Workflow Sample

"Competitive quotes" are important.

"RFQ" should be created properly not only in listed companies, but also in every company. These will be notified to the suppliers, and then should be saved as important business records together with the subsequent business data ("quote from the suppliers" and "evaluation to each estimate", etc.).
(RFQ: Request for Quotation / Request for Price Quotation)

The following Business Processes is a Competitive Quotes flow for general purpose. (Procurement)

From "purchasing of raw materials" to "Planning of Company outing", it can be utilized for various RFQ. All the progress of procurement will be automatically recorded / visualized when you import this flow into your Workflow platform and run it as a business system.

1). RFQ will be sent automatically,
2). Received quotes will be attached,
3). Quote will be evaluated by two people,
4a). Notification to the winner will be transmitted automatically,
4b). Notification for the loser will be transmitted automatically.

Needless to say, there will be benefits in various aspects, such as business records, knowledge sharing and internal control.

Destinations of past RFQ will be be referable
Track records of answers from requestee (suppliers) will be referable
Track records of evaluation of requestee (suppliers) will be referable
Frauds and unsavory ties will be prevented

[Competitive Quotes flow]

Everyone would actively do the jobs that are accumulated in the [Waiting to be Underwritten].

Although it sounds very justifiable, sometimes there could be a "Sense of Unfairness".

Same wage even if has underwritten a lot of work?
Don't monopolize the jobs just because of percentage pay!

Indeed, there could be dissatisfaction either fixed wage or percentage pay. "Get the job done quickly for the customer" is not always justice in the world. That is, there are jobs that "should be shared evenly.

The following Business Process diagram represents so-called "Data Entry". The notable point is that the jobs are allocated in "taking turns".

It is applicable for

Making received slips into text file
Aggregation of questionnaire in paper
Aggregation of application postcard
Voice to Text transcription
Making the past Document into text file

Incidentally, if you operate this business processes in a Workflow system on the Internet, it will become a good "telework support system". Surprising enough, it is also equipped with automatic counting function of the "number of input characters" so that it can be compensated if it exceeds the assumed input quantity. The first place, because the flow itself is simple, it is also easy to extend the idea according to each industry business category. It seems likely to be able to play a role in policy promotion of the Japanese government, such as 'Teleworking" and "Regional revitalization".

[Data Entry flow]

'By any means, trying to speed up the approval speed!'

To do so,,,

Digitize the proposal document
Flatten the Organizational structure
Shorten the Approval channel

Whoops, that is too obvious, so I'm embarrassed just listing them...

The following Business Process is a sample case of Project approval flow in a Marketing Division.

It is operated under the concept of "should be prompt decision" as long as it meets conditions which are,

the proposer is motivated enough,
he/she is appreciated by the Boss,
(no information deficiencies to be reworked)

The decisions will be made 'in approximately 30 minutes', when you try to operate it actually.

They say, because of so much of the speediness, they were regret badly after running this Decision making system (Workflow) for commissioning, such as

What the heck was 'Paper proposal document' till yesterday?
Why the heck I was waiting for 'signature on paper proposal?

[Marketing Project Planning flow]

There are plenty of internet service that referred to as 'Fashion Mail order site'. Not only those websites that sell 'apparel goods' such as 'Casual wear', 'wear to work' and 'underwear', some will provide total outfits coordinating from shoes, accessories to sundries. Or, some websites are specialized in such as "Maternity Goods" or "Disney characters". And yet, they sell cheaper than real stores. (Price competition, cheers! <- consumer perspective)

However, on the other hand, their 'Delivery times' could be the weakness.

There would be cases that 'own packing system' in 'own warehouse' is required for maintaining their attentive services. Their merchandise which they are particular about, like imported goods, would be in small lots inevitably. But for Japanese people who got used to Amazon jp or Askul (an office goods supplier specialized on one day delivery), they cannot wait for 3, 4 days. (Nerve-racking consumers! <- online store perspective)

The following Workflow is a Business Process example of so called 'Mail order fulfillment service'.

When a BPO outsourcee proposes logistic outsourcing (Back office outsourcing), the "Merchandise to be outsourced" (some or all) which are based on the consumer perspective as above, will be presented. As a matter of course, operating of Workflow system should be proposed together to appeal the capability of understanding all the progress of outsourced work anytime. It makes easier to explain about optional services like 'X-ray inspection'.

[Outsourcers Shipment Request]

[Outsourcees Pick Pack Ship]

What is BPO? (Business Process Outsourcing)

Speaking of BPO in Japan, many people would imagine 'Customer-facing' and 'Orders management'. Words of

'Customer-facing'->"Call center"
'Orders management'=>"Fulfillment"

might be familiar for a business person who works in the BPO industry. Alone, each of these segments are growing up market size in about 3-5 billion US dollar.

However, I think these numbers a still small in comparison with the Economy-size of Japan. Plainly speaking, I think the numbers representing the reality that 'Japanese companies are reluctant to outsource'. In other words, outsourcer is always anxious against outsourcee, worrying about

Are they sure to treat gift-wrapping options?
How far did they process the order of 100, now?, etc..

