anywhere.