Guest Post
Business process management, or BPM, is an effective solution that takes a look at your workflow and procedures in place, then automates and optimizes them in order to shorten production and delivery times, increase client satisfaction and revenue, and help your team members work more harmoniously. If you’re considering a BPM solution for your business, here are five steps to follow in order to get the most out of your new processes:
Design Your Workflow
When you’re implementing a new BPM solution, you first need to break down your processes into separate tasks. This will let you see which ones can be optimized through automation, and what part each team member will play in the overall process, giving you a better perspective on your organizational chart. When designing your new solution, make sure you integrate your CRM and ERP tools so that redundancies can be eliminated. This integration will also leave less room for human error and will allow for better communication between teams.
Model Your Process
Creating flowcharts representing your processes will help you identify bottlenecks and other pain points. Modelling your processes can be done using the Universal Process Notation, or UPN. Simple and intuitive by nature, Elements.cloud explains that a UPN diagram can be easily understood by any employee or manager. It is also portable and can be viewed online, on a smartphone or tablet, which means that it can be accessed at any time. Besides UPN, there are other business modelling techniques you can look into depending on your business needs, such as Gantt charts and Colored Petri nets.
Execute Your Strategy
Test your new methods live with one of your teams or with a handful of select employees before you deploy them company-wide. This small-scale trial run will allow you to uncover any problems or inefficiencies that may arise when you phase out your existing processes to implement your new workflow. By limiting the scope of your testing phase, you can keep production going without any major disruptions and you’ll avoid wasting time, money, and effort reverting back to the old processes should your new ones turn out to be inadequate or inefficient.
From the time you introduce your BPM strategy to the time you’re executing it, you’ll want to ensure cybersecurity is in place. Invest in cybersecurity solutions to protect your computers, USB drives, servers, networks, and mobile devices. Cybersecurity measures will improve your overall BPM, from customer experience to increasing productivity. Look for cost-effective solutions well-suited to your business’s needs.
Monitor Your System Using Process Mining
Process mining makes use of the data it gathers to monitor the performance of your business, and in turn, it allows for better workflows to be implemented. You can then visually represent your new workflow – this is known as process mapping – and introduce it to your team members. After implementation, by monitoring their responses to the new workflows and procedures, you’ll then be able to further fine-tune your revamped processes to make them even more efficient and streamlined. Encouraging feedback from your stakeholders will also ensure less reluctance and better buy-in on their part.
Optimize Your Tasks
The role of BPM is to allow your business to run faster and more smoothly via automation, so you should be able to see a considerable return on investment after implementation but keep an eye on your KPIs to make sure you’re achieving your goals. As your company starts working with the new processes and workflows in place, take time to look at some key metrics and analyze what areas can be further optimized.
Using open-source software is a great way to optimize BPM. This publicly available software features source code that anyone can inspect, modify or enhance. Look for the best open source BPM tools available, such as Activiti, Joget, and RunaWFE. Shortening the time it takes to complete a project, improving the quality of your products, and eliminating redundant tasks are just a few improvements you can achieve with a solid BPM solution in place.
Automation helps a business grow by streamlining processes. Your BPM solution will guide you through the redesigning of your workflows, and you and your team members will benefit from the implementation of these new strategies.
Featured Image Credit Pixabay
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