Case workflows are necessary for every organization. While some are simple and fluid, others are more complex. In either situation, case workflows are largely unpredictable. Time and again, organizations have to deal with unstructured processes that conventional business process management tools are not robust enough to handle.
Managing simple structured processes are straightforward. They are predictable and mostly repetitive, so case managers don’t have much decision-making to do on their own. But most case workflows are not like this. They cannot be organized neatly into a simple flow structure that can be managed with repetitive tasks and steps.
A structured workflow is a set of repetitive linear processes that can be executed in a specific order. For such operations, there is a particular path to resolving them even before an event occurs. Thus, one can easily organize the process of resolving issues by automating them entirely for the purpose of efficiency.
Unstructured workflows or case management, on the other hand, are a lot more difficult to handle. They are complex and tough to predict. They do not have a linear pattern and hence do not follow a systematic approach but rather depend on an unclear path that unravels as you get more information about the case. For an unstructured workflow, it is impossible to determine the steps that an event will follow from the onset.
They often require data from multiple sources, and collaboration between different teams is often necessary. Because of the unpredictability of unstructured workflows, greater flexibility is usually needed. Some of the case management examples include: handling support tickets or bug fixes.
Many of the conventional workflow management tools are designed for handling predictable and repetitive processes. However, since many of the tasks that an organization has to deal with do not fall in this category, there is a need to develop more complex case management strategies that allow you to handle less structured workflows with greater efficiency.
Some of these vital case management strategies include:
All the steps and actions taken during the processes of resolving an issue are meant to be recorded. Doing this makes things a lot easier for both case managers, end-users, and any other personnel that will be involved in the resolution. Recording case information gives context to a case. Since all the case-related data are stored in the same place and accessible from a single dashboard, caseworkers don’t have to struggle to make sense of the case or figure out what the previous or next step is in handling the case.
Most unstructured processes require collaboration between different personnel and multiple teams within an organization. Automated case management tools provide a framework for easier collaboration between all the stakeholders involved in handling a case. This adds a layer of simplicity to an otherwise complicated scenario since cases are easily passed along and tracked as it goes from one team to another.
When handling complex workflows, it is necessary to create a trail for every action taken. As earlier mentioned, most case management workflows require several steps and multiple collaborations. You need a system that logs every one of these steps and allows knowledge workers to revert to these steps and all the data generated at each stage in order to solve new cases faster and more efficiently. Keeping records digitally like this is also necessary in order to ensure that all processes are transparent and caseworkers are accountable for every action they take in resolving cases. Logging steps also help to identify problematic areas and fix them promptly.
The overall goal of developing a complex case management strategy is to promote efficiency and performance to keep customers happy and satisfied. When business processes progress optimally, there will be no need for escalations and complaints since all issues are handled and settled promptly and in the most efficient way possible.
By using a more efficient case management strategy, customers get to enjoy a more personalized experience that carries them along fully throughout the process of case resolutions. In addition to automated self-service portals that allow them to resolve issues with minimal interaction with caseworkers, these strategies also provide the possibility of tracking cases more effectively.
Having all information regarding a case logged on a single database also ensures that service reps can easily access customer complaints and issues with no delays. For instance, it is possible to set automated responses for customer complaints or request tickets. This way, they are promptly updated when their issue has been resolved.
One significant advantage of keeping a comprehensive record of all data related to managing cases is that it makes it possible to report trends and analyze them faster using various metrics. This is helpful to business productivity. Caseworkers get a clear and comprehensive overview of cases which allows them to optimize processes for future cases.
When cases are resolved and tickets close, the case managers must see to it that they were effectively implemented. While case workflows are unstructured, there are still standard policies and protocols through which the effectiveness of processes are measured, and they must be followed. For instance, if a customer calls a service desk to resolve a bug in their system, the support person at the help desk may forward the request to the field technician to visit the customer to resolve the case. Following up on this case could involve calling the technician to see if the problem has been resolved and getting feedback.
Kissflow Workflow is a cloud-based case management platform that offers all the features you need to implement all of these case management strategies and more. It provides a lightweight approach to solving many of the complex steps and processes in handling both structured and unstructured workflows. It is also intuitive and easy to use, allowing a user with little or no coding knowledge to create and deploy case management solutions customized specifically to their business needs.
Deploying effective case management techniques promises to equip caseworkers with all they need to be better decision-makers. This is particularly important for unstructured workflows where their input is necessary for optimizing results. Using a flexible case management software like Kissflow Workflow will speed up case resolution, improve customer service and engender team collaboration. This will eventually lead to a host of other benefits for your organization.
Try Kissflow Workflow to start implementing case management strategies that work.