The constant shifting of the market, whether because of consumer demands or because of a need to meet new regulatory obligations, place new challenges before companies every day. This also creates questions about the best approach to take in order to ensure survival and competitiveness.
New processes are created or old ones become more complex to meet these demands. Oftentimes this hinders achievement of results, since changes occur without a focus on agility and efficiency. Optimizing processes is key to overcoming these obstacles.
The root of problems
Inefficient processes are not always easily seen. Managers and others involved frequently do not notice the cause of the problem, which makes any chance for improvement difficult. Everything seems to be in order, people are focusing on doing their work, but at the end of the day it’s all superficial. The result that really matters is not visible.
One common problem is that highly qualified employees spend most of their time performing insignificant activities. In this article , Gerard Bruno, a process specialist, explains that on average 80% of process activities add no value to the business.
The tips below can be useful if you are looking to enhance productivity and they can help you optimize processes and make your company more efficient.
1. Eliminate bottlenecks
Business processes are usually interconnected (subprocess). When one doesn’t work right and activities are finalized after the deadline set, this sets off a domino effect, hampering the entire chain’s performance. These bottlenecks should be corrected so that all activities can run as expected.
2. Invest in technology
Technology is a great ally in optimizing processes. A BPMS (Business Process Management Suite) like SoftExpert BPM helps organize and provide better control over workflows. In this case, business processes are re-designed, getting rid of bottlenecks and connecting departments.
Another technology that has been widely used in conjunction with a BPMS is RPA (Robotic Process Automation) solutions, allowing robots to be configured to perform the daily tasks normally done by a company employee, preventing them from having to execute manual and repetitive tasks.
In addition to boosting productivity, this technology helps the organization to save time and money.
To find out more about this topic, download our free eBook: BPM + RPA: Taking process automation to the next level
3. Constantly monitor
Inefficient processes have a direct impact on a company’s revenues, which is why it is important to have a precise understanding of the cost and time used in each process, from start to end. The employees involved with the process day-to-day are a great source for collecting feedback, since they are already aware of problems, setbacks and bottlenecks.
One last tip is to define process indicators. With the support of technology, you can find out how efficient processes are, with precise data updated in real time.
