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If you own or manage a small business, you want to do all you can to ensure smooth operations. Business process management, BPM, is the answer. This refers to the practices and technologies needed to optimize workflows in an organization, making it more flexible and adaptable. But that doesn’t mean you have to hire expensive consultants or spend big bucks on pricey software. Read on for some simple steps to improving BPM.
Understand the benefits of business process management
If you’re going to invest the time and effort into improving BPM, you want to make sure it’s worth it. Rest assured, implementing BPM measures can make a positive difference for your company. Well-executed BPM can improve efficiency, reduce the risk of errors (and their related costs), boost compliance, and increase productivity. By improving internal operations, BPM can also enhance external-facing operations, boosting customer satisfaction.
Identify and articulate your business goals
If you’re going to implement BPM, the first step is figuring out where there’s room for improvement in your current business operations. Consider what your business goals are, both short-term and long-term. Asana provides a guide to defining business aims, noting that any actions should be measurable and specific. For example, don’t say you want to grow your sales team. Instead, say you want to hire three salespeople by the end of the third quarter.
Invest in the right software solutions to help
There are many affordable software solutions that can help you improve your business management and enhance operational efficiency. Some of these tools are even free to use. Some popular technologies include ProofHub for business management, Bit.ai for document collaboration, and Scoro for project deliverable tracking. When trying to decide what software is right for you, consider consulting your employees for their insights.
Embrace automation to improve BPM
Automation tools allow you to save time on mundane and repetitive tasks. With automation, you can improve efficiency, streamline task management, and even reduce operational costs. Social media is a great example. Tools like HootSuite make it easy to automate your social media posting. Social media managers can then focus their energy elsewhere, such as on developing more engaging online campaigns.
Know when to outsource tasks in the interests of BPM
Often, business owners believe that keeping all of their work in-house is the easiest way to streamline operations and simplify oversight. In fact, outsourcing is often in your best interests. The Balance Small Business explains some of the perks of outsourcing, such as making it easier to scale up your business and offering greater staffing flexibility. You can also reduce employment costs since freelancers are usually cheaper.
Take steps to get management and employees on board
Whenever you’re making operational changes, it’s important to get your team on board. This is especially true when it comes to implementing BPM-related adaptations. To facilitate change, start by holding a meeting. Explain the reason for the change and ask for feedback. Then, create a schedule for implementing any changes. Finally, set clear guidelines for any new processes you’ve implemented as part of your BPM strategy.
Monitor performance after implementation and make changes as needed
If you’re going to make BPM changes, make sure they’re paying off. Towards this end, make sure to measure the impact of business process automation. Possible key change indicators, KCIs, should be specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time-related. For example, if you’ve implemented an automation tool that’s supposed to save time on a specific task, measure the time spent on that task before and after the tool’s implementation.
Improving business process management is a multi-step process, requiring careful planning and strategic action. Luckily, there are tools available to help, such as automation technologies. With these kinds of cutting-edge tools, BPM doesn’t have to be a pain.
For more content on business success, visit the Mike McRitchie blog.
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