A Little Business Process Improvement Goes a Long Way

Everything you do in your business can be considered a process.  Everything from how a phone is answered, how to build a red widget, to how you order a new computer.  It’s all process.  So when people talk about process improvement, it is usually related to a larger project or business process management or automation.  However, BPI ( business process improvement ) itself is a system where you are optimizing the underlying processes and procedures for more efficient results.  Making positive changes in a system or business is something we all do, consciously or not, if you are a business owner or simply an employee of a larger corporation, the improvements made to everyday services of the business will benefit the company as a whole.

Business Process Improvement is often considered to be a expert field, where consultants and process engineers offer their services for fairly high rates.  In some cases, they are warranted, but in a small business view, it is usually not necessary.  Deciding whether you need to review your business processes at an operational or service level is usually a decision for owners/management in their quest for higher profits.  At least in a private, for profit business.  Can your current process list be streamlines and optimized better?  If they can, then a process improvement strategy is implemented.  You are not going to re-vamp your entire process management system, you simply want to make it better.

Before you start a process improvement project, it is a good idea to have a plan laid out.  It does not have to be a very detailed plan, but having a guideline is usually helpful.  A high level plan would be to create your process inventory first.  This process definition or map is your starting block and somewhat important.  If there is no process map or repository in place, then you might consider a larger scale process development plan instead.  In most cases, businesses will have a procedure or process model already in place and are looking to make changes and improvements to it.  The part of the plan should include some process mapping and review.  Documenting the existing processes in an easy to manage format and system will help see the areas that need attention.

Identifying the problem areas in a business process is usually what brings you to the process improvement review in the first place. You may already have everything documented and only need to focus on the parts that do not work or do not mesh with the business model or vision.  The identification of process problems is often the easy part.  The harder part is figuring out how changes to the process will improve it.  Careful planning and documenting, testing and review of the process changes will ensure that any improvement is a positive one.

How can business process improvement actually help?

Some businesses do not always see how BPI will help them.  It is sometimes difficult to see how just slight changes in a process can yield higher profit margins and lower expenses or costs of production.  Apart from a limited view of the possibilities of a successful business process improvement plan, you can streamline a business with the smallest of changes to an established system.  The organization may be a profit based, or non-profit, or government agency, and each business model can benefit from a better utilization of resources.

The goal of business process improvement is to increase the efficiency and performance of the corporation. It is not to change the service provided, but to change how the business provides that service.  You need to think of BPI as way to do it right instead of just doing the right thing.  Knowing your customer and aligning your business goals with the customer needs is an ongoing exercise in any business today.  Having the tools in place to identify these changes and improve your processes to meet the desires and needs of the market will keep your business on top.