What is Business Process Management?

Business Process Management (BPM) is, in a nutshell, the way your company manages and improves business processes. This can mean making all sorts of changes to how the process works. You could, for example, restructure it (remove a step, add a step, etc.) or completely re-engineer it using new technology (automating just about anything).

Business Process Management – A Simple Introduction

In a world filled with business-buzzwords, it can sometimes be hard to keep up. “Business Process Management” is one of those terms that get thrown around a lot. And unless you’re an experienced Chief Operations Officer, the whole BPM thing can be a bit confusing. So, we’re here to shed some light on process management. Business Process Management (BPM) is the long-term strategy of analyzing and improving your processes. But before we dive into the specifics of process management, let’s talk a bit about processes.

So What’s a Process?

A business process is a series of repeatable steps that you need to carry out to achieve some sort of business goal. The key here is repeatable – it should be something your business does on a regular basis. This can mean onboarding a new employee, for example, or shipping a product to a customer. “Processes” shouldn’t be confused with either projects or tasks, though. A project is usually a one-time thing. You could be, for example, creating a marketing strategy for a client. What you create for that specific client is probably going to be original work. Tasks, on the other hand, are specific steps in a process or a project. A process could consist of 5-6 tasks that need to be completed in a sequence, for example. Or in a similar way, a project might involve carrying out a number of tasks for it to be completed.

How BPM Works

There’s no one way of “doing” BPM. Rather, it’s more of a loose term. If you’re constantly analyzing and trying to improve single processes, though, that’s when your organization does Business Process Management.

Legacy BPM software exists – but it’s painfully broken

“Old BPM” software is tired and broken. It never worked for business users. Here’s why:

• Users are now deciding to buy software themselves. Old BPM was bought by your IT department, who didn’t generally care about user experience – as long as it was made by a large/boring company.
• Cloud tools are now free to try by anyone, anytime. With Old BPM you had to call sales and wait for 50 questions just to look at it and finally decide it sucks.
• People want to share workflows with clients. With Old BPM you were stuck with trying to automate internal processes only. Your clients would be very scared and run a mile from it.
• People expect to integrate cloud tools without IT. With Old BPM you had get engineers to write code to make a simple integration. That’s now become a drag-and-drop service.
• People expect to work on phones. This means giant, clunky flowcharts in Old BPM are dead – because they don’t fit on your phone’s screen – and only define “the perfect process”.
• People are tired of flowcharts. Old BPM was all about the high priest telling you how a process can/will be done, and you would obey. Now – modern workers and teams are paid to collaborate.
• People expect all the benefits of the cloud. Old BPM was never cloud-born and was never designed for the cloud. And that creates a massive bunch of missed opportunities.
• Companies of all sizes need process management – and never had it. Since Old BPM was so expensive and complicated, only large companies could afford it. The rest of us were left out.
• People are excited about AI – but confused about where to begin. With Old BPM you have zero chance of using AI without an army of engineers. With cloud-born systems like Tallyfy – it’s childs’ play to use any AI you like to run amazing automations for photos, voice, video and more.

Tallyfy is the only BPM software that anyone can understand in 60 seconds. The only way to see this for yourself is to learn more and try it. Process improvement is a bit more standard than BPM, though. There are several steps you have to carry out… If you’re thinking that this might be a lot of work, well, yeah. We definitely can’t argue with that. BPM can be hard and time-consuming. The payoff, however, is definitely worth it.

BPM Helps Get the Most out of Your Business

Over half of all businesses now view business process management as extremely important due to the increasing return on investment many companies are seeing. Other than pure profit, there are several other essential benefits provided by BPM…

• Business Agility – Any company that focuses on constant improvement develops a culture of innovation. Your employees will be used to change, so whenever you’ll want to make some drastic changes to company strategy, you’ll be able to do it without much hassle or panic.
• Customer Satisfaction – If all your processes are efficient as they can be, you’re going to end up having a better product or service overall. You could, for example, make it cheaper because your processes cost less. This, of course, makes your customers happier.
• Employee Morale – Employees like to feel engaged. If you use their feedback to improve your processes (and reward them for it), they’ll be much happier with their job.

