I contribute to a website called ebizq.net. They frequently post questions to get discussions started. Recently, their question was 'Why hasn't BPM taken off like ERP or CRM?' What follows is my answer...
I see these key reasons:
Over time, Enterprise Resource Planning [ERP] has taken on many of the activities within a company. Their primary activities are financial. ERP projects are difficult, expensive and generally not fun. But, they are seen as a necessary evil. BPM is not seen as a necessary evil.
Customer Relationship Management [CRM] software focuses on the customer. Management wants to manage customer relationships and improved forecasting - this is their tool. Salespeople already don't like doing any paperwork, so this does not introduce 'change'. And, a CRM solution is cheaper and easier to implement than either BPM or ERP.
Business Process Management [BPM] solutions are disruptive. When it crosses departments, there are arguments as to how things get done and how they 'should' get done. When it is within a department, users don't want change [as a rule, people don't like change], so it is not easy to roll out a solution.
Still, managing processes more efficiently will increase revenues, lower costs and improve customer relationships. It can differentiate you from your competitors. It can be the key that allows your company to break out as the market leader.
Your Thoughts...
What steps has your company taken to be a market leader?
Keeping it Real!
Scott,
I couldn't agree more with your comment about BPM being stymied by cross departmental issues, and resistance to change. I actually connect these to another problem - that many solutions that would seem to naturally fit a BPM solution are the 80% of processes that are ad-hoc, unstructured,human knowledge work.
The problem is that BPM doesn't really fit that kind of work - mainly because BPM solutions tend towards "telling people how to do their jobs" through a rigorous model rather than "telling people what needs to be done" (i.e goals and guidelines).
Most knowledge workers balk at being told how to do their jobs, especially if comes from outsiders.
This where I think Adaptive Case Management with its focus on knowledge work and knowledge workers will shine.
Jacob Ukelson - CTO ActionBase