Critically examining a company’s business processes

During our initial introductory meeting, a managing director of a medium-sized industrial company asked us the following question: In order to collectively identify the optimization opportunities arising from our internal change management and SAP S/4HANA transformation projects, should we also consistently review, question, and potentially realign our business model and business processes?

Absolutely! In the context of change management and SAP S/4HANA transformation, it is of great importance to critically examine, question, and potentially adjust a company’s business model and business processes. By consistently undertaking these steps, you can fully capitalize on the resulting optimization opportunities and make your company more efficient and competitive. Here are some reasons why this is important:

1. Adaptation to new technologies: The introduction of SAP S/4HANA and other digital technologies opens up new possibilities for business processes. By reviewing and, if necessary, realigning your business model and business processes, you ensure that they seamlessly integrate with the new technologies and fully leverage their benefits.
2. Process optimization: The transformation offers an opportunity to identify and improve inefficient processes. Through critical examination of your business processes, you can identify bottlenecks, redundant tasks, and manual processes, replacing them with automated and optimized workflows. This increases efficiency and productivity.
3. Customer-centric approach: Realigning your business model and business processes allows you to adopt a stronger focus on the needs and expectations of your customers. By analyzing customer requirements, you can design your processes to deliver a superior customer experience and build long-term customer relationships.
4. Competitiveness: Digital transformation is reshaping the business world and creating new competitive conditions. By reviewing and adjusting your business model and business processes, you ensure that your company remains competitive and meets the changing market demands. You can develop innovative business models and implement agile processes to adapt to new trends.
5. Flexibility and scalability: Reviewing your business model and business processes ensures that they are flexible and scalable. This enables you to adapt to changing market conditions and easily expand your company.

It is important to note that the review and realignment of business models and processes should be an ongoing process within the framework of change management. Digital transformation is a continuous journey, and it is crucial to regularly review your business models and processes to ensure they continue to meet evolving requirements and capitalize on new opportunities.