5 ways to improve business processes

WAYS TO IMPROVEYOUR PROCESSES

5 ways to identify and improve the processes in your business

1

Identify all the processes in your business and then rate them in terms of importance.

Identify critical processes

1 Identify critical processes

Would improving this process increase revenue or decrease costs?

Does the process have an impact on your customers?

Would it improve staff moral and potentially reduce turnover?

If I don’t improve this process, what happens?

Key questions to ask:

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2

Map out all the steps in the process and who is responsible.

Map out the processes you want to improve

2 Map out the processes you want to improve

Flowcharts

are a great

way to map

out simple

processes.

2

Get in the swim laneFor more complex processes a Swim Lane Diagram allows you

to map out numerous steps and touch points in a process.

Map out the processes you want to improve

Payroll Process

Human Resources Manager Payroll SystemEmployee Payroll

Payrol l Period Ends

Add new employee pay i nformation

Empl oyeei nfo correct?

Re-enter i nformation

Swim Lane Process Diagram

Empl oyee enters work

hours

Change orcorrect details

Revi ew andapprove

Approve overti me

Revi ew i nformation

Al l infocompl ete?

Contact employee to provide more

detai l

Revi ew pay i nfo agai n

Overti me approved ?

Fi nal i se payroll batch for processing

Send dataCompl ete Payrol l

Confi rm superannuation detai l s correct

Yes

No

No

NoYes

Yes

No

Yes

Be inclusiveInclude all stakeholders affected by these processes to ensure you don’t overlook anything and garner buy-in from everyone.

3 Investigate how the process can be improved

Streamline Automate Bypass

3 Investigate how the process can be improved

StreamlineLook for steps within the Flowchart or Swim Lane Diagram that can be removed from the process without impacting the outcome.

3 Investigate how the process can be improved

BypassThere are some processes that are only there because ‘it’s always been done that way’.

If you can bypass a process entirely and still get the same result, do you really need that process?

3 Investigate how the process can be improved

AutomateSome critical processes can’t be streamlined or bypassed. But if it’s hampering your growth it needs to be automated.

Most automation comes from moving

away from disparate systems and

software, and implementing an integrated business management system.

?Automation

4 Future proof your processes

Focus on the future To ensure your processes continue to be of value they need to be flexible and adapt to future changes.

4 Future proof yourprocesses

Plan with P.E.S.T.L.EGenerate a short, medium and long term evaluation of your processes using the P.E.S.T.L.E methodology.

4 Future proof yourprocesses

P for PoliticalE for EconomicS for SocialT for TechnologicalL for Legal E for Environmental

5

Work smarter, not harderAfter deciding on what, now focus on how. Utilise technology to simplify the implementation and on-going management of your new processes.

Take advantage of technology

5

Befriend business systemsTechnology, like business management systems, can be customised for your businesses requirements enabling the automation of manual processes.

Take advantage of technology

At the touch of a button we have access to all the information we need in real time.Brett Dallas Direct Imports

We must have saved 20 hours a week

alone handling our distribution processes.

Ben KnispelNippy’s

1 Identify critical processesIdentify all the processes in your business and then rate them in terms of importance.

2 Map out the processes you want to improveMap out all the steps in the process and who is responsible.

3 Investigate how the process can be improvedInvestigating how to streamline processes, bypass any blockers, and automate critical tasks.

4 Future proof your processesEnsure your processes are flexible and adaptable for the future by viewing them from a short, medium and long term view.

5 Take advantage of technologyUtilise technology to simplify the implementation and management of new processes.

5 ways to improve your processes

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