More often than not, management theories and practices are created by new technologies. Client-server technology gave rise to company resource planning systems or what we now call business process management (BPM). BPM was started with one goal in mind: assist the firm to efficiently manage crucial processes. Currently, there is a new technology causing a stir around the business community – cloud computing. Organizations believe that it is the future of BPM since it is fast, agile, and adaptable.
Why Cloud Technology May Be the Future of BPM
- Cost Effective
With the old BPM, firms have to physically install the software in their system, and then constantly maintain, monitor, and update it. The drawback with this method is that it is costly and complicated. Apart from purchasing the application, the firm has to spend extra on training its employees to use the product.
Luckily, cloud computing eliminates these costs. With cloud computing, your business registers with an online provider, picks a BPM package, and pays a subscription fee. The good news is that you don’t have to buy servers to store and manage the information since your cloud service provider does it for you. All you need to do is just pick a service and begin using the system. In addition, the subscription fees may also include an online self-paced system training for your employees.
- Fast Implementation
Traditional BPM technology is time consuming. Your firm has to budget for the required infrastructure, find a supplier, pay them, have the servers delivered and fixed, and then install the software. The entire process could end up taking weeks or months.
Given how fast technology has evolved, time is everything in the modern business environment. With cloud computing, you only need an internet enabled device to register and subscribe to a BPM package. Within minutes, your organization is using the latest BPM technology.
- Easy to Scale
The purchase of a BPM software comes with a few conditions, one of them limits the number of users. In such a case, if you want to increase the number of employees using the platform, you have to pay extra to get a new license. This move limits your growth as a business.
With cloud computing, the system does not limit the number of users. This technology is easy to scale because you can pay for as many employees as you want during the initial registration. Alternatively, you can pay less if the number of users goes down. Other cloud computing BPM packages may have an inbuilt system that automatically notices when the configuration capacity has increased. In such a case, the system adjusts itself to accommodate the extra users and maintain the same level of operational efficiency.
- Mobility
A major drawback with server-based BPM systems is that they rely so much on the physical location of the user. For example, to access the order management system on the BPM, you need to be within the company premises. Most firms use this approach because it is guarantees the security of data.
With employee work-at-home programs becoming the norm for most companies, information needs to be mobile. Cloud computing allows users to access the BPM system from anywhere, while maintaining the authenticity and security of the data. The cloud system also authorizes real-time order updates between the main office and workers on the ground.
Conclusion
Cloud service facilitates the rapid flow of information across computer systems. It has the following characteristics that make it the future of efficient business process management: virtualization, automated security patching, and scalability. These features translate to a more flexible work structure and better management of products and services to correctly predict consumer needs and locate business opportunities.
