More and more companies agree: process management is no longer an aim in itself, but an economic necessity. A new study by management consultancies BearingPoint and BPM&O highlights the increasing prevalence of process management and analytics in European companies. Digital transformation in particular is increasingly becoming a driver for the use and benefits of process management. However, the study also shows that the importance of process management is still rated differently across Europe – and there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of implementation, particularly in Germany.
Frankfurt am Main / Cologne, 5 June 2024 – Companies across all industries are now increasingly turning to the introduction of process management. In the triennial study, which BearingPoint has once again published together with BPM&O, 80 percent of the experts surveyed stated that they consider process management to be an important factor in a company’s success. The proportion of organizations that even consider process management to be very important has risen from 35% in 2021 to 42%. In comparison: in 2012, it was only 19 per cent.
The digital transformation and constant new technology trends are playing an increasingly important role in this. However, companies also cite other advantages for the use and benefits of process management and the associated methodologies and tools (e.g. process mining). Christian Opitz, Partner at BearingPoint, comments: ‘The figures make it clear that process management is more than ever in the focus of companies. Digital transformation has revealed the necessity and makes the successful introduction of process management virtually indispensable today. However, the most important drivers continue to be medium and long-term cost optimization and significant increases in efficiency. Every second introduction is integrated into a major transformation project.’
High benefits of process management outweigh initial investments
Although the introduction of process management is usually associated with high costs and effort, companies trust in the medium and long-term benefits. Among these qualitative benefits, 70 percent of companies cite the establishment of continuous improvement processes. Increased product and service quality was cited by 69 percent and increased transparency by 68 percent of respondents.
The results of the survey also show that although companies are constantly developing their process management skills, there is still a great need to establish these skills across the entire organization. There is often still a lack of support in building competencies.
Infographic BPM study
Germany lags beind: only half of companies measure the benefits of process management
Only around two-thirds of companies that use process management measure its benefits. France and Switzerland are the frontrunners with over 70 percent, while in Germany the figure is just over half. More than three-quarters of the organizations that measure the success of process management quantitatively can demonstrate improvements of at least 5 percent to over 20 percent.
Fabian Schwarz, a member of the BPM&O management board, comments: ‘The feedback from more than 600 participants shows that the relevance of process management is higher than ever before. Process management is a decisive success factor for major transformation projects. Nevertheless, the results of the study show that the biggest challenges in process performance measurement are operational issues and a secure data basis. In practice, process mining is spreading more slowly than expected, and competition for the best solution is increasing. Sustainable utilization of process mining requires an integrated approach with functioning support structures.’
Integration in transformation projects and AI technologies as key trends in process management
The survey also provides new insights into current developments in process management. The most important trends in process management include, above all, integration into transformation projects. The introduction of process management is integrated into major transformation projects in half of all cases. This can create significant benefits, especially if the integration takes place with a process-orientated way of working.
In addition, the data shows that process management promotes cultural change in companies and gives organizations time to adapt to new tools and ways of working. This also applies to the use of AI technologies, which is becoming a significant trend. 64 percent of experts expect AI technologies to be used for process optimization by 2027. Germany and Austria are more cautious with this statement. The use of AI will lead to faster insights and predictions (78%), improved efficiency in automation (76%), and real-time alerts in process monitoring (75%).
Another recognizable trend is the use of process management in the context of sustainability management or to reduce the ecological footprint of companies. This is achieved through the digitalization of processes, raising employee awareness of the topic, and the strategic use of process expertise. For process management to make a measurable contribution to environmental sustainability, the sustainability goals should be derived from the business strategy and integrated into the process management strategy and should be made visible to the company’s employees and continuously measured.
About the study
The study was based on a survey of 676 people from six countries (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and the USA) and eight industries that are professionally involved in the analysis and optimization of business processes. The online survey was conducted between November and December 2023 among clients of BearingPoint and BPM&O as well as participants in an Innofact panel. The surveys for the previous studies are based on a comparable methodology.
About BPM&O
Founded in 2009, the Cologne-based management consultancy BPM&O GmbH specializes in the development of process-oriented organizations. The aim is to support companies in establishing a forward-looking, process-orientated corporate management.
Under the motto ‘360° BPM’, BPM&O offers tailor-made solutions for a faster and more effectively controllable system of processes, organization, people, and IT. From the establishment of a process-oriented organization to the development of process KPIs – we work out the right solution based on a quick understanding of the challenge.
Further information:
Homepage: BPM&O – Enabling BPM. And People. (bpmo.de)
LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/bpm-o-gmbh-enabling-bpm-and-people-
About BearingPoint
BearingPoint is an independent management and technology consultancy with European roots and global reach. The company operates in three business units: Consulting, Products and Capital. Consulting comprises the traditional consulting business with the service portfolio People & Strategy, Customer & Growth, Finance & Risk, Operations and Technology. In the Products segment, BearingPoint offers clients IP-based managed services for business-critical processes. Capital covers BearingPoint’s M&A, Ventures and Investments activities.
BearingPoint’s clients include many of the world’s leading companies and organisations. BearingPoint’s global network of more than 10,000 employees supports clients in over 70 countries and is committed to working with them to achieve measurable and long-term business success.
Further information:
Homepage: www.bearingpoint.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bearingpoint
Press contact
Alexander Bock
Global Senior Manager Communications
Tel: +49 89 540338029
E-mail: alexander.bock@bearingpoint.com