Continuous improvement is relatively simple in theory but challenging in practice for every business.

Most business leaders are aware that mapping routine business processes across core functions like finance and HR is the first step towards rooting out inefficiencies. However, while there is an abundance of business software tools to support process mapping and standardisation, it’s the next step that is the most difficult – how do you not only improve your business processes but ensure that the systems you have in place support continuous process improvement?

What is continuous process improvement in business?

Continuous improvement, also called continual improvement, is a strategy to make all aspects of business operations more efficient by encouraging small, incremental changes that can make a big difference over time[i].

The concept comes from the Japanese business ethos of ‘Kaizen’, meaning ‘change for the better’, which was notably used by Toyota to drive innovation in its manufacturing processes by encouraging all employees to focus on the overarching goal of looking for ways to improve the business [ii].

However, as inspirational as the concept is, many business leaders who want to implement continuous improvement find themselves up against the brick wall of “this is how we’ve always done it.” 

Overcoming this mentality requires buy-in from the C-suite down, a systematic approach to evaluation to ensure that changes are delivering the desired outcomes, and the right tools to make the cultural shift as stress-free and simple as possible for everyone involved.

Enabling continuous improvement in your business

The starting point for continuous improvement is getting 360-degree visibility over your business processes – what’s working and what’s not? You need to be able to pinpoint inefficiencies, implement change, track the impact of changes, evaluate success (or not), rinse and repeat.

You need this level of transparency across all business functions, with data stored in the same place, so that a proven efficiency in one area of your business can be replicated and scaled across other areas.

We developed our process management tool to overcome these challenges, so that businesses would be able to access an all-in-one platform to drive repeatable process mapping and workflow management, improving collaboration and communication across different areas of the business.

The technology integrates with your existing business software, such as CRM, finance, sales and marketing, and HR systems, to connect everything together.

Key benefits of an all-in-one process management system:

• Clarity and visibility of all systems on one platform
• Continuous, replicable, and measurable improvement
• Being able to better understand and resolve reoccurring issues
• Optimised process flows to drive efficiency and growth
• Seamless integration across existing tools and applications
• Improved collaboration for on-site and remote teams
• A common language for continuous improvement.

At Demeter, our commitment to continuous improvement extends to our way of doing business. 

We develop long-term partnerships with businesses to support them as they grow and scale, helping our clients to become more efficient and agile with detailed reporting insights and ROI measurement.

If you want to drive continuous improvement at your business, we can help. Get in touch.

Find out how to improve your business processes in just three minutes.

Demeter: One platform, one view – one integrated process management system

We make process flow, so your business grows.

To take the first step towards improving business processes at your organisation, get in touch.