Business Process Management in a Remote Workplace
Learn how to employ business process management in a remote workplace.
Business process management (BPM) doesn’t refer to one thing in particular. Instead, it is the combination of processes and methods that allow businesses to better analyze their workflow, discover ways to improve, and automate some tasks. In a remote work environment, BPM can serve to streamline in-depth processes, improve employee efficiency, and reduce errors.
Business owners, remote workers, or even freelancers can drop into any Croissant co-working space and connect to their business process management platforms, documents, and other supporting materials. A few examples of BPM that might best be utilized by remote services include:
Authentication API. You can think of a banking API as the equivalent of a waiter at a restaurant. The waiter takes an order from a customer and delivers the information directly to the chef. The customer receives their meal, which was verified as correct by the waiter. An API works similarly and is especially useful for businesses that take payment through their apps. ACH processors are compatible with most API programs, including Dwolla and Stripe. In this example, you can verify bank account number API in a smooth and seamless transaction that confirms your customers routing and other bank information. This makes for more accurate and expedient payments.
Online documents. Remote workers often must review documents and approve various aspects of their respective businesses. In a document-centric BPM, a file, such as a time-off approval form, can be uploaded to the internet. Pertinent parties can then review it from their respective locations and approve or deny the request. Keeping these processes simplified, streamlined, and online makes them easier to keep up with, and you can always follow the trail of who has accessed and accepted/signed documents.
Before You Get Started
The above are just a few examples of different types of BPM processes. Your options are virtually unlimited, but, before you begin, you want to take stock of your current processes and decide which can stay and which should be replaced with more efficient software and services. The best place to begin is by talking to those within your organization that your process management efforts will affect the most. Then, get with your technology solutions provider to strategize timing and implementation.
Another important step in the BPM process is to know how you will measure its effectiveness. For this, you might want to research outsourcing and business process management. Through BPM, businesses can determine which aspects of the business can be outsourced, including information technology and payroll processing. It’s crucial to know how you will measure and monitor whatever new methodologies you employ to ensure you know when and how to optimize your operation.
BPM Vs. Project Management
If you’re already using project management software, then employing BPM strategies should not be that difficult. The primary difference between the two is that project management typically focuses on a single task. A good example is workflow for a printing company. A work order comes in, the project manager assigns the design to a graphic artist who then gets approval, then releases it to the printing manager, who then moves it into finishing, and then finally to completion for pickup. BPM, on the other hand, governs how departments work together and how resources and information are used throughout the company. In the same example, a BPM component in a remote work environment might be online documents that must be approved before going to an off-site printing location.
The advent of digital technology has changed the way we do business so much so that Deloitte calls it, “The fourth Industrial Revolution…” As such, your business must learn to keep up, especially when you have workers on a remote platform. By implementing BPM, you’ll be more efficient, and, more importantly, will be able to keep up with the way your customers do business.
Croissant offers membership prices from $29 per month with rollover hours that last for up to six months.