Process improvement

As we’ve said before, it’s not about technology, it’s about freeing up your business. As we implement agreed solution/s, opportunities arise to streamline processes. The technology plays a major role in this, but so too does rethinking and reorganising the way your business performs many functions. There are three major “chokepoints” that most companies end up addressing.

1.  Capturing, storing and retrieving data and documents.
2.  Sharing information and extending processes internally and externally.
3.  ‘Turbocharging’ critical business processes.

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Capturing, storing and retrieving data and documents.

Electronic data capture eliminates time consuming data entry. It also:

• Facilitates indexing, cataloguing and better searchability.
• Allows predetermined decisions to be made on what to do with data, based on its content or an established scorecard. For example, should it be archived, delivered to specific individual/s for actions/decisions? Such decisions might already be made by individuals, but now they’re made and actioned instantly.
• Allows you to monitor how data is processed at each point in the company. You can now identify chokepoints, inefficiencies and potential cost savings.

Sharing information and extending processes internally and externally.

Information doesn’t like to sit still. Electronic information can move more easily than paper. So more people can do more work with it.

Automatic routing and management of things like purchase orders, claims, invoices and applications allow you to expand the corporate environment to anyone virtually anywhere, streamlining work steps and improving communication between all users.

How does this work in practice? Very nicely, thanks to what is, in effect, a sophisticated, open workflow application. It’s robust, easy to use (has a simple, graphical interface), and can be easily customised.

‘Turbocharging’ critical business processes

Remember when you were learning your favourite sport as a kid? The more you practiced, the fewer mistakes you made. But something even more exciting happened too – the thing that made your skin tingle.

You discovered a whole new range of skills.

That’s what happens to our clients too. It happens in three areas:

Streamline and automate

• Identify and eliminate business process bottlenecks.
• Decrease transaction cycle times.
• Allow internal and remote users quick access to critical business processes.
• Monitor work activity and load-balance.

Increase productivity

• Allow employees to do more with less.
• Ease workload via graphical process builder.
• Extend processes throughout ERP/LOB systems.

Reduce operational costs

• Business analysts create, manage and modify all business processes.
• Eliminate need for costly customisation and design.