However successful your business, process transformation has the potential to make it better. But good planning and realistic expectations are necessary before embarking on this demanding task.
There’s always room for improvement. This might be a bit of a cliché, but it’s absolutely true when it comes to your business. No matter how successful you are day-to-day, you’d be amazed what digital transformation can do to elevate your performance, improve customer experience and make everything more efficient.
In this series, we’ll explore four key aspects of digital transformation. First up: process transformation.
A radical change
As the name might suggest, process transformation is an overhaul of all the processes involved in running your business. It’s perhaps the most demanding form of digital transformation, and it may or may not be necessary for you. But it can modernise your business, update your technology, and save you time and money in the long run. And it does all that while keeping your core systems intact.
Before you decide whether process transformation is for you, ask yourself these three questions:
- Do my systems need an upgrade?
- Is my technology out of date?
- Am I ready to adopt a new structure?
If the answer to these is yes, then process transformation might be the solution you need. But if you want to make sure it works for you, you need to do your groundwork.
Setting the targets
Process transformation is demanding – but if you get it right, it should make life easier, not harder! The key to keeping it simple and effective is asking the right questions before you start on the process.
First, identify your goals. What outcomes do you want from this transformation? Which steps and processes need to be changed? Where are there opportunities for improvement? Your team will have valuable insight – and change always goes more smoothly when everyone buys in, so be sure to involve them.
Some useful questions to ask your team:
- How could your job be made simpler?
- What do you want to see in the new structure?
- How is the current structure working? What problems do you encounter? What are the benefits?
- What do you need to become more productive?
Once you have set realistic expectations for your process transformation, it’s time to set baseline metrics. These should be based both on what you expect from the new structure, and the typical outcomes from your existing one. Time & cost, error rates and downtime should all be factored in. And, of course, you should set Key Performance Indicators for the transformation ahead.
Implementing solutions
Once you’ve mapped out the transformation in an ideal workflow path, it’s time to start thinking about the tools and applications you’ll bring into the new structure.
This is where it can get confusing. There are so many new technologies out there, all claiming to be the ultimate solution for your business. But it’s important to bear in mind that this is your business, and the right solution will depend on your requirements and those of your team. So the newest or most complex tool isn’t necessarily the one you need. In fact, a recent study by Mendix showed that “low-code” applications – which are easy for non-specialists to build and use – are at the forefront of digital transformation for many businesses.
A reliable IT support partner is your best ally when it comes to process transformation. Perigon One can help at every stage, from planning to implementation and ongoing optimisation. Contact us today to set up your FREE 15-minute consult.
