Everything in business is a process! Take any activity, simple or multi-condition, individual or multi-actor, they all follow a certain sequence of tasks. A request for quotation, a purchase, recruitment, invoicing or reporting are all processes. A tool has been developed to manage and pool all these processes in a single software package: BPM Business Process Management. With its modeling, workflow and automation functions, BPM enables companies of all sizes to digitalize, personalize and optimize their activities.
What’s more, previously reserved for large companies, new software is now being developed to offer BPM technology to SMEs and ETIs. Some software packages also enable BPM to be used in no-code mode, so there’s no need for an IT department to implement it within the company. Finally, we’d like to share with you a comparison of Business Process Management software.
What is BPM Business Process Management?
Process definition
A process is a sequence of tasks within a company that enables a customer or internal requirement to be met. This sequence may be linear or multi-condition, individual or collaborative, with consecutive or simultaneous steps, non-computerized or partly automated.
Example of a purchasing process:
Definition of BPM Business Process Management
A Business Process Management BPM enables you to execute these processes and distribute the various tasks in an orderly fashion to the right people, at the right time, without unnecessary clicks. As well as being the center of your know-how (modeling, analysis, measurement, monitoring, optimization, etc.), BPMs connect to all your business software, making life easier for your employees. Business Process Management software can display data from existing software, automatically update CRM, ERP and HRIS systems, freeing up staff time.
Example without and with BPM Business Process Management on a quote request process
Method without BPM
This approach requires the use of multiple software applications (CRM, encryption tools, messaging) and involves a great deal of manipulation.
- Identifying customer needs
2. Recording prospect and opportunity data in the CRM
– Time-consuming process with numerous manual entries
– Collection of data that may be superfluous for the customer but essential internally
3. Preparation of quotations using a costing tool
– Risk of inconsistencies between estimates from different sales staff
4. Manual transfer of quote data to final documents
– Risk of errors due to repetitive handling (copy-paste)
5. Manual update of information in CRM
6. Communication with prospects
– Follow-up and periodic non-automated reminders , not to be forgotten
Method with Business Process Management
This approach optimizes workflow: reduction of administrative tasks, orchestration of data between different software packages…
- Identifying customer needs
- Data centralization on the
platform – Simplified interface for entering essential information
– Automated collection of additional data
– Real-time synchronization of data with the CRM system - Assistance with costing
– Guidance for sales staff to ensure consistent costing - Automatic generation of estimates
– Instant production of PDF estimates
– Simultaneous CRM updates - Automated communication processes
– Automated sending of quotations
– Automatic management of reminders
– Rapid updating of data in CRM
BPM platform functionalities
Workflow designer
Improve collaboration with
100% customizable processes
Software automation
Free
employees from non-value-added tasks
No-code and low-code
Gaining speed
for rapid ROI
The workflow designer is a central element of Business Process Management platforms. This feature enables processes to be configured and customized without the need for IT development skills. A business manager can quickly build a complete process, integrating input interfaces, data visualizations from other applications, validation circuits, etc.
This workflow designer also allows you to :
- Define logical conditions and operational paths adapted to the company’s specific needs.
- Manage the players and their respective roles.
- Model, map and document processes smoothly and intuitively.
- Manage data.
What’s more, BPM platforms integrate relatively easily with existing information systems, without having to write a single line of code, thanks to APIs. Whether it’s an ERP, a CRM, or any other business software, the automation possibilities will quickly free up teams’ time.
Find out more in our article on process automation
Getting started with BPM software
Step 1: Understand the existing process
Either you know the process perfectly well and can move on to the next step. Or we invite you to carry out a process audit to understand exactly how the tasks fit together. Depending on the time available, this audit will identify the players, tools, responsibilities, volumes, business data and sub-optimizations…
An audit can last from a few hours to several days. It’s up to you to set the cursor at the right level, according to your means and resources. . Nous avons écrit un article détaillant une méthode simple pour réaliser un audit (cf le lien ci-dessous).
Find out more in our article on how to conduct a process audit.
Step 2: Briefly model current operations and those taking into account certain automations
This modeling can be done as simply as possible. No special skills are required. A freehand drawing or mapping on slides is all you need. What’s more, BPM Business Process Management includes graphical representation functionalities, and if you’re comfortable enough, you can use the BPM software directly.
This modeling simply represents the sequence of actions, actors, conditions, tools and tasks that could be automated, so that the BPM can be easily parameterized.
Step 3: Choosing the right BPM software
Depending on your constraints, requirements and budget, you can choose the right BPM Business Process Management platform. Although we’d love you to use our solution, we’ve written an article comparing the different solutions so you can make up your own mind.
Step 4: Design the process on the chosen software
Different paths are possible for the rest of the method. You can choose touse the BPM Business Process Management platform independently (using the documentation, tutorials and support provided by the software publisher). Or use the software publisher or an integrator to help you configure your first process. Depending on your use case, some software publishers even offer you this initial set-up to help you achieve your first goal effortlessly.
Note that some workflow designers are no-code (without writing a line of code) and others are low-code (with a little computer development). See what resources you have available for this project.
Step 5: Execute, monitor and optimize as you go along
Once the process is up and running, you can make it available to your teams. The advantage of BPM Business Process Management is that it takes little time to get to grips with it, and is relatively user-friendly. This makes training and support much easier.
As you use the tools, you’ll be able to quickly identify with your employees new potential gains from automation or process simplification.
Benefits of BPM Business Process Management
Increased efficiency
BPM software enables you to push the right tasks to the right people, at the right time, without unnecessary clicks and friction. This makes processes smoother and more productive.
Task automation
Thanks to the automation of certain tasks and the interconnection between software programs, employees are freed from repetitive, time-consuming and off-putting actions. Process costs are reduced
Guided collaborative experience
Teams no longer have to ask themselves questions, they can effortlessly follow the sequence of tasks. Information retrieval is just a click away. Roles are clearly defined, enhancing collaboration.
Design autonomy
Thanks to no-code, you can be relatively autonomous when it comes to workflow design, so you don ‘t have to depend on the services of integrators. And even if you work with an integrator, no-code doesn’t make you dependent on them.
Continuous improvement
Business Process Management BPMs don’t force a big bang. You can go at your own pace, process by process. This allows you to manage what’s most valuable to you, and toself-finance future processes through optimization.
Software interconnection
No more multiple entries of the same information in different programs. No more complex searches for information in convoluted software. BPM tools take care of all the data and greatly simplify the work of your teams.
Use cases for BPM Business Process Management
Intervention management
Compliance and quality processes
Recruitment
process
Loan application and financing
Manage
customer contracts
Processing patent applications
Mail
processing
Approval of purchases
Tender response management
Customer order tracking
Insurance claims management
Accreditation process
Request for quotation
from a prospect
Customer complaints management
Request
legal
Conclusion
BPM Business Process Management has become an essential tool for companies of all sizes seeking to optimize their business processes. Whether you’re a VSE or SME looking to digitalize your operations, or an ETI looking to improve your efficiency, BPM solutions offer a high degree of customizability.
The no-code approach of certain BPM platforms now enables every company to customize and automate its processes without the need for advanced technical expertise. It’s a real revolution, democratizing access to these powerful tools.
Don’t wait any longer to explore the possibilities offered by BPM. It’s relatively simple: start by identifying a key process in your company and start modeling it. You’ll be amazed at how this approach can transform the way you work, improve collaboration between your teams and, ultimately, boost your company’s performance.
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