What is business process improvement? Business process improvement is the practice of analyzing and optimizing workflows to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. It focuses on identifying inefficiencies, streamlining operations, and aligning processes with business goals.
If there’s one thing executives don’t have enough of, it’s time. Improving your business processes through workflow automation, integration, or outsourcing allows you to reclaim that time and improve your bottom line.
Let's look at some steps and ways to streamline your systems and improve your business efficiency.
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Understanding how business process improvement works
Business process improvement methods
Benefits of business process improvement
Business processes are the actions or tasks you or your team perform to achieve business goals. Improving these processes can involve tasks like streamlining communication or finding ways to simplify complex financial management.
You're not alone if you still use a manual system like Excel for business process management (BPM). Consider implementing tools that increase efficiency, giving you time to focus on growing your business.
Business process improvement (BPI) can sound like a heavy lift, but it doesn’t have to be. By breaking it down into manageable steps, you can streamline operations and see results faster than you might think. Here are four simple steps to get started:
With a large or growing team, you need tools that work for everyone, everywhere. Apps like Slack or Google Chat aren’t just for tech companies. They can boost productivity in your business, too.
For video conferencing, Zoom, BlueJeans, and Microsoft Teams are all popular options. Especially now that more people are working remotely.
Key things to do before choosing a communication tool:
Also, checking for integrations can help you choose the best setup for every scenario.
Automation saves time and money. It reduces human error. It can even make your team more productive by eliminating tedious tasks. To start, carry out a simple process analysis to find out where you have inefficient processes. Look at workflows across different teams, build a flowchart, and develop consistent metrics to base your decisions.
Do your current processes force people to enter the same data twice? Do you have multiple versions of the same spreadsheet? Are you starting to see more errors in your data? If so, consider business process automation (BPA).
You shouldn’t have to redesign a process when implementing a new system to help you manage it. The software should be flexible enough to work with you. The benefits may go far beyond streamlining. Process automation can open the door to continuous improvements in your business.
With your team less focused on the details, they can concentrate on bigger projects that directly benefit customer satisfaction or your bottom line.
Cash flow can be interrupted by invoices that are late or lost. The solution is to improve your invoicing process.
For example, maybe someone on your team is still manually preparing and sending batches of invoices every week. You could save time and get paid faster by automating.
This type of invoicing system can be especially valuable for mid-sized to large businesses.
If a firm is sending 2,000 invoices a month, and one person’s only job is matching the deposits, receiving the payments, and entering them, automation can save many hours and improve accuracy.
The other side of the cash flow story, of course, is accounts payable. It’s very easy to get behind on collections until you realize you need to pay those bills.
Managing utilities, rent, vendor bills, and more can become overwhelming if you’re trying to do it all by hand. Managing payments is another business process that’s easier to automate.
Like many businesses, you likely use multiple apps or software to manage your operations. But how many of them work in sync? If they don’t, you’re going to be spending more time cleaning up the data.
Payroll is a great example of a process that can take more time and be less accurate when your systems don’t work together. If you have hourly employees, you might already automate employee time tracking with an app that records employee hours.
You might also have payroll software that takes care of things like taxes and direct deposits. Integrating the two processes means you won’t have to enter employee hours manually. The data moves over automatically and sometimes updates in real time.
Outsourcing means handing a business process over to someone else. For example, you might hire support to help with accounting, marketing, or human resources.
If you’re stuck managing existing processes, consider outsourcing to an expert.
Before you outsource, ensure you have the buy-in from your team. Focus on the benefits of your decision and what they can get out of it. Always conduct a thorough risk analysis to help protect your data, especially if you’ll be sharing any customer or personal information.
Several business process improvement strategies are widely used for their proven effectiveness. Here’s a look at a few of the most prominent ones:
Six Sigma is focused on reducing errors and variability in processes. Using statistical tools, it strives for near-perfect performance, aiming for less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. The methodology relies on the DMAIC cycle (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to drive improvements and achieve high-quality outcomes.
Lean manufacturing centers around eliminating waste and boosting operational efficiency. By identifying what truly adds value and streamlining the production flow, businesses can improve their processes while minimizing unnecessary steps. While it's common in manufacturing, the lean approach can benefit any industry.
TQM is an ongoing approach to enhancing processes with a strong focus on customer satisfaction. It encourages every team member to contribute to quality improvements, ensuring that even small changes add up over time to significantly improve products and services.
Kaizen emphasizes constant, small-scale improvements across all aspects of a business. Rooted in Japanese principles, it focuses on eliminating waste, improving workflows, and making ongoing adjustments to stay ahead in a dynamic business environment.
These methodologies are powerful tools for businesses looking to optimize processes, reduce inefficiencies, and better meet customer expectations. The right methodology depends on your unique business needs and objectives.
Business process improvement (BPI) helps eliminate inefficiencies, reduce costs, and drive business growth. Here’s what you can gain:
BPI eliminates bottlenecks and manual tasks that slow your team down. By optimizing workflows and leveraging automation, you can complete tasks faster, reduce delays, and improve overall productivity—without adding more resources.
Cutting redundant steps and automating repetitive work reduces wasted time and labor costs. Improved processes also minimize errors, preventing costly rework and financial losses. The result? A stronger bottom line.
Manual processes increase the risk of errors that lead to compliance issues and financial misstatements. Automating key workflows ensures accuracy, maintains regulatory compliance, and reduces costly mistakes.
When your processes run smoothly, customers notice. Faster response times, fewer errors, and seamless interactions lead to better service, stronger relationships, and increased customer loyalty.
Employees thrive when focusing on meaningful work instead of repetitive, frustrating tasks. Streamlining processes and removing inefficiencies boost job satisfaction, improve morale, and increase overall team productivity.
As your business grows, outdated processes can slow you down. BPI helps ensure your systems scale with your business, allowing you to handle higher volumes without sacrificing efficiency or customer experience.
By continuously improving your processes, you’re setting your business up for long-term success—saving time, reducing costs, and delivering better results at every level.
Improving your business processes doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following these four steps—communicating effectively, automating tasks, integrating systems, and outsourcing where necessary—you can save time, reduce errors, and focus on growing your business.
Ready to take the next step? Learn how Intuit Enterprise Suite can streamline your business process management.
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