By Ed - The AttivaSoft Blog Team

We see every day the advantages that Action Request System (ARS) and applications such as the ITSM Suite built on ARS bring to an organization’s IT processes. But have you thought of other ways that ARS can be used as a tool to automate other business processes? You see, ARS and Business Process Automation are not just for IT…

Business Process Automation (BPA) is defined by Wikipedia as:
Business process automation, or BPA, is the process a business uses to contain costs. It consists of integrating applications, cutting labor wherever possible, and using software applications throughout the organization.

Action Request System (ARS) isn’t just a platform for IT Business Process Automation (BPA) but it can be a platform for virtually any process that you can conceive. I personally have designed and built two applications on the ARS platform that have nothing to do with IT but everything to do with BPA.  One application provides a call center responsible for handling customer complaints to log, track, and respond proactively ensuring a timely response to the consumer.

Included in the process are various integrations that scan and store documents provided by the customer with the appropriate case, store documents faxed to the center also with the appropriate case, and provide the ability to send the customer a letter generated as a Word document from and stored with the case. Another application provides a staff responsible for processing employees qualifications/certifications to log, track, and proactively update those qualifications/certifications on a scheduled basis. The application provides a checklist to allow the agent to process and track any and all document submission the employee.

Integration with other applications in the organization provides the ability to keep all systems synchronized where data overlaps.Both of these applications achieve the goals of BPA in that costs are contained by providing proactive management of requests within defined parameters, reduce labor intensive procedures through integration of other applications, and use software applications to implement the solution.

Every current and future customer has BPA needs or initiatives. Not all of these initiatives or needs will be found in the IT department. We need to keep our eyes and ears open for all opportunities that require the solution to contain costs, integrate with other applications, and be implemented with software.

ARS and BPA are not just for IT! For more information on ARS, BPA or other AttivaSoft solutions please e-mail us at info@attivasoft.com