Information
may be power, but it can also be a complex mess. That’s why organizations
across the world and in all types of industries identify better information
management as one of their most important goals today. For example, when asked
to name their current top priorities, more than half of the U.S. firms in a
recent survey chose the ability to effectively make content available to their
staffs when and where they needed it.
But the
sheer volume of information being created – 2.8 zettabytes in 2012 alone –
creates a daunting task for enterprises trying to efficiently capture, store
and access it all. Then there’s the mass of information that still resides in
paper documents, which are easy to lose and hard to track through business
processes. While electronic documents are easier to manage compared to manually
handling paper documents, even they aren’t the whole answer. Digital documents
are often only accessible within siloed enterprise applications, which make
sharing information across the enterprise especially difficult.
The
challenges of managing information are only becoming more complex. Today’s
mobile workers not only require systems that make information readily available
while they’re on the move – they need the tools that can help them capture data
from the field and quickly upload it to central storehouses. In addition,
there’s a growing need for organizations to incorporate large volumes of
external content into their enterprise systems.
This
leaves many executives wondering how they’ll survive the data deluge. For a
growing number of organizations, the answer is a more modern and optimized
workflow system.
Helps
manage work more efficiently
Workflow
solutions can provide a comprehensive platform for managing information by
using automated processes for storing, processing, securing and retrieving
data. To relieve the pain of manually managing paper, the best workflow
solutions efficiently convert paper-based documents into digital files, extract
key data from them and then route the information to relevant business systems
across the enterprise. Finally, top workflow solutions also give today’s field
workers a reliable platform for both receiving and sending information. In
short, an optimized workflow offers a holistic approach to solving today’s
information-management complexities.
Four
great benefits of an optimized workflow
These
capabilities translate into four clear operational benefits for growing
organizations. In addition to bringing order to today’s complex document
environments, an optimized workflow:
- Enables people to work together and collaborate more effectively. Organizations can capture data and ideas wherever they’re created and deliver them across the enterprise, so everyone stays in sync with the latest information and is thinking about new initiatives and ongoing business issues.
- Creates efficient and consistent processes for distributing and sharing information. Workflows can scale across the enterprise so all divisions, departments and locations benefit from streamlined business processes.
- Delivers measurable improvements in operational efficiency. An optimized workflow infrastructure can increase productivity by eliminating the time people waste looking for misfiled or lost information, and by automatically routing documents through approval pipelines and other business processes.
- Bridges information silos. When key data is required, workers aren’t forced to leave the online environment where their work is done. For example, someone working in an ERP application can access all information necessary for the task at hand without leaving the application.
Real-world
results
Organizations
across a variety of industries – including retail, banking and health care –
have already discovered the value of a modern workflow system.
For
example, furniture retailer Rooms To Go now processes credit applications
faster, plus, it has enhanced its ability to research and prevent credit fraud
— all thanks to its new workflow system. Company staffers now have immediate
electronic copies of all documentation and the system has dramatically improved
the security of confidential customer information. All these benefits have
accrued as Rooms to Go has significantly cut internal costs. For example, the
company saves approximately $40,000 on shipping expenses alone by eliminating
the need to send paper via delivery services and couriers.
Banks are
also seeing a payoff from optimized workflow systems. Union Bank N.A. reports
significantly reduced output-related costs, optimized business workflows and
improved customer service. From a financial perspective, the bank’s investment
in workflow solutions and services will yield a 142 percent ROI in the first
three years. That will translate into positive net benefits in year one and a
total benefit of $5.4 million over three years.
In health
care, an optimized workflow powers a fast, fully electronic payment process
with a complete audit trail at Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust. The HR department uses the system to manage electronic
employee records, while the risk management department uses the solution to capture
and manage risk assessments, regulatory forms, closed claims and training
records.
What to
look for in an optimized workflow solution
While
many workflow solutions are now available, not all of them provide the
optimization and comprehensive range of capabilities organizations require. How
can decision makers be sure they’re getting the best solution for their needs?
For the
best options, look for workflow solutions that are tailored for specific
industries and leverage best practices to focus on opportunities that drive
down costs and improve performance.
Because
siloed information inhibits collaboration and fuels inefficiency, effective
workflow solutions must easily connect with other enterprise applications to
promote the flow of information wherever it’s needed.
The best
workflow solutions automate business processes to increase productivity and
eliminate costly and time-consuming processes that require people to physically
move information to each stakeholder or system.
Optimized
workflow solutions also improve the performance of individuals and teams. To do
this, the solutions must be flexible enough for managers to tailor work
processes to address the different ways individuals think and work.
Finally,
the solution should enhance, rather than replace existing systems so
enterprises can continue to derive value from their existing information
management systems as long as possible.
For more details please contact us at:
Memphis Communications Corporation
4771 Summer Ave
Memphis, TN 38122
Tel: 901.725.9271
Fax: 901.272.3577
Toll Free: 866.805.5893
Service and Supplies: 901.257.2500
Website: http://www.memphiscommunications.net
