How to Identify Inefficient Business Processes

Every business leader wants to cut down on inefficiencies in their company because it directly impacts overall quality and profitability. Streamlining business processes may seem like a straightforward goal, but it can actually be quite difficult to isolate problems and develop solutions that provide permanent results.

At PMware, we help organizations manage people, projects and processes to gain greater efficiency and profitability. See our tips listed below for a good starting point for any business owner or manager who wants to optimize their business’s workflow.

Investigate All Business Processes

Even small companies go through dozens or hundreds of micro-processes for a single client, from the initial marketing to final delivery of the product or service. The first step when addressing inefficiencies is to investigate every task and function performed by employees or automated utilities. It's a good idea to create a visualized representation of key processes to make complicated workflows easier to understand, and discuss them with team members to get their feedback on how these processes can be improved.

Measure and Track Operations

Once you've established all of the processes your company performs on a regular basis and how they link together, you should establish a plan for measuring key data points. Customer satisfaction ratings, return on investment for marketing expenses, and employee time spent handling client requests are just a few important numbers that decision makers should know. Data should be continuously collected across all areas of business operations to allow leaders to evaluate the effect of workflow changes on overall productivity.

Hold Open Discussions with Employees

Leaders in businesses of any size can learn a surprising amount about inefficiency simply by talking to employees. This is a particularly powerful tool for larger companies with multiple branches. It's important that employees don't feel pressured to give inaccurate answers and are given the opportunity to talk about business operations freely. Frank and honest discourse can provide incredible insight for business leaders who genuinely want to improve their company.

Consider Custom Project Management Software

Custom project management software is a powerful tool that can streamline your company operations. It can help optimize resources, organize information and create detailed development plans. In addition, custom software can have a more intelligent design and advanced tracking features that provide a fresh perspective on business processes, helping managers quickly identify areas of inefficiency.

At PMware, we've developed custom project management software for business from a variety of industries. Ready to gain greater efficiency and profitability? Contact us today for your free demo.