Business Process Management – Methodology & Software

One of the reasons why BPM can be confusing is because everyone keeps using the term in a different context. While the word itself refers to the methodology, there’s also the software part of it. The main difference between the two is that BPM is a methodology of mapping, optimizing and improving processes. Business Process Management Software (BPMS), on the other hand, is a means of execution. The software helps with each tiny part of BPM. It allows you to…

• Map Your Processes – With BPM, you can create digital models of your processes. This makes it significantly easier to both analyze and improve them.
• Enforce Changes – Without the software, you’d have to keep track of your employees and ensure that they’re following through with the new process, and not just reverting back to the old one. With BPMS, all you have to do is make a change within the system and it’s going to automatically enforce the change.
• Process Analytics – BPMS keeps track of your processes, letting you know whenever there are any bottlenecks, inefficiencies, etc.

Here’s a sneak peek of how the software looks like… You might be thinking that all this sounds amazing – the software basically does half of the work for you. True, the software is extremely useful, but there’s a big problem with major BPM software providers. They’re a bit outdated. And as with most of the older enterprise software, it’s both extremely expensive and hard to set-up. The installation itself is going to take months AND cost you somewhere around 6 figures. And that’s just one problem with legacy BPM software. They’re also extremely hard to use, so you’d need to conduct special training for your teams to actually get the hang of the software. Those exact problems are the reason we created Tallyfy. We make BPMS easy. You can start running your processes within 30 minutes after registration, and it only costs $15 / user / month.

Wait, so Why is BPM so Expensive?

You’re probably wondering, what’s the trade-off? There has to be a reason why old BPM is expensive, right? How can we manage to bring the price down by more than 100x? Well, the main issue with most Business Process Management Software is that they’re old. The price issue wasn’t just about BPM – most old software solutions used to be extremely expensive. In fact, it was so expensive, that only the bigger organizations could afford it. Today, most software companies innovated. All you have to do to start using software is go online, find the right provider, and pay a very low fee. No setup, no training, no nothing. And that’s exactly what we’re doing with Tallyfy – making business process management accessible to everyone.

3 Practical Examples of Business Process Management

Now that we’ve got all the theory out of the way, you’re probably wondering, “Where do I start?” Well, to give you a better idea of some of the most common uses for BPM, we’ll cover 3 practical examples, which you can directly apply to your own business!

HR

If there’s one business function that could REALLY benefit from BPM, it’s HR. About half of the work is forms or documents management. Get the applicant to fill in this document, have the company management sign it, approve & sign vacation forms, etc. This can all be extremely chaotic and time-consuming. You don’t want your HR department to be spending half their time making sure the right document is signed. If you use BPM software, though, you can automate all the documents management. Let’s say, for example, you’re trying to automate vacation approval. Your employees fill in a form through the software, which is then forwarded to HR. Once HR approves, the system sends it over to the management to sign. Without the software, this would involve a lot of email exchanges.

Publishing

If you’ve ever worked with a blog or media company, you’ll probably agree with us – publishing can be hectic. If your company publishes a lot, you’ll be hearing a lot of… “Wasn’t this post due a week ago?”“Did the designer finish up the graphs for the new article?”“Where did that post go? The one we were supposed to publish 2 weeks ago?” Unless you have a well-structured publishing process, all this chaos can turn into a real problem. At Tallyfy, we have a defined publishing flow (using our own process management software)… The process helps us stay on track with the deadlines, making the entire publishing process faster. Here’s what the publishing process would look like for this exact article…

Onboarding

Whether you’re working with a new client, hiring an employee, or starting work with a supplier, you first need to onboard them. This means bringing them up to speed on how your organization functions. Some of the ways you could use BPM here are… Employee Onboarding – Whenever you’re hiring a new employee, you need to bring them up to speed ASAP. There are a lot of documents you need to approve, get them the right equipment, making introductions with the rest of the team, etc. BPMS gives you a structure for this process, ensuring that you never miss a critical step. Client Onboarding – If you’re starting to work with a new client, whatever the project may be about, there are several key steps you need to carry out. You’ll need to figure out what the client needs you to achieve, how they want to communicate, and so on. As with employee onboarding, you can use BPMS to streamline your client onboarding process.

Getting Started with BPM

Now that you know the ins and outs of process management, all you have to do is put it into practice. And what’s a better way to start than with a software specially designed for BPM? Give Tallyfy a try for free, and see how it can make a difference.

Related Questions

What does business process management mean?

Business process management (BPM) is like being a traffic controller for how work gets done in a company. It’s a way to look at all the steps people take to get things done, then make those steps better, faster, and smoother. Think of it as creating a recipe book for your business – writing down the best way to do things, then keeping that recipe updated as you find better ways to work.

What are the 5 stages of BPM?

