What is BPM?
BPM or Business Process Management is a process or technique on improving the efficiency of running a particular business. It involves plans and techniques to study which part of the business needs improvement and which technique needs to be implemented. The overall goal is to streamline a particular business process to improve efficiency and manage costs.

The concept of BPM may or may not include automation of tasks. The main goal is geared towards improvement in existing processes to have gains in efficiency and productivity. For some organizations, automation is the last part of the process and is only implemented if all other improvements methods were already studied and analyzed.

Typical BPM projects start with business process analysis. During this stage all activities within a particular company will be reviewed and studied to know which part needs change and improvement. After getting enough data, companies will find possible solutions to existing hindrances in operating the business and implement certain process improvement techniques. These new techniques and guidelines will then be monitored over time to know if they are addressing the problem that was discovered during the analysis stage. After which, the company’s management will decide if things are going well or if other processes and techniques need to be introduced. For some companies, automation is the next option to further improve business process efficiency.

But the basic principle in most BPM’s is to implement process improvement strategies before entertaining the idea of automation. Emphasis is also put on making adjustments to existing processes rather than implement a new process. Many companies focus on the goal or outcomes rather than on specific tasks. Companies also invest in standardization of business process across different departments and units to truly reap the benefits of streamlining operations. Along with increased operations efficiency, companies will also be able to manage costs and improve service to customers.