Why Did We Choose BPM
The major business trend for the next 5 years is process digitalization. Even the most traditional-minded companies have already realized that using Excel, a cell phone and fax at work is just a thing of the past. You must change in order not to lose customers to your forward-minded competitors.
KT.eam has great experience in the customization of systems for the B2B sector. After analyzing and comparing the features of various CRM and BPM systems, we decided to use the latter.
Why so? CRM only covered the relationships with customers. Such systems would be useful mainly for the sales department, but not for the entire company. ERP is not our thing as we are not a production unit. The BPM concept of business process management is most consistent with how the work at kt.team is organized.
We needed a transparent system for task setting, progress tracking, time logging, and interaction between several offices in Russia. BPMS has clearly satisfied our needs.
We have integrated the management system into the work of all departments: from sales to the development. The initial results are evident and indisputable: the BPM introduction has made it easier for management, employees, and customers.
You can see the actual BPM advantages on the website of any integrator or a BPM system developer. We have identified three inevident, though important to us advantages that are not always mentioned.
Advantage # 1. BPMS Provides Your Customer the Freedom of Self-Service
Actually, it's a great advantage. Remember your own experience: do you really like communications with the sales managers? First, arranging a phone calls, then endlessly exchanging files with them (contracts, specifications, invoices, acts, delivery notes, etc.).
Your clients don't want to waste their time and energy on that either. They have no need to be guided through your catalog and sent a million faxes. They have long been used to buying all the necessary things online; they are used to call a taxi and order food in an app. They know where to go and which button to click.
Unnecessary communication with the client's manager is a nuisance, especially if orders are made on a monthly basis and they have to go round in circles. It is easier for them to access your portal, order the necessary batch of goods by themselves, transfer the bank details and get an automatically generated package of documents.
The BPM system allows doing so. As a result, the customer satisfaction increases and you save hundreds of man-hours per month.
Advantage # 2. Payment Documents with Complex Pricing Are Generated Automatically in Just a Couple Clicks...
..once again excluding the manager and the human factor from the process.
This is relevant for the B2B sector with multi-factor pricing, where the price per a sales item depends on:
- the batch size – the more the customer buys, the lower the price per item is;
- logistics – whether the necessary cargo units have been formed or the delivery cost is paid by the customer alone;
- delivery terms – you have to pay extra for the "urgent" service;
- the expiration date of the batch – the closer it is, the lower the price;
- terms of payment and availability of accounts payable…
It is hard to take all the above factors into account in manual calculations. After the BPMS implementation, the business process would always be implemented according to a commercial offer for a specific partner.
You only need to enter the necessary conditions in the builder and the documents will be formed with regard to all the factors without manager's involvement.
If there are changes to the conditions, it will be enough to configure the target value once. All changes are automatically implemented in the connected business processes.
Advantage # 3. BPM System Works as a Mentor
When a company hires a new employee, they have to familiarize themselves with a huge amount of necessary information. "Who can I turn to if...", "where to click if...", "what to tell a client when..." It does not matter if you hire an intern or an experienced worker – in any case, they will have to study your business processes.
The BPM system can work as a true mentor.
If you already have written the business processes, there is no need to introduce them to every new employee hoping they won't forget anything.
All actions and responsible persons are already in the system, every step is clearly defined.
Even if some business process is changing – for example, now the purchases have to be first approved by the CFO you just need to introduce this change once. Employees will receive an automatic notification, and from that moment on, purchases will be carried out according to the new algorithm not wasting time on the retraining.
Does It Mean That Everyone Needs BPM System?
Of course, not.
At the start-up phase, enthusiasm prevails over the systematic approach. One employee can perform several functions. Business processes in the company are only taking shape – they are still flexible and unrefined. There is no need to implement BPMS at this stage.
The implementation is justified when the organization has clearly defined roles and responsibilities
and stable business processes that can be managed at that stage. That's when the BPM system will help you and your employees save time and hassle and increase customer loyalty.