The five stages of BPM are like a never-ending circle of improvement. First, you design your process (like mapping out a road trip). Then you model it (testing different routes). Next, you put it into action (start driving). After that, you monitor how it’s going (checking if you’re on track). Finally, you optimize it (finding shortcuts and better routes). Then the cycle starts again to keep making things better.

What is the difference between a process and a procedure?

A process is like a road map showing you how to get from point A to point B, while a procedure is the detailed turn-by-turn directions. For example, “making breakfast” is a process, but “crack two eggs, beat them for 30 seconds, heat the pan” is a procedure. Processes tell you what needs to happen, procedures tell you exactly how to do it.

What does a business process manager do?

A business process manager is like a master chef in a busy kitchen, making sure all the recipes work well together. They watch how work flows, spot bottlenecks, train people on better ways to work, and use special software to keep track of everything. They’re always looking for ways to make work easier and results better.

Why is BPM important for small businesses?

Even small businesses can benefit from BPM, just like a small kitchen needs good organization. It helps prevent mistakes, saves time and money, makes customers happier, and helps the business grow smoothly. When small businesses use BPM, they can compete better with bigger companies because they work smarter, not harder.

How is BPM different from project management?

BPM and project management are like cousins – related but different. Project management is about handling one-time big tasks, like building a house. BPM focuses on recurring work that happens over and over, like making coffee in a café. Projects have a clear end date, while processes keep going as long as the business runs.

What tools do you need for BPM?

Modern BPM uses digital tools that make work flow smoother. You might need process mapping software (like having a digital whiteboard), automation tools (like having a robot assistant), and analytics software (like having a fitness tracker for your business). But remember – the most important tool is clear thinking about how work should flow.

How do you know if your BPM is working?

You can tell BPM is working when things start feeling easier and results get better. Look for signs like fewer mistakes, happier customers, less stressed employees, and work getting done faster. It’s like checking your car’s dashboard – you want to see all the right indicators showing good performance.

Can BPM help with remote work?

BPM is super helpful for remote work because it creates clear paths for getting things done, no matter where people are working from. It’s like having a shared cookbook that everyone can follow, even if they’re cooking in different kitchens. Good BPM helps remote teams stay coordinated and productive.

What’s the difference between BPM and workflow automation?

BPM is the whole kitchen, while workflow automation is just the dishwasher – one tool in a bigger system. BPM includes thinking about, designing, and improving all your processes. Workflow automation is about using technology to handle specific repeated tasks automatically. They work great together, but BPM is the bigger picture.

How do you start implementing BPM?

Start small and simple – like learning to cook, begin with basic recipes before trying complicated dishes. Pick one important process that needs improvement, map out how it works now, find ways to make it better, and test those improvements. Get people involved, use their feedback, and gradually expand to other processes as you learn what works.

What are common BPM mistakes to avoid?

The biggest mistakes include trying to change too much too fast (like remodeling your whole house at once), not involving the people who actually do the work, focusing too much on technology and not enough on people, and forgetting to measure if changes are actually helping. Success comes from taking it step by step and keeping everyone in the loop.

Related Questions

What are the 5 steps of BPM?

Business process management follows five key steps that form a continuous cycle. First, you design your process by mapping out every step and person involved. Next, you model different scenarios to see how the process might work in various situations. Third, you put the process into action and watch it run. Fourth, you keep track of how well it’s working by measuring things like time and results. Finally, you look for ways to make it better based on what you learned. Then the cycle starts again with improvements.

How is BPM different from regular project management?

While project management focuses on one-time efforts with a clear end date, BPM deals with ongoing, repeatable work that happens day after day. It’s like comparing planning a single party (project management) to running a restaurant (BPM). The restaurant needs consistent, well-organized processes that work every single day, while the party is a one-time event that ends when guests go home.

Why do businesses need BPM?

Businesses need BPM because it helps them stay organized and competitive in today’s fast-moving world. Without it, work becomes messy and inconsistent – like trying to cook in a kitchen where nobody knows where anything is. BPM helps save money by removing waste, makes customers happier through better service, and helps employees work together more effectively.

What kinds of processes can BPM improve?

BPM can improve almost any repeated work in a business. This includes handling customer service requests, processing orders, onboarding new employees, approving expenses, managing documents, and coordinating teams. Even simple tasks like scheduling meetings or handling complaints can become more efficient with good BPM.

What’s the difference between BPM and workflow automation?

While they’re related, BPM is the overall strategy for managing and improving processes, while workflow automation is one tool in the BPM toolbox. Think of BPM as the coach who plans the game strategy, while workflow automation is like having a robot player that can handle specific moves automatically.