BPI Example

I often get asked the question of what I mean by BPI or Business Process Innovation.  I often talk about how process can create a competitive differentiator for companies.  There is technical innovation, product innovation, cultural innovation, etc.

Here is a quick example.  I am a die-hard Quicken user.  Every time I get gas, I print my receipt, carry it around for a day, and then enter it in the computer.  To Amoco, Mobil, BP, I am someone what “invisible” as a customer.  They don’t have a relationship with me.

Why don’t they think about their role in the process.  It wouldn’t be too hard to get me to register my cards with them in return for them sending me an e-mail with a digital receipt.  They could even send me a file that I could launch which would place the transaction in Quicken for me.

This benefits me (simpler, no risk of losing the receipt).  And, it benefits the gas companies because they now have a relationship with me.  They could include a coupon for goods inside the store or a car wash with the receipt.  Next time I go in, they can now cross-sell me.

This is what I mean by BPI.  Thinking about the process differently and looking at how you can impact the process in a novel way to capture more value and add value to the constituents.