Business Process Automation or BPA for short. This was a buzzword a few years back with anyone and everyone claiming they were experts in this area. Maybe so. But to really realize its true potential you need to understand what business process automation is and why you will need it?
If you own/run/manage a business, take a look around yourself at the daily activities you perform to run your business effectively and efficiently. If you do observe closely, you will quickly notice that you (or your staff) do perform a lot of tasks that are generally repetitive in nature or they may be administrative tasks; tasks that you have to perform and are necessary to run your business.
Let me elaborate that with an example. A customer calls and enquires about a product you market. You tell the customer you will send a product brochure. You take all relevant information like prospect name, address etc. and walk over to your secretary. Your secretary takes the information, chooses the appropriate brochure, creates a covering letter, puts it in an envelope and mails it to your customer. Sounds familiar, right?
Well, what if I told you that process automation automates the entire process above using the Internet? And all with zero involvement from you? Or anyone else from your organization? Would that be cool? Let me help you visualize it.
Your prospect comes over to your web site, browses and is now seeking more information on a specific product. You have the prospect fill in all relevant information from within your web site. When the prospect submits the information, your web site will automatically save the information electronically in a database and send a personalized email to your prospect (i.e. thanking him/her for the enquiry and providing instructions to download the brochure). Your system can also follow up automatically after a few days with that specific prospect asking if they have any other questions or if you could be of any help.
This is, in essence, business process automation. You are automating the different business processes within your business. The beauty of automating this is the zero-involvement from your business. Let's take this a step further. If the prospect does decide to buy the specific product, they can purchase it directly from your web site (via a shopping cart). Your web site will already know what your prospect had received so you can "speed up" the process by simply collecting payment information over a secure line, process the transaction and then send new shipping details to your customer. The prospects details now go into the customer database (because you have converted a prospect into a customer). The order details automatically get sent to your order-processing department for order fulfillment. When the order is shipped, your order-processing department updates the "system" with ETA for the product. Your customer can now automatically track the status of their order. And you can actually get an overview of how many orders were received, shipped, transacted; all through a browser. Even if you were holidaying and were miles away from home/office.
Can you think of all the costs you have saved by automating routine, mundane tasks that have typically needed human intervention in the past?
That, in essence, is the power of automation.
Elvin Picardo
Delivering Net Results to Small Business
Author of numerous articles on Web Development and Internet Marketing
10723 159th St, Surrey, BC V4N 3J1 Canada
http://www.netmedian.com
Most businesses accept checks as form of payment for goods... Read More
Mobile detailers will find themselves with lots of competition even... Read More
Are you a home or small business owner and you're... Read More
If you own a Pressure Washing Company and wish to... Read More
Free money! Receive up to $25,000 that never has to... Read More
It is not surprising that some people may perceive Six... Read More
A thing worth doing is worth doing badly. Yes I... Read More
When the recent Games of the XXVIII Olympiad came to... Read More
I believe the number one reason why a business will... Read More
Security Professionals provide the products and services necessary to create... Read More
E-mail and Internet use are integral parts of the typical... Read More
What are the best methods for keeping a good business... Read More
If you're starting your own business or currently work for... Read More
Becoming a contractor or sub-contractor for the U.S. government can... Read More
Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews... Read More
You have spent considerable time pulling your business plan together,... Read More
I love lists. I make them for everything. And I'm... Read More
One of the first things you will need to set... Read More
How do you find groups that are in need of... Read More
When is the Chamber ideal for your business?Joining a Chamber... Read More
During the California Recall Election, I was very interested. Without... Read More
Should your business have a toll free number for customers... Read More
Financial Consultants are one of the fastest growing industries today.... Read More
Many government department heads are on the take. Oh they'll... Read More
In the first part of this article I put forward... Read More
spotless home service Arlington Heights ..In a perfect world, starting a small business would be... Read More
Entrepreneurs are hardy stock. But sometimes hardiness can get you... Read More
In today's economic climate, the first priority for the small... Read More
As a teenager I worked for my father's small business.... Read More
New Franchisors and Entrepreneurs need to watch out as they... Read More
You can make your trade show experience much easier by... Read More
Pardon my enthusiasm, but a large part of your small... Read More
People will always stress that having a well researched business... Read More
Small business success is very similar to learning to walk,... Read More
Many businesses offer small business franchise opportunities. There are many... Read More
Some things in business are relatively easy to measure ?... Read More
Last year, trillions of dollars transferred hands on the internet... Read More
You're pretty proud of yourself! After all, only four months... Read More
Bookkeeping?the "dreaded" word is something we all have to worry... Read More
Under the Securities Act of 1933, any offer to sell... Read More
Obtaining a business credit card enables the small business owner... Read More
Attorneys and Lawyers are ruining the franchise industry. It is... Read More
One of the first things you will need to set... Read More
What is the Big Race all about when it comes... Read More
I was floored! I couldn't believe what they were saying!... Read More
As a franchisor I am always asked by new and... Read More
If you run a mobile car wash, mobile fleet washing... Read More
Q: I have outgrown my home office and need to... Read More
Should your business have a toll free number for customers... Read More
A cluttered world of marketing communications diminishes the ordinary. The... Read More
Small Business |