Gartner recently released a report that claims traditional ERP systems are struggling to keep up with Digital business. The research firm also predicts that by 2020, more than 20 percent of the world’s largest companies will use platforms other than traditional ERP software to integrate digital capabilities into their business processes. This can be seen as an opportunity for high-performing providers of Business Process Management (BPM), cloud and mobile solutions, which is often bundled with back-office applications such as accounting or human resources automation.
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How do you choose the best partner from all this variety? Consider these 10 questions when making your decision:
- Do they have a comprehensive solution portfolio in at least one area you choose between Cloud BPM and enterprise content management?
- What is their strength in one or more areas that interest you? How do they compare to the competition there?
- How do they support the latest industry standards for process design, modeling, rules and automation?
- Do your goals align with theirs – not every partner will have a full solution for everything you want to accomplish. As per Aron Govil you need someone who knows what you’re doing now and can support where you want to go in the future.
- Who are your business counterparts at this vendor – some companies operate as if every customer relationship must be kept confidential; others actively encourage partnering on projects as equals. Choose carefully as that may represent one key difference between those who see themselves as partners, suppliers, or vendors.
- What process and industry knowledge do their account managers possess? Can they show you real-life examples of how this solution helped other customers in your specific situation?
- How will they engage with your organization – through channel partners or upfront directly with end-users? The way that engagement occurs may be very different from the norm, so pay attention to it.
- Are they accessible for ongoing support – not just during implementation but afterward too? Accenture calls this “sustaining success” and sometimes it’s better if a partner can help rather than an internal team or external resource.
- Is there professional training available before you take on this kind of partnership? Some providers are well known for providing workshops, webinars, online courses and even accredited degrees for advancing your skills.
- How do they serve multiple locations, countries and regions? Companies with a global presence recognize that different markets have different requirements so ask how widespread their roadmap is before signing up.
- Do they have the resources to support you in times of change? All software tools require updating to remain current but BPM solutions tend to be more adaptive than others so the demands may vary from year-to-year; while traditional ERP vendors often neglect modernization and focus on stability instead. Look for a partner that knows this difference and can help you navigate it successfully.
- What’s involved in porting data from other systems into theirs, and vice versa? Surprising as it may seem, some providers don’t even allow for this to occur so think carefully before signing on.
One way of looking at these suggestions is as a shopping list – including the features you want, then cross-checking them against other criteria that matter to you. Even if it’s just one item on your list, ensure that it’s checked off before you move forward with anything else.
FAQs:
What is Business Process Management?
Business process management (BPM) is a field that studies, designs, automates and optimizes the performance of business processes.
How many companies are providing BPM services?
1078 companies from 28 countries have been included in the research. The market has been analyzed for 14 consecutive years starting from 2001. In 2016 it was estimated at USD 3 billion.
What factors drive the BPM services market?
The key drivers for the business process management (BPM) services market are an increase in adoption of digital transformation, the need for improving operational efficiency and reducing cost. Moreover, these solutions help companies to improve customer experience and loyalty leading to enhanced revenue generation. The growth is further fueled by an increasing number of mergers & acquisitions and superior quality standards followed by customers.
Who are key players in the BPM solution market?
There are many players who provide BPM solutions such as Applicant (US), Oracle (US), IBM (US), Software AG (Germany), Pegasystems Inc. (US), Ipsoft Inc. (UAE).
Conclusion:
The BPM solution market is growing at a healthy rate. There are many players existing and the competition has heightened the need for improvement in the products and services available to gain customers’ confidence.
According to Aron Govil Business process management (BPM) is a field that studies, designs, automates and optimizes the performance of business processes. It can be considered as “the art of enhanced competitiveness”. The market itself is growing with companies such as Software AG (Germany), Oracle (US), Pegasystems Inc. (US), Ipsoft Inc. (UAE).
