How to Optimize Your Business Process According to Your Goals

When looking to optimize your business process, it helps to take a reverse planning approach. What are your goals for your business, and, more specifically, what are your goals for business process improvement?

For example, strategies to increase revenue will differ from strategies to improve consistency at a company. 

It’s important then to consider your business goals before you focus on process improvement, whether those goals are coming from a broad perspective or improvements made to a business on a micro level. Doing so will allow for more efficiency overall, and ensure that your business isn’t wasting time on non-essential tasks and implementation of steps that won’t get you to your end goal.

 

What is Business Process Management? 

Business processes are the steps a business takes in order to meet stated goals. Processes are not one-offs, but put into place to improve operating workflows. 

Business process management (BPM) is how potential areas for improvement at a business are identified, improved, and managed. The process is driven by an analysis of what a business needs in a given moment, and goals are set as a result. A quality business process solution provider can support you in working toward those goals and identifying strategies to address your business needs.

Now, let’s look at several measurable goal areas, and how to optimize your business process based on those identified goals.

 

Improve Productivity & Efficiency

A common area for business process goals is around improving productivity and efficiency in a workplace. When working to identify process inefficiencies, consider where time is being wasted businesswide. Take a close look at current business processes, including meetings that may not be as essential as you think they are, and whether employees have consistent access to workplace data. Consider digital or automated solutions to manual processes that have become cumbersome. 

Business process optimization in this area will target reducing wasted time and resources, with processes that allow for a business to reach broad, stated goals. It’s about avoiding getting bogged down by details – think unnecessary paperwork, repetitive tasks, or lengthy meetings that could have been handled using more efficient methods of communication.

 

Reduce Overall Costs

An added benefit of eliminating process inefficiencies is an overall reduction in business expenses. For example, automating processes replaces time-consuming, manual tasks, freeing up employees who had been working within those areas for more meaningful work. Once more efficient methods are identified and employees are trained in new routines, certain business processes should be able to run on their own.

It’s all part of the old adage of working smarter, not harder, and freeing up resources for revenue-generating areas that will lead to increased profits at a business.   

 

Increase Profitability 

Most businesses will have the goal of increasing profitability and growing potential revenue streams on their list of priorities. Business processes within this goal area will focus on not only identifying areas for additional revenue, but reducing overall costs as a way to increase profitability at a business. Profits must, after all, consider what businesses spend to operate.

Again, it is important to note how important identifying inefficiencies is to the overall health of a business. Addressing inefficiencies at a business is a big way to not only reduce overall costs, but improve the overall customer experience, a key area when looking to increase profitability. With effective structures in place, and a customer base that is experiencing the positive results of efficient business processes, employees can then focus on sales, driving profits, and supporting businesswide goals.

 

Improve Quality Control & Consistency

Business process goals around improving the customer experience are driven by structures that work toward a high level of quality control and consistency across a business. A predictable business process with a focus on quality control allows for the same result no matter the employee behind the wheel.

We’ve already touched on automation of manual processes in terms of reducing overall costs at a business. Automation software like Quickbase for businesses can also provide a boost around consistency at a business, as you will now have a straightforward process in place with less risk for human error. It’s important to invest in some guidance, however, to avoid potential business process software mistakes that come with replacing manual processes, and to ensure a good fit at your business. 

 

Streamline Processes

Business processes that are easier to manage inevitably lead to fewer user errors and less need for micromanaging. With processes streamlined to operate on a high level of efficiency without unnecessary oversight, employees can feel a level of confidence over their work, as well, boosting overall morale in the workplace. Leaders can then focus on additional pathways toward meeting business goals around profitability without worrying that inefficient business processes, or a lack thereof, are hampering employees’ progress.

If you’re looking for support around optimizing your business processes, or improving your methods around goal-setting for your business, contact us at Trinity. With over 22 years of experience behind us, we offer custom solutions for process improvement to help you analyze, meet and monitor your business goals.