The following is a Workflow of 'Pick, Pack and Ship' which would be outsourced from a mail-order company to logistic company. The mail-order company will put the shipping address data and Goods information data into the flow. In accordance with these shipping instructions, Pic, Pack and Ship will be performed in the logistic company. By the way, the operations of 'Order reception from consumer' and 'Billing to customer' are not outsourced in this example.

[Pick, Pack and Ship flow]

Although it's obvious if you look at the process diagram, the jobs that have been entrusted to the logistics company are "(4) Packing" and "(5) X-ray inspection". That is a split that, when packing apparel products, shoes and bags, etc., packing-boxes will be the subjects for X-ray examination after packing, and then put a sticker of "X-ray inspected' on them.

The job for the personnel in charge in the logistic company only checks the Packing task (Inspection task) one by one, and clicking on the 'Finish' button at its completion. The authorized workers in mail-order company and logistic company will be able to understand

who when performed "(4) Packing"
who when performed "(5) X-ray inspection", in real time.

In addition, there are some more ideas besides this such as "Automatic sending of payment completion mail", "Automatic generation of invoice", "Automatic sending of shipping completion mail", etc.. I guess there are possibilities of improvement from on-site point of view, such as who to be sent or the order of sending... Moreover, there may be more different room for improvement such as Intentional retention on the timer when 'the Specified delivery date' was optioned at the order reception or, automate until printing out of the invoices. In any case, we should actively discuss about "the optimal Business Processes" to every outsourcing contract, even after running it.

P.s.: Well, thinking in the standpoint of a logistic company which is an outsourcee, I want to put the requests from more than one mail-order companies into this workflow, naturally. However, there are likely to come out "Problem" on the data viewing authority... <a href="#">To be continued</a>

[Pick, Pack and Ship flow:'1. Enter Shipping instruction' screen]

[Data Items List]

[Free Download]

Business Template: Pick, Pack and Ship flow

Business Processes which should be Considered before Building a BPO System (2015-02-16)
Example; BPO Service Company Proposes Flow Improvement (2011-07-25)
Workflow for Workflow Designing Business (2011-11-28)

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[Japanese Entry (和文記事)]

What is BPO? (Business Process Outsourcing)

It is, basically, 'to outsource' the so-called indirect business. Or, in some business conversation, it often refers to "a contracting service in response to the commission". Anyway, the company entrusts the duties such as general affairs, human resources, accounting and welfare and telephone correspondence to the trustee. These outsourced duties are essential, even though they do not produce any profit directly.

BPO in Japan, there are three major businesses which are "Customer service" "Order Management", and "ICT systems management".

The following workflow is "antivirus operations" which is the most costly in the "ICT systems management". Most notably point is that it admits use of personal belongings as an information terminal device, in order to ensure the convenience of employees. These are cases of companies in the so-called "BYOD" (Bring Your Own Device) framework, that are judged to be conducive to business improvement (quality / delivery / cost) in the core business even in light of the information leakage risk.

(However, "anytime email confirmation" has been realized in many companies nowadays. In that sense, I probably should not note it as "special mention".)

In this outsourcing operation, it has been devised to reduce the overall cost by the cooperation of commissioning side and the trustee side. To be specific, each user him/herself to actively report "security status" of the devices which have been registered in advance. For example, users can attach a screen capture of virus scan history, or describe the inconvenience and worries on the utilization. On the Trustee side, as well as checking the overview report of all employees, they would perform investigation and correspondence individually, if necessary. Really, it's sophisticated.

[Device Security Report flow]

The specific Business flow starts by 'certain movement' of human limbs...

When the Commander raises his hand for Advance, then report to the Headquarters...
When a bank clerk is holding up her hands and froze, then the Security system...
When a taxi driver makes an abrupt steering, then auto-detection report to the accident response team...

What?

Well, in the first place, there aren't so many operations, which being started by 'Human behavior'. (I wonder why, dangerous scenes only come up when I try to think up some examples...) However, if 'Wearable sensors' become inexpensive, utilization methods as 'simple input device' will be considered.

For example, Moff Band, which is sold as a toy in about 50 USD, is an 'Input device'.

Using this product, even the people who are working on a job that impossible to type keyboards or tap the Smartphone would be able to send signals to IT system. Or, conversely, IT system would be able to detect an event that is difficult for automatic detection. I'm sorry for my 'odd delusion', but I have figured out some solutions for some operations.

A cashier in a supermarket slightly taps the floor with her foot when she felt congested. And then the Manager makes the instruction according to the situation.
When a hospitalized patient moves from the bed, a notification is sent to the nurse, and then the nurse will report it to the attending physician.

The following is a Business Process example, that to receive notification from the 'Motion sensor' (via Smartphone app), and to Start an Operation triggered by the notification. Of course, a variety of applications can be considered in the downstream process.

[Sensor Start Operation]