Process improvement consulting and business organisation
Process improvement consulting looks at how work flows through your organisation, whether it is an order, a case file or a request, in order to remove unnecessary steps, re-keying and waiting. We offer practical organisational consulting to SMEs, startups and public bodies, in Corsica and remotely. Our approach: observe, simplify, then equip, automating only what deserves it.
Process optimisation: what does it mean in practice?
A process is a sequence of steps that turns a request into a result: a quote that becomes an invoice, an application that becomes a hire, a request from the public that becomes a reply. Nobody really designed them; they grew over time, through habits and tools added one after another.
Optimising a process means making it visible, understanding where it gets stuck, then simplifying it. Business organisation is not just an organisation chart: it plays out in these everyday sequences, between people, departments and software.
- 01
From quote to payment
How many steps, approvals and reminders are there between a customer's request and the payment of their invoice?
- 02
Handling requests
Requests from customers or the public arriving by phone, email and web form: who logs them, who answers them, and how do you know where they stand?
- 03
Onboarding a new employee
Accounts, equipment, access, documents: a list of tasks often scattered across several people.
Symptoms of an organisation that holds the business back
We work with leaders of SMEs, growing startups and departments within public bodies. The warning signs tend to be the same.
- 01
Delays and chasing
Files wait for approval, and customers call to find out where their request has got to.
- 02
Repetitive tasks
Copying and pasting, re-keying, spreadsheets maintained by hand: skilled time goes into work that adds no value.
- 03
Reliance on a few people
Things depend on the memory of key staff and seize up when they are away.
- 04
Growth or seasonality that is hard to absorb
What worked in a small team no longer holds as it grows, or gives way at the peaks of the season.
- 05
A lack of visibility
Management cannot tell, without asking, how many files are in progress or where they are stuck.
Our process improvement method, in four stages
- 01
Understand
Interviews and observation on the ground, in Bastia, Haute-Corse or remotely. We produce a process map, a diagram showing the steps, people, tools and bottlenecks.
- 02
Design
With your teams, we draw up the target process: fewer steps, clear responsibilities, information entered only once.
- 03
Implement
We trial the new way of working on a limited scope, adjust it, then roll it out. Tools and automation are put in place at this stage.
- 04
Follow up
A few simple indicators show whether the changes are delivering and let us correct course if needed.
Process maps, procedures and an action plan: the deliverables
- 01
A map of the current situation
A clear view of how work flows today, shared with your teams.
- 02
The target process
The agreed way of working, with each person's role and the tools used at each step.
- 03
The action plan
The changes to make, in order, with the people involved and the resources needed.
- 04
Simple procedures
Short, practical guides that newcomers can follow without lengthy training.
- 05
Tracking indicators
Measures chosen with you to follow the effect of the changes over time.
Automating a process: when it helps, and when it does not
Automation means handing a repetitive task to software: moving data from a form to a spreadsheet, sending a reminder, generating a document, alerting the right person when a file is ready. Used well, it frees up time and reduces errors.
But automating a muddled process only produces errors faster. So we always simplify before automating, and we choose the simplest tool that does the job: sometimes a feature already in your software, sometimes a connection between two tools, sometimes custom development or an AI agent. Where artificial intelligence adds real value, our dedicated AI automation service takes over.
The risks of an organisation project and how to avoid them
- 01
Deciding without the teams
The people doing the work know where it gets stuck. A process designed without them will be worked around the very next day.
- 02
Formalising everything
Too many procedures kill flexibility. We document what matters, not every action.
- 03
Changing without measuring
Without a starting point, you cannot tell whether things have improved. We set a few benchmarks before changing anything.
- 04
Confusing tools with organisation
New software will not fix a problem of poorly defined responsibilities.
Cost factors and follow-up after an organisation engagement
The cost of an engagement depends on the number of processes studied, the number of departments and people to meet, how geographically spread your teams are, the existing documentation and the support you want during implementation, particularly if tools or automation need to be developed. You can start with a single priority process to judge the value of the approach.
After the engagement, the procedures and indicators remain in your hands. We can hold follow-up reviews, adjust the way of working as the business evolves or extend the approach to other processes.
Technologies and methods
- Process mapping
- Interviews
- Procedures
- Automation
- Indicators
- Change management
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to stop work during the engagement?
No. Interviews and observation take place during normal work, taking as little of your time as possible, and changes are trialled on a limited scope before being rolled out.
Will our staff feel they are being watched?
We explain from the outset that the subject of the study is the process, not individual performance. In practice, staff are often the first to suggest improvements when given the chance.
Do we need new software?
No. Many improvements are organisational: clarifying who approves what, removing a step, sharing information. A tool is only proposed if it brings a clear gain.
How is this different from an IT audit?
An IT audit examines your tools, data and infrastructure. Process improvement starts from the work itself, then looks at which tools support it. The two complement each other and can be run together.
How will we know the changes have worked?
Through the benchmarks set at the start: how long a request takes to handle, how much re-keying there is, how many reminders are needed. We measure them again after implementation and adjust accordingly.