Workflow Automation

Automation in and of itself can raise productivity...... However, we acknowledge that automation cannot solve everything. We found through experience that what may be hindering a businesses is often the processes that is followed, whether it is assembling a product or delivering a service. The solution is optimizing the workplace for efficiency and productivity, and using automation as one of the multiple tools at your disposal to achieve set objectives......One of the methods we use during our consultation to improve workflow efficiency in organizations is to list all of the processes and workflows in the business that is followed on a daily basis. We list each process, the purpose, and everyone involved in the process. As the customer is working, we start to list the periodic processes people follow such as weekly and monthly activities. At the end of a month or two, we’ll have a list of every major process and an idea of how often it is done. We take the time to document the recommended way to complete the task. This alone makes things more efficient, since everyone now has a standard way to perform the task, and training new hires becomes much simpler.

We then rank the processes, List what is most important to least important. At this point many people are be able to save time and effort by no longer doing the less important tasks so often. The business certainly benefits by them prioritizing the most important tasks first. This has the side benefit of allowing the customer to identify which processes are worth streamlining first.

Next comes looking for ways to streamline the operation, one process at a time. Identify the most commonly performed tasks. Then look for ways to streamline those common tasks. What steps are redundant or no longer necessary? We then solicit feedback from key stakeholders; these tells us what is working, what isn’t working and how things can be improved. We then get performance data from other departments within the business/operation on what works which then leads to best practices. Or even find that steps are no longer necessary and can be abandoned. Eliminating them in the formal procedure and training everyone in the new, approved process means we’ve just streamlined that operation. If we find that the entire process is irrelevant, such as reports generated that no one reads anymore, we make certain to inform everyone involved to stop doing it.

Having a new and improved official process doesn’t matter if people don’t follow it. Once we’ve modified the processes, formally documented it and trained everyone, then we encourage the customer to audit the team to make sure they’re following the new process. Customer can also compare the way things are working relative to their ideal work stream and sometimes they may find additional areas for improvement. Workflow automation doesn’t eliminate the human element. Instead, it automates the management of tasks and moves things along the workflow, notifying those who have work to do and allowing managers to run reports to check on the status of things. Workflow automation via specialized software can facilitate communication, such as sending an email for someone to give feedback on a report or document under review. And the notes can be automatically saved for review by someone else later.

Moving to electronic records also reduces the risk that critical written information is lost. Data can be accessed any time it is necessary by anyone who should have access to it. We install software that can streamline back office operations which yields major savings in this area. For example, purchasing and integrating software to handle filing claims, sending bills/invoice and processing payments will reduce the amount of time spent on these time-consuming, detailed tasks. It also reduces the odds of mistakes that can cost the business money. Communication is often seen as an interruption in the workflow. However, opening up lines of communication reduces one’s workload long-term. For example, if customers can email a question to our technical support or the subject matter expert, that person can answer it as time allows without having the interruption and additional time required to answer a phone call. If staff can readily communicate with others when potential problems arise, they may get solutions before things get worse. Another way to improve workflow efficiency in an organization is to open up the floor to feedback from everyone involved. Ask staff members, managers, people in other departments and customers how they think things could be improved. Sometimes they can identify small changes with a major impact.

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