How to Make Your Business Process Customer Focused

Everyone knows that the customer is king, and that business processes should deliver what customers want. But how do you do that?

The 10 steps to business process improvement can help keep the focus on the customer or client. It starts with developing the scope definition (step 2) where you identify the customer and what they want from your business process. The customer is someone external to your company who pays for your goods or services; the client is your internal customer if you work as an internal consultant within your company. Employees have an easy time identifying the external customer, but have a harder time identifying the client because they have become so accustomed to working to please their boss. After all, the boss rewards your performance and controls your salary increases. Your boss though is not your client!

Another way to keep the customer/client at the forefront is to notice, as you draw the process map in step 3, how often (or more likely, how infrequently) the activities in your process touch the customer. Then as you work to improve the business process (step 6), check each activity to determine if it adds value to the customer. If it does not add value, eliminate the activity. Ask yourself if the customer would pay for a particular step in the process if they knew it existed. This will force you to think about the steps in your process from the customer's perspective and, since every activity contributes to cycle time (step 4), you should streamline the process as much as possible. You can also think of cycle time as elapsed time or the overall time it takes from the first step in the process to the last step, including waiting time. Cycle time is what customers "see," and they always want it as short as possible.

Include the customer needs as you develop metrics (step 7) to measure the effectiveness of your business process. Ask them if you are measuring what they care about. You might not be! Adapt your metrics to focus on what is most important to your customers.

When you develop your continuous improvement plan (step 10), remember to think about how often you will revisit the customer needs, e.g., every 6 months, 12 months, etc. Make certain that you follow the schedule you put in place.

You can see how easy it is to keep the customer in mind. I already covered how to include them in six of the ten steps to business process improvement.

Find Time and Money: Business Process Improvement

A compelling vision supported by values, a base business strategy, and a strategic plan are the foundational supports for business success. Strong leadership with the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to implement the plan are also essential. Without processes that are functioning optimally to support both the plan and the employees implementing the plan, outcomes are significantly compromised.

Business process improvement typically includes at least these components: cycle time reduction, focusing on the process, applying "lean" principals, and speed in restructuring and implementation.

The goals of Business Process Improvement include: Making processes effective: producing the desired results Making processes efficient: minimizing the resources used Making processes adaptable: building in flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing customer needs

The tools used in Business Process Improvement include: Eliminate bureaucracy Eliminate duplication Add value Simplify Reduce time Reduce errors Standardize Partner with suppliers Upgrade results and outcomes Use automation, mechanization, or computerization as appropriate

Traditionally, we focused on people as the "problem" when things were not completed in a timely manner. While there are human components, business process improvement focuses on the process. This means: the focus in on the process, not employees as the problem understanding how each job fits in to the total picture instead of just doing a job measuring process, not individuals change the process, not the person remove barriers, as opposed to just motivating people develop people, not controlling employees trust as compared with mistrust looking at what allowed the error to occur instead of pointing fingers at who caused the error reducing variation as opposed to correcting errors customer rather than bottom line driven

Cycle time reduction is defined as reducing the time taken for the transformation from input to final output. We know that time is money and thus reducing time decreases costs.

It is specifically NOT: adding costs to the process decreasing quality rushing the work working longer hours

It IS making processes: effective, by producing the desired results efficient, by minimizing the resources used adaptable, by increasing flexibility and ability to adapt to changing customer and business needs

Cycle Time reduction enables businesses to focus on the customer as it: Better predicts and controls change Improves use of resources Effectively manages interrelationships Provides systematic view of organization's activities Maintains focus on process Develops complete measurement systems Helps employees understand how input becomes output Helps employees understand how good you can get

Cycle time reduction has the biggest impact when it focuses on core business processes.

That means: Linked to external customers Related to internal and external customer complaints Potentially high cost If improved it will provide a competitive advantage Cross functions Inherent to the company's competitive advantage

Many companies look at process improvement, and specifically cycle time reduction without considering the implementation of the new process. Without this component, great work and a lot of time go to waste. Maybe more importantly, the employees who participated in the process feel devalued. The best approaches include swift implementation of the new process, and careful measurement and follow-up.

A correctly implemented process that is management driven, employee supported, and customer focused will deliver a significant return on investment.