Pros and Cons of a Workflow Management System

A workflow management system allows you to coordinate between a static station at a certain location (the “base”) and mobile units, such as vans, out in the field. An example of a workflow management system is a 911 operator’s station. First, a call comes at the 911 emergency response center, and an issue is brought to the operator’s attention. The operator updates the issue on the computer, which can then summarize the disturbance in a comprehensive report that can be forwarded to a police unit, a fire station, a local hospital, or another team which can appropriately address the situation. Although this is an extreme example, you can actually implement a workflow management system within your organization or business, for a low cost.

The workflow management system JobFlow, allows a company to centralize invoices, manage receipts for further use, and navigate service vans to their appropriate destination at a given time. With miscellaneous capabilities like instant messaging and electronic worksheet signatures, JobFlow makes doing business a whole lot easier.

An efficient workflow management system has a few key components that make it a success for thousands of establishments worldwide. One, it must help manage your people. Staff should be able to clock in and out, and their whereabouts are always known through tools like GPS. JobFlow, for instance, has the capacity for integration with TomTom for convenient vehicle tracking. Two, it obviously should help your cash flow. A workflow management system like JobFlow does this by allowing your employees to have digital signatures provided by the customer upon service delivery, instantly. That means if you have a worker out in the field from 8 to 5, you can process payments and account for generated revenues on the fly, without waiting for the end of the business day when the unit comes back to the base. Three, it should allow for growth within your organization. Whether it be efficient links to different customer accounts, or NICEIC support, it needs to work with your business, and for the benefit of your business.

One major con of a workflow management system, undoubtedly, is the fact that it requires maintenance. Any upgrade that your company receives that involves technology will inevitably require attention – whether it’s hardware or software, it could mean expenses on your behalf. Another minor con is that there’s a learning curve to anything new, so your staff would need to be trained to use the newly integrated tools. However, the long-term benefits of implementing a workflow management system in an organization that doesn’t already have one FAR outweigh the opportunity cost of NOT having one.

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