ESCAPE THE PIGEONHOLE

Written by: E. Scott Menter, VP of Business Solutions for BP Logix

One of the most compelling-and, to some, surprising-features of BPM is its adaptability to a wide variety of business needs. BPM solutions are used in HR, in finance, and in IT. They automate help desks, speed payments to suppliers, and accelerate new product releases. It is this flexibility that distinguishes BPM from the slew of purpose-built enterprise software products that have come and gone since the dawn of computing.

Unfortunately, BPM’s strength can also be its greatest weakness. Companies like to arrange solutions into neat columns that align well with corporate silos into which the enterprise is organized. Category-busting solutions like BPM refuse to be pigeon-holed, often forcing the adopter to artificially constrain their deployment. “BPM? Oh yeah, I know it says that on their website, but really we’re just using it for invoice processing.”

On one hand, as far as the vendor is concerned, the customer can say they’re buying a unicycle as long as the PO is approved. On the other hand, though, the underlying failure to recognize the full set of BPM capabilities will artificially constrain the benefits the organization might otherwise have realized. When the IT manager is looking for a new help desk solution, it won’t occur to her that the invoice processing software might come in handy. The potential is wasted: the BPM solution really is just a unicycle. That isn’t good for the organization, and it’s not good for the vendor.

The challenge for adopters, then, is to embrace BPM’s unique adaptability. Yes, by all means, roll out that invoice processing solution. But when you’ve got that process up and running, consider evangelizing BPM to your coworkers. Not only is it the right thing to do for your company, but every time one of your colleagues saves time and money by leveraging what you’ve shared, a little bit of the credit might flow your way as well. And that’s even more fun than riding a unicycle.

BIO:

E. Scott Menter is the VP of Business Solutions for BP Logix, a provider of business process management (BPM) solutions to corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Scott is the former head of technology for WaMu Investments, a national retail brokerage. In addition to technology leadership positions he held in financial services and higher education, Scott spent over a decade leading his own identity management software firm. Scott invites you to contact him at Scott.Menter@bplogix.com or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ESMatBPL.