Improving Business Processes

Improving Business Processes

At present, various companies are in search of new ways of making their businesses more efficient due to the recent advancement in technology all over the globe.
One of the primary ways that have been adopted by most businesses is conducting regular business process improvements. Business processes are a series of steps deployed by a group of stakeholders to achieve a common goal; these steps can be manual or automated.

Steps to improving business processes
For a business process to achieve an objective, it requires a series of action. Some of the steps to improving business processes include:
Mapping out the process: The first step to improving business processes is to determine the process you would like to improve, document each step using a flow chart and explore the steps in detail. Note that some processes may involve sub-steps you are unaware of.
Analyze the Process: After determining the processes, it is vital to use your flow chart in determining what the bottlenecks are in the process. Some of the critical questions to consider when doing this include:
• Which of these steps creates a problem in the organization?
• Are team members frustrated by any of these steps?
• Which of these steps causes a delay in the organization?
Also, remember to speak to people who are affected by the processes and listen to their suggestions on how to make an improvement.
Redesign the process: After identifying the problems, it is vital to redesign the processes in order to eliminate the problem. One way of doing this is to work with people involved in the process, get their ideas, and ensure that everyone understands what the process is meant to do. Then narrow down your list of possible solutions by considering how the ideas made by your team members will affect the process in real life.
Get the required Resources: The next step is to secure the right resources needed in implementing the new process. Start by listing out all you need to do this; this may include seeking for advice from colleagues, senior managers, IT and HR department, ensure that your properly communicate with everyone involved in the processes and that they understand how this new process benefits the organization as a whole.
Implement the redesigned process: While implementing the redesigned process, it is vital to note that improving business processes may also involve changing some existing systems, protocols, and teams members. For instance, you may have to hire new staff, retrain your colleagues or even purchase new software; therefore it is vital to plan and manage this carefully, also allocate time to deal with challenges that may arise while implementing the processes.
Evaluate the process: After rolling out the new process, ensure that you evaluate it and monitor how things are going in the weeks or months that follow. Doing this will enable you to know if the redesigned processes are meeting up with the required expectation.

Finally, remember that making changes in a business is not always easy; some employees may resist the redesigned processes, and other challenges may occur. However, small changes made regularly will ensure that the process remains efficient and relevant to the organization.
If you’d like to improve the current processes in your organization, seeking a professional help is a way to go. ERP Advisers has many years of experience in helping improve processes and technology with small to large businesses. We would love to work with you. Give us a call to get started!