Does Process Automation = Process Optimisation?

There is often the misguided thinking that by simply automating a process we are optimising that process. After all if we remove the human element we often reduce time and cost, right? And this improves the process, right?

Wrong. The problem with simply automating the work fixes the effect and not the cause of work. Whilst the process may have disappered into system-land, it's not the fact that manual work has been reduced, it is the effect on the customer experience that needs to be considered.

Take a recent example: Cityrail, the NSW Australian train provider recently automated their ticketing to provide customers with the ability to purchase tickets from their website. Previously to buy a long term rail pass greater than 180 days you had to line up at a counter, collect a form, fill the form in then return the form and pay for your ticket. With cityrail's new automated system you could now buy your ticket online. Well, you could buy a ticket online: either monthly, quarterly or yearly. So, if, like me you wanted to buy a ticket for 5.5 months you'd have to buy a quarterly ticket, a monthly ticket (twice) then a fortnighly ticket.

So even though Cityrail automated a manual process to reduce queues at stations and make it easier for customers, they have increased the moments of truth by 4 times! The customer experience has deteriorated for many customers as they can't buy a ticket which suits their needs - so what do they do - go back and join the queue at the station!

So when thinking about automating processes, think about the number of moments of truth that are ocurring in the process, and look to eliminate or improve them. Process is not just about time and cost, it is fundamentally about the customer experience.

- TPN

Comments

[Grant Moore]

Automation of a process that has not first been optimised outside-In first, with the customer experience as the focus, simply means you get the errors faster - and very frustrated customers!

[Tracey Bowman]

Or another way of putting this - if you have a crap process to start with & then just automate it, you get a very efficient & automated crappy process, that may just provide crap at a faster rate. You need to optimise the process before you ever try to automate it.

[creon]

Your assessment of the long term ticket ourchase process missed one small feature; one cannot purchase a long term ticket more than one week prior to the commencement date of travel. How's that for a moment?

[The Process Ninja]

Hey Tracey - not only did they take a crap process and automate it - they took a crap process and made it crappier - that takes a special level of ineptitude!

[The Process Ninja]

Hi Creon - that's amazing! They must not have the ability to put a "valid from" date onto the ticket so they are scared that customers will use it and they'll lose money! Not only is it a terrible moment of truth, it's also a very poor business rule.

[Jorge Perez]

Craig, i think your second paragraph totally sums up this blog. You cannot just fix the problem without identifying what is the trigger or cause of the work. Once this has been optimised, go for your life automating all you want...with ofcourse ensuring the minimum moments of truth.

[The Process Ninja]

Absolutely Jorge - otherwise we end up living in a world of band-aid solutions - and we know what thats like, right?