Securing competitive strength in western Europe
It's not getting any easier to operate production locations in western Europe, especially in highly regulated industries.

Trying to maintain margins or even increase them by raising prices is getting harder all the time. Cutting back quality simply isn't on. One possible solution is to make existing processes more efficient; experience has shown that logistics operations harbor a great deal of potential for improvement.

What's reality like in many companies today . Improvements here and there, rather than strategic, full-coverage   optimization steps . Undiscovered productivity reserves right through the supply chain . Extra costs and overtime caused by poor matching of important   company processes . Changes to internal procedures in attempts to meet customers'   wishes result in neverending troubleshooting . Lack of transparency in processes and between departments in   stopgap efforts to keep the normal operation running . Poor communication between units and departments . Overloading of the company's key functions

What needs to be done? . Increase productivity throughout all logistical and administrative   processes . Eliminate all processes that don't create value . Do better at meeting schedules . Train management personnel in controlling optimized processes . Formulate a process description for improving communications;   engender a learning culture for a process of continuous   improvement . Establish a strategy for reducing the frequency of errors . Create uniform process models for improving transparency . Introduce a rating system for documenting sustainable success . Identify and eliminate problematic resource situations, optimize   inventories

Our approach
To optimize business processes, you need to stake out strategic targets. The formulation of goals makes it possible to pinpoint the areas and starting points for improvements. Considering isolated processes one by one is the best way to pinpoint clearly surveyable optimization steps.

This micro-perspective approach usually makes it easy to identify »quick wins«. With a macro-perspective, on the other and, one can optimize interlinked processes in the process landscape.

For this type of optimization planning, you require knowledge of the way processes are mutually intertwined in order, for example, to eliminate cross-linked sources of trouble.

We divide our consulting approach in the analysis and optimization of business processes into the phases of build-up and modelling, variation, and optimization:

1. Compilation of the basic documents
2. Modelling of the process landscape, processes and functions (»stable« and
  »dynamic« levels)
3. Development of process alternatives and scenarios
4. Optimization of micro-perspectives (individual processes)
5. Optimization of macro-perspectives (process landscape)

In the first step we clarify the foundation and framework conditions for the modelling. The modelling depth sought is also established in detail at this point. This yields the depiction of a homogeneous process landscape. Only now do we determine how the tool is to be used. In this phase, moderation by our consultants is an important contributor to the efficient construction of meaningful process models.

Business process management with Nautilus The consulting method based on Nautilus, a software solution from Gedilan Technologies GmbH, supports a steady improvement in productivity through visualized revelation of frictional losses and inefficient communication paths, and also through visual presentation of the effectiveness of the company's organization structure and the structuring of its operations. Uniform and reusable structures permit flexible and practical modelling.

The stable level focuses solely on the presentation of processes, i.e. describing what is actually done in the company. The dynamic level, on the other hand, embraces the relationships to jobs, coworkers and information elements (documents, records, merchandise, etc.). The modellers employ workshops to document the the processes of the stable level, preferably together with those involved in the processes. Hence the stable level models form the easily comprehended basis for discussing the alternatives, scenarios, interdependencies and exceptions.

The starting point for modelling the processes at the dynamic level is the company models of the stable level. To define the dynamic level, the project team uses workshops to establish a detailed allocation of the functions to documents, records and activities, including the responsible positions and even to individuals. Scenarios and process alternatives reflect the actual processes in the relevant form. This avoids redundancies, thus saving valuable documentation time. To gauge the success of a measure instituted, it is necessary to compile the relevant variables (times, resources required and costs) in the actual analysis and then compare this with the real situation.

Our range of services
Management consulting
1. Production optimization
2. Production strategy
3. Capital investment strategy
4. R&D management

Business process management
1. Basis of modelling
2. Moderation of workshops
3. Review of constructed models
4. Estimation of optimization potential
5. Professional modelling

Training
1. Basis of modelling
2. Detailed methodological training
3. Training of client's modellers
4. Nautilus application training

If you have any questions on business process management, simply ring us or send an e-mail. We'll reply by return.