Cross-company process intelligence is revolutionizing the way organizations operate, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency, resilience, agility, and digital transformation. By extending process intelligence beyond individual company walls and fostering collaboration with business partners, organizations can unlock significant business value.
The Power of Process Intelligence
Enhancing Key Operations
Process intelligence has proven to be a game-changer for organizations worldwide. By leveraging advanced technologies to mine, model, orchestrate, and optimize processes, companies like BMW, Allianz, and GE Healthcare have seen remarkable improvements in their supply chain, distribution, product, finance, and customer operations. These enhancements have led to substantial cost savings, optimized business performance, and reduced carbon footprints. The integration of cutting-edge technologies enables these companies to gain deeper insights into their operations, allowing them to make more informed decisions and respond more quickly to market changes.
The impact of process intelligence on an organization’s efficiency and effectiveness is profound. By analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying patterns and trends, companies can streamline their processes, reduce waste, and eliminate inefficiencies. This level of optimization not only drives cost savings but also positions organizations to achieve their sustainability goals by minimizing their environmental impact. The ability to monitor and adjust processes in real time also enhances operational resilience, allowing companies to adapt swiftly to disruptions and maintain continuity.
Real-World Examples
Several organizations have successfully implemented process intelligence to streamline their operations. For instance, three of Europe’s top electronics suppliers have created transparency between their shared Order Management and Procurement processes, leading to more efficient operations. This collaborative approach has enabled them to synchronize their supply chains, reduce lead times, and improve overall service levels. Similarly, an NGO and researchers have analyzed previously siloed data from the juvenile justice and mental health systems in a large U.S. state, providing systemic insights to improve outcomes for at-risk youth and families. By breaking down data silos and integrating information from multiple sources, they have gained a holistic view of the challenges faced by these vulnerable populations.
Another compelling example comes from the healthcare sector, where process intelligence has been used to optimize patient care pathways. Hospitals and healthcare providers have leveraged data analytics to identify bottlenecks in patient flow, reduce waiting times, and enhance the overall patient experience. These improvements not only increase patient satisfaction but also enable healthcare providers to deliver higher quality care more efficiently. In the financial services industry, companies have used process intelligence to detect and mitigate fraud, enhance regulatory compliance, and improve customer service. By continuously monitoring and analyzing transaction data, financial institutions can proactively address potential risks and deliver a more secure and seamless experience for their customers.
Amplified Benefits through Collaboration
Cross-Company Collaboration
Leading-edge organizations are discovering that the benefits of process intelligence can be significantly magnified through collaboration with business partners. By extending process intelligence beyond individual company walls, these organizations can achieve deeper efficiency, resilience, agility, and digital transformation benefits. This collaborative approach fosters shared benefits, improving the “top, bottom, and green lines” of companies, business partners, and industries. By working together and sharing insights, organizations can create synergies that drive innovation and competitive advantage.
One key aspect of successful cross-company collaboration is the establishment of a common framework and shared goals. Organizations must align their objectives and develop a mutual understanding of the outcomes they seek to achieve. This alignment creates a strong foundation for joint initiatives and ensures that all parties are working towards the same end goals. Additionally, effective communication and trust are essential components of successful collaboration. Open and transparent communication channels foster trust and enable organizations to share sensitive information and insights without hesitation.
The Role of AI Collaboration Agents
AI Collaboration Agents, such as the pre-built agent powered by Rollio, use natural language interfaces to help resolve process exceptions through better cross-organizational decision-making. These agents facilitate seamless communication and coordination between different organizations, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of collaborative efforts. By leveraging AI-powered tools, organizations can automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and free up valuable resources for more strategic activities. These agents also provide real-time analytics and insights, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions and respond swiftly to emerging opportunities and challenges.
The integration of AI Collaboration Agents into cross-company processes brings several advantages. First, these agents can process and analyze large volumes of data at high speed, identifying patterns and anomalies that may not be apparent to human operators. This capability allows organizations to detect potential issues and resolve them before they escalate, minimizing disruptions and ensuring smooth operations. Second, AI Collaboration Agents can learn and adapt over time, continuously improving their decision-making capabilities based on new data and experiences. This adaptability ensures that organizations remain agile and responsive in a rapidly changing business environment.
The Complexity of Modern Processes
The Need for Ecosystems
The complexity of modern processes means that no single company can possess all the necessary technological and industry knowledge to extend process improvements profitably. Success requires forming and working with partner ecosystems to create deep and lasting value. By empowering a worldwide community of partners to “co-innovate” process improvements, organizations can address these complexities more effectively. Partner ecosystems bring together diverse expertise and perspectives, fostering innovation and enabling organizations to develop comprehensive solutions that address multifaceted challenges.
Building a robust partner ecosystem involves several key steps. Firstly, organizations must identify and engage with partners who possess complementary skills and capabilities. This may include technology providers, industry experts, academic researchers, and other stakeholders. By leveraging the strengths of diverse partners, organizations can develop more holistic and effective solutions. Secondly, organizations must establish clear governance structures and collaboration frameworks to manage partnerships and ensure alignment with strategic objectives. Effective governance ensures that partnerships are structured and managed in a way that maximizes value creation.
Empowering the Community
The Celonis community, referred to as “change makers,” includes customers, consultants, developers, integrators, and other stakeholders. This community has grown significantly, starting numerous new projects and training thousands of students to become the next generation of process leaders. By fostering a collaborative environment, Celonis and its partners can drive continuous innovation and improvement. The collective knowledge and experiences of the community create a rich resource for developing and refining process intelligence solutions.
Empowering the community involves providing the tools, resources, and support needed for effective collaboration. This includes access to advanced technology platforms, training and development programs, and opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking. By investing in the development of their ecosystem, Celonis ensures that partners are well-equipped to contribute to and benefit from collaborative initiatives. Additionally, by promoting a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, Celonis encourages partners to explore new ideas, experiment with novel approaches, and learn from both successes and failures.
Advanced Technology Tools
Celonis Data Core (Celocore)
Celonis has developed a suite of tools and platforms to support process improvement and collaboration. The Celonis Data Core (Celocore) helps customers efficiently get data into Celonis and perform transforms, loads, and queries with significantly improved performance. This tool is essential for organizations looking to optimize their processes and achieve better outcomes. By providing a robust and scalable data integration platform, Celonis enables organizations to harness the full power of their data and drive actionable insights.
The Celonis Data Core simplifies the process of data ingestion, transformation, and querying, making it easier for organizations to integrate data from multiple sources and create a unified view of their operations. This comprehensive view allows organizations to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, the platform’s advanced analytics capabilities enable organizations to perform complex analyses, generate predictive insights, and make data-driven decisions that enhance overall performance.
GenAI-Powered User Experience
The new GenAI-powered user experience simplifies data ingestion and dashboard building through GenAI-powered assistants. This advanced technology makes it easier for organizations to leverage process intelligence and gain valuable insights from their data. By streamlining these processes, companies can focus on driving business value and achieving their strategic goals. The GenAI-powered assistants provide intuitive interfaces and guided workflows, reducing the learning curve and enabling users to quickly harness the power of process intelligence.
The GenAI-powered user experience enhances user engagement and productivity by providing personalized and contextually relevant recommendations. These intelligent assistants analyze user interactions and preferences to deliver tailored insights and suggestions. As a result, users can quickly identify key metrics, uncover hidden trends, and take proactive actions to optimize processes. The user-friendly design of the GenAI-powered interface ensures that even non-technical users can easily navigate and utilize the platform, democratizing access to process intelligence across the organization.
Network Capabilities for Problem Solving
Celonis Networks
Celonis Networks is a new beta offering designed to extend process intelligence beyond company walls by connecting organizations. This network allows companies and industries to share information, coordinate activities, and co-create solutions for complex problems. The network capabilities facilitate a common taxonomy and language, reducing time, effort, and friction in cross-company communication and collaboration. By establishing a standardized framework for data exchange and collaboration, Celonis Networks enables organizations to work together more seamlessly and effectively.
The collaborative nature of Celonis Networks fosters innovation by bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. Organizations can leverage the collective knowledge and experience of the network to tackle complex challenges that would be difficult to address in isolation. By co-creating solutions, companies can pool resources, share risks, and achieve outcomes that benefit all participants. This collaborative approach also helps organizations build stronger relationships with their partners, promoting trust and long-term cooperation.
Federated Data Sharing and Process Orchestration
Federated data sharing provides a holistic view of problems and insights not available in a single organization. This approach enables coordinated workflows and activities across organizations, leading to more effective problem-solving and process optimization. By aggregating and analyzing data from multiple sources, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of the issues they face and develop more targeted and impactful solutions. Federated data sharing also enhances transparency and accountability, ensuring that all parties have access to the information they need to make informed decisions.
Process orchestration is another critical capability facilitated by Celonis Networks. This involves designing and managing end-to-end workflows that span multiple organizations, ensuring that all activities are aligned and coordinated to achieve desired outcomes. Effective process orchestration requires a deep understanding of each organization’s processes, capabilities, and constraints. By leveraging advanced process modeling and optimization tools, organizations can create efficient and adaptive