Unlocking Success: Olivia Bushe from FlowForma Explains the Importance of Business Process Automation for Your Company
FlowForma: Transforming Business Processes with Automation
FlowForma stands at the forefront of offering enterprise-grade, no-code business process management and automation tools. The company is committed to providing intuitive and cost-effective solutions that empower business professionals to operate more efficiently. As experts in business process management, automation, workflow, and digital transformation, FlowForma enables users across various sectors to digitize, streamline, and automate intricate business operations without the need for coding.
The FlowForma Process Automation tool, an acclaimed solution within Microsoft Office 365, is transforming conventional workflow management and digital process automation. This multifunctional tool integrates forms, workflow, and document generation, allowing business users to swiftly digitize business processes with minimal IT assistance.
Emerging Trends in Digital Process Automation
In the past year, extensive discussions with clients and during events have highlighted 2021 as the year dedicated to eliminating reliance on paper, spreadsheets, and lengthy email exchanges. As we move into 2022, the significance of process automation remains paramount for businesses. It is no longer a luxury; it is essential for organizations striving to thrive. Three key topics are expected to gain prominence:
1. Digitizing for Impact
There is a noticeable trend among clients focusing on digitization aimed at achieving tangible outcomes, rather than digitizing for its own sake. Businesses are now engaging in strategic, cross-departmental processes that enhance productivity and improve both customer and employee experiences. This commitment to measurable results from digitization is fostering a ripple effect across organizations.
2. Rapid Digitization
Given the overwhelming demand for digitization, IT teams are often unable to keep pace. The no-code process automation trend that gained traction in 2021 is anticipated to continue its upward trajectory. Business employees desire the autonomy to digitize, modify, and refine their processes seamlessly. Agile automation is becoming the new standard, empowering individuals to spearhead swift and adaptable automation efforts.
3. Integration Opportunities
An increasing trend observed within the FlowForma community is the integration of their Process Automation tool with a wider variety of existing systems and databases. Users can connect their business processes to numerous applications, enabling a multitude of possibilities—such as initiating processes based on data from other apps or sending information from FlowForma to preferred applications.
The Role of Automation in Digital Transformation
According to Forrester’s Q2 2021 Global Digital Process Automation Survey, the main driver behind process automation and optimization—both now and in the coming years—is the acceleration of digital transformation. Many organizations find it challenging to pinpoint where to begin their digital transformation journey; thus, digital process automation emerges as an excellent starting point. Utilizing a no-code tool like FlowForma, organizations can digitize over 50 processes within a year, yielding remarkable results.
Enhancing Business Efficiency through Automation
The advantages of implementing process automation are crucial for the growth and sustainability of organizations; foremost among these is the significant savings in time and money. Unfortunately, many companies have yet to make substantial progress in digitizing their processes. The persistent reliance on paper and email continues to hinder critical business operations, incurring notable costs.
Delaying the digitization process ultimately results in lost productivity, financial resources, lack of real-time data for decision-making, and poor user experiences. The failure to automate business processes poses a risk of falling behind competitors who are becoming more agile, responsive, and innovative.
Neglecting the transition to digital formats could result in significant competitive disadvantages, including missed opportunities to enter new markets, attract new customers, and develop innovative products and services. For instance, a large hospital in Europe managed to eliminate 915,000 sheets of paper annually by transitioning patient referral letters to an online system, yielding savings of nearly a quarter of a million euros! This illustrates the substantial benefits that can arise from digitizing even a single process.
What guidance would you offer to businesses that are starting to implement digital process automation? Engaging with a process automation solution is simpler than many assume. First, it’s essential to clearly define what needs to be digitized—begin with small steps, as achieving a quick win can set a positive tone for larger initiatives down the line. Once you have a vision of what success looks like, consider these three best practices:
- Embrace Change: The discomfort of change is far less than the consequences of remaining stagnant. While the prospect of adopting process automation might appear daunting, the resultant efficiencies and advantages will quickly outweigh initial struggles, providing a competitive edge over slower adopters.
- Designate a Champion: Newly digitized processes require robust support from leadership. Appointing an internal champion—preferably someone in a senior position—can facilitate effective communication regarding the initiative, pinpoint processes for digitization, ensure training, and create a strategy for automation. This structured approach fosters rapid adoption and boosts success rates.
- Empower Change Agents: Employees often understand which processes require automation and where enhancements can be made, yet they might lack the needed support to innovate. Implementing a no-code approach can liberate these change agents and accelerate the process of automation. By tapping into the benefits of a business developer program, organizations can achieve widespread automation, realize cost savings, and commit to continual process improvement.
Are there specific sectors you engage with most frequently, or plan to target in the future? The FlowForma Process Automation tool serves as a versatile software solution suitable for deployment across various industries. Nonetheless, there has been an increasing demand for digital processes in traditionally paper-heavy sectors, such as construction, healthcare, oil and gas, public administration, and education.
Specifically, the construction sector has experienced a drastic uptick in the necessity to eliminate outdated paper processes. Common challenges faced by organizations include data inaccuracies, limited visibility of ongoing processes, and the risk of paper being lost. In healthcare, compliance and regulatory demands present their own hurdles. Promoting paper-light strategies in this industry can greatly enhance communication and productivity within all departments, ultimately allowing clinicians to spend more time attending to patients.
In the past year, we have developed a suite of fully customizable process accelerators tailored specifically for organizations within these sectors. These templates allow customers to quickly adapt and implement processes, ensuring users are up and running in no time. More information on these templates can be found on the FlowForma website.
What are FlowForma’s plans for the upcoming year? We are enthusiastic about the future. The year ahead will see FlowForma continue to enhance its no-code process automation tool, including the release of exciting new features. FlowForma Process Automation is currently utilized by over 200,000 users worldwide, and we’re particularly thrilled to receive feedback from our users regarding the impressive return on investment they’re experiencing from process automation. Look out for outstanding outcome-focused case studies from us throughout the year.
Are you looking to refresh your digital transformation strategy? Discover more about the upcoming Digital Transformation Week event, which will be conducted virtually on 30 November – 1 December 2021, and uncover key strategies to ensure the success of your digital initiatives.
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