If you're in the market for business process management (BPM) software, the good news is that there are more than 100 vendors from which you can choose. The hard part, though, is that those vendors so often describe their products in dissimilar ways. It can sometimes seem like they're pitching entirely different items.
So Many Functions
BPM dealers sometimes refer to their software as monitoring programs ― systems that will let you track the activities of your staff members and customers. Others suggest that their programs will manage or computerize employees' tasks.
Dealing with Uncertainty
These varying characterizations can lead to confusion. Indeed, businesspeople occasionally feel as though they have no idea what kind of BPM software to buy. Then, when they do purchase something, they aren't quite sure what they have.
If you find yourself in this kind of situation, realize that BPM programs are highly complex and can handle a range of assignments. Therefore, all of the descriptions mentioned above are correct, and others would be accurate as well.
Make Choices Ahead of Time
However, that's not to say that every BPM program is the same. Indeed, certain BPM tools are right for certain projects, and it's important to know exactly what you want your software to accomplish before you shop.
Make a list of those duties ahead of time. For instance, you might be mostly interested in studying your company's efficiency rates. In that case, you'd look for a program that can provide you with detailed analytics for every division of your business.
Alternately, you might be looking for BPM software that could lead to a sweeping digital transformation of your company ― a program that would control various activities and eliminate wastefulness and repetition. Such a tool might, for example, prevent your salespeople from calling a client that one of your salespeople recently contacted.
Patience is a BPM Virtue
Whatever the case, be willing to spend plenty of time researching these programs and implementing your system. It might take several months to figure out what kind of BPM software you need and several weeks to install it.
This work should pay off. If your BPM goes into effect efficiently, you'll have a leaner, more productive company, and your software's return on investment may exceed 200 percent.