What Workflow Designers Can Learn from How Law Offices Use Workflows
The courtroom drama we see in movies or in highly publicized televised cases is only a small fraction of what lawyers and their assistants actually do. Much of the legal profession is driven by arduous processes that must be completed exactly and before strict deadlines. It isn’t glamorous, and some of those tasks aren’t billable […]
Workflows Reduce Time-to-Market without Compromising Quality
“Time-to-market” is how long it takes from the time a product is envisioned until it is actually for sale. It’s a particularly important concept in industries where products grow obsolete quickly (like fashion). While the first company to get a brand-new product on the shelves may have had the luxury of time to develop the […]
Can Automated Workflows Improve Employee Engagement?
When employees are engaged in their work, everyone benefits. The employees themselves benefit from a sense of accomplishment and of having contributed to something greater than themselves, while customers benefit from an elevated experience. And companies benefit too, to the tune of a 21% increase in productivity and a 22% increase in profitability. Employee engagement […]
Why End-Users Must Be Involved in Workflow Design
Automated workflows have been around for longer than user-friendly interfaces have. If you are old enough to remember interacting with the C:> prompt using MS DOS before Windows was invented, then you probably remember the feeling that your computer wasn’t so much a tool as a magic box that you operated by knowing which secret […]
4 Online Form Mistakes That Infuriate Users
Online forms are great tools for your business to use in many different ways. They can be used for gathering intel on customer demographics and interests, customer or employee satisfaction surveys, and contact forms on your website–just to name a few. And with so many important jobs, it’s essential to understand how to use forms […]
The Importance of the ‘Paper Trail,’ Even if There is No Paper
It’s nice to think we can run our lives and our businesses remembering what we need to, trusting others and having them trust us. And while we may be able to do this much of the time, sometimes proof is necessary. The “paper trail” is as old as the transaction itself, even if it has […]
Why Automated Workflows Have a Role in the Investment Industry
Financial advisors have always faced strong competitive pressures. New regulations are a continuing fact of life, and market forces have been putting the squeeze on fees in recent years. Therefore, the financial advisor who wants to succeed and scale up simply must run lean and run strong. Automated workflows are the key to consistency in […]
Why Spreadsheets Aren’t Enough for Your New Business
Back in olden times, spreadsheets were designed to be used instead of the paper sheets that were commonly used by bookkeepers and accountants. They provided the rigid layout for keeping accounts clear, and a built-in calculator that saved massive amounts of time.. They were so popular that many credit spreadsheets with prompting the development of […]
How Workflow Software and AI Will Make Great Partners
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is the process of mimicking human intelligence with machines, particularly computers. The acquisition of information and rules for using it, which is AI “learning,” and using those rules to reach conclusions, which is AI “reasoning,” offers another level of automation on top of already-automated means of production. Artificial intelligence must also […]
Why Out-Processing Departing Employees Is a Critical Workflow
Employees leave for a variety of reasons. Whether their departure is a joyous occasion or not, out-processing is a critical workflow that should be a higher priority than it is for many organizations. If ever there was a workflow that should be automated, out-processing is it. You don’t want to forget any steps or leave […]
