Process Transformation: A Business Guide for Powerful Change

By
Rahul Roy
November 3, 2022
min read
Updated
September 19, 2023
Photo credit
Transform your business in a major way to achieve your business goals with process transformation. With business process transformation, you get to implement long-term changes enabling your business to adapt to an extremely changing environment.
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Introduction

Every business goes through significant changes as it grows. 

Business process transformation is the process of a substantial shift or jump in a process's design, flow, activity, or execution.

This might be one swooping update, or smaller changes leading to an overall business shift.  Regardless of the type and size of the firm, there is a rising demand for business operations to follow the rules. Businesses find it challenging to keep up with changing government rules and adjust their practices accordingly. 

Transforming your processes has the potential to impact your business positively. Not only can business process transformation result in more effective and efficient processes —  it leads to happier customers, productive employees and better supplier relationships.

What is process transformation?

Business process transformation is a significant proportion of business process management in which you transform workflow elements to match your new business objectives. However, modernizing operations is the most common reason to go on a process transformation. Common process transformation in business comes in the form of digitalization and automation. 

Business processes can be transformed to improve workflows and resolve operational inefficiencies. Using business process improvement techniques, you attempt to make workflows quicker, cheaper, and more reliable. Business process transformation is a necessary stage in any sort of business change. Business transformation may be classified into three types:

  • Operational: Changes to the way you do things to make operations better, quicker, or cheaper, such as digital transformation.
  • Core Transformation: Undergoing a transition to a significantly changed mode of operation.
  • Strategic: Shifting the company's basic essence to a fresh outlook.

The 'operational' and 'fundamental' business transitions are completely focused on process transformation. 

However, making a strategic transformation would be impossible without re-evaluating and modifying your current processes. 

Business process transformation is a worthwhile target, as well as a critical building stone for larger strategy transformations.

🎓 Related resource: Digital Transformation SOPs to Steal Today

Why business transformation?

Process transformation in businesses tends to progress through 3 areas, namely transformation, optimization, and control. 

1. Transformation

In reaction to industry changes, companies typically struggle to modify their business transformation plan.

 The world is more rapidly changing than ever before, and early success is no longer a reliable indicator of future results in today's highly competitive digital market. Companies must constantly match their business model to new difficulties to thrive.

2. Optimization

Businesses work very hard to drive operational efficiencies and develop new approaches to work. 

Many business transformation projects fail since the human factor is underestimated, despite the reality that business transformation management and adoption account for 80 percent of project success or failure.

Employees don’t grasp the "workflow" or their unique function since there are no role-specific policies or procedures that encourage collaboration throughout the firm.

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3. Control

Businesses are struggling to assess, control, and manage business processes and demands efficiently.

Decision-makers lack an understanding of actual performance or the status of compliance and risk-mitigation strategies. This indicates that they can't respond quickly or gather and assess information to drive future optimization.

Transformation is necessary for every company's operations and strategy. Internal or external changes might sometimes force the transformation of a company's business operations. 

Process transformation maximizes efficiency and increases productivity and profits. COVID, for example, has pushed many businesses to reconsider their business strategies and adapt to changing circumstances. 

The entertainment business has been driven to adopt digital platforms such as OTT platforms.

Successful process transformations examples

Manufacturing

Many industrial companies have embraced process transformations to increase efficiency. 

They use predictive analytics to cut the cost of supply chains and maintenance requirements, in addition to reducing energy and water usage.

Desktop Metal, for example, is transforming the industry with unique digital technology for 3D-printed metal. 

Automobile manufacturers have already made significant investments in this modern technology. Apart from automotive applications, this can be further used in the medical, dental, aviation, and luxury industries.

🎓 Related resource: SOPs in Manufacturing for Improved Efficiency

Online shopping

Due to the market's growing revolution toward online shopping, retail companies are struggling to match customer expectations. 

To compete with Amazon and other grocery stores, Walmart has transformed, shifting to eCommerce services.

However, Walmart has gone above and beyond to maintain its lead. Voice ordering is their most recent digital transformation breakthrough. They have not only changed to allow their consumers to purchase from the comfort of their homes or workplaces, but they can also do so using voice-activated devices like Google Home.

Food delivery

Another reason for process transformation may be to make things easier for your consumers. Take Domino’s, for example. Domino's set out in 2011 to make it simple for everyone with a smartphone to order a pizza in 17 seconds. Domino’s was changed from a pizza firm to a technological powerhouse at that point.

They also developed an app that allows users to place orders and track the status of their items from placing to delivery. 

Besides this, they have invested in several other process transformations, such as car deliveries and electric bikes. As a result of the advances, online sales now account for the majority of the pizza chain's total worldwide retail sales.

Transportation

Tesla forced numerous manufacturers to compete in new directions. 

With rising concerns about global warming and the world's dependency on oil, the automobile industry has recently accepted a shift toward electric and self-driving vehicles. Smart Eye technologies, for example, provide AI-based driver monitoring and automobile interior sensing solutions. 

These technologies make driving significantly safer by recognizing when drivers are distracted, sleeping, or otherwise risking themselves and their passengers. 

Other automotive digitalization developments include autonomous fleet automobiles, fleet electrification, CO2-neutral trucks, and holographic overlays.

How to implement process transformation?

Business process transformation, like any other business or management initiative, must be thoroughly planned with clear objectives by strong management. 

Without these elements, all of your hard work and efforts might become useless. Here are a few guidelines for implementing business process transformation: 

1. Define measurable goals & targets

Set specific workable goals that are realistic.

Set key performance indicators to let you stay on the right track and evaluate the outcome of the transformation. These can be in terms of money, time, or any other measurable indicators.

2. Discuss changes with all stakeholders

Before you make any modifications, consult with the stakeholders engaged in the process. When everyone involved has input, business process change is successful. 

Talking to the people who are in the workflow on will provide you with a view of why some changes might fail and what could be their replacement.

It is also advisable to consult with other stakeholders, such as suppliers and vendors. Customer input can also help you shape process transformation.

3. Start dividing your transformation project into phases

The disadvantage of having a small number of long-term goals rather than multiple smaller stepping stones is that it can fail. 

Breaking down your project into smaller phases not only makes it more manageable; it also promotes regular progress analysis so that if anything is going wrong, you can spot it early.

4. Automation & digitalization

One of the primary goals of business process transformation is eliminating inefficiencies in your company's operations.

Digitization and automation are two of the most efficient strategies to modernize and simplify business operations.

You reduce physical paperwork by digitizing it, which speeds up processing and eliminates errors and delays. 

It is easier and faster to submit paperwork electronically, and you can better aggregate and retain evidence for more reliable audit trails.

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5. Test & track changes

Once you've made a transformation, it's a good idea to test it on a small scale initially. By testing your business process transformation, you can identify negative outcomes before they influence your business. 

Track your goals with your metrics to see how successfully your transformations are working.

Changes should be monitored frequently to identify any unforeseen hurdles and deal with them before they turn into problems. 

Tracking your performance can also help you find areas for improvement so you may make changes as you go.

Engage in powerful process transformation

Business process transformation is not just transforming business operations but also changing people's attitudes about transformation. 

Finally, your consumers deserve the best goods and services that are built on consumer-centered values that set you apart from the competition. 

Using the ideas presented above, create a meaningful, potential business process transformation. 

To achieve the necessary commitment, including your employees, create a team transformation process, and drive change management. Deliver the best quality while reducing risk and ensuring long-term compliance and stability. 

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