Trends That Will Revolutionize Business Process Management
There’s been a lot of talk recently about a seismic shift in the landscape of business process management (BPM). Digital technology has revolutionized BPM so much that some are even calling it a rebirth. This is to be expected with modern API infrastructure being more flexible and serving as a base for cloud-based BPM solutions with AI enhancement.
Yes, there’s a lot of technological changes going on. And with these changes come rising trends. Here we look at four such trends that won’t just define BPM now, but into the near future as well.
Bots, AI, and BPM
With chatbots and messaging apps, we’re seeing powerful process solutions for enterprise apps. And at this point in time the general public seems happy to go along for the AI ride. According to HubSpot, some 40% of consumers today don’t care whether it’s a human or chatbot who helps them, so long as they feel they get the assistance they require. Moreover, 55% of consumers are happy to interact with a business that utilizes messaging apps and bots to solve a problem.
BPM is a trend to keep an eye on in the future because of process automation. AI is not only disrupting enterprise, AI is disrupting business process management, too. Bots are capable of replicating human data. The AI engine that powers them also allows them to get “smarter” as interactions with people progress. This ability to replicate human activity makes them ideal solutions for repetitive, rule-driven processes. That said, at the moment chatbots are not capable of handling all data, knowledge and nuance required to fully oversee business transactions. So for the moment bots will only augment human efforts in business process management.
But, again, there could come the day when this ceases to be the case. And it might come sooner than we think.
BPM and collaboration
Building off the first point, communication is crucial for the success of any modern business. We’re already seeing how the communication processes can be automated for customer-facing businesses via messaging apps but what about internal communication? What are some of the culprits that can easily bog down an operation? That’s right, miscommunication: excess emails, redundant meetings — they all play a role.
Data sharing is key to eliminating this inefficiency, and it’s a crucial feature of any successful BPM solution. The trend now involves not only fully integrating data but including process-related alerts within the solution that can clue team members into what exactly is happening when, thus reducing the need for unnecessary communication.
BPM and low-code platforms
Taking BPM out of the IT department and putting it in the hands of the stakeholders is a new trend, and one we’ll see evolve this year and beyond. Really, technology in application platforms is advancing at faster rates than we’ve ever seen before, so low-code solutions that allow non-programmers to put together cohesive apps is more of a necessity than a trend. What we’re seeing now, though, signals the beginning of a new era in process optimization.
BPM solutions that offer low-code application development allow users to create their own graphic user interfaces simply by dragging and dropping interface elements; these systems also allow users to create simple directory systems that clearly define user roles and establish permissions; or pull information into the app via pre-built data workflows. Now, without the need for coding, users can roll out a new process in weeks as opposed to months. Ultimately, those BPM solutions offering low-code platforms are helping users achieve much greater operational flexibility.
BPM and adaptive case management (ACM)
BPM as we know it today optimizes processes by boosting efficiency of predictable tasks. A good BPM suite is going to use workflow and collaboration to put hard metrics in the hands of business leaders looking to streamline their operations and boost productivity. And there are many solid tools out there to get this job done.
The issue is that not all BPM software solutions handle the unknown elements — those uncertain realities of the typical workday — as well as the known elements. It’s why many BPM best practices include the disclaimer: “always be adaptable.” No matter how good the tool, you’ll need to be able to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
Now, rather than using adaptability as a disclaimer, many in the BPM world are incorporating the ability to address adaptive cases in their solutions. KiSSFLOW, for example, includes ACM in its new software. But we’re already seeing massive increases in productivity from businesses that implemented an adaptive case management system over a manual one. The various results were staggering: 50% boost in productivity, 50% reduction in cycle time, 1500% increase in ROI — these are just some of the numbers put up by satisfied users.
The results speak for themselves, and ACM is one trend that will not be disappearing anytime soon.
Conclusion
What we’re seeing now is BPM arriving firmly at the intersection of process automation and technology. These changes and trends are real, and they now affect every aspect of a company’s workflow. The good news is that these trends are making it easier, not harder, for users to automate processes efficiently.
Ryan Gould, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing Services at Elevation Marketing
From legacy Fortune 100 institutions to inventive start-ups, Ryan brings extensive experience with a wide range of B2B clients. He skillfully architects and manages the delivery of integrated marketing programs, and believes strongly in strategy, not just tactics, that effectively aligns sales and marketing teams within organizations.
Ryan is known for taking complex marketing and business challenges, and developing solutions that simplify processes while driving customer outcomes and business value. He also thrives on guiding Elevation teams toward execution of strategies that help companies succeed in new verticals, while staying true to core values and brand integrity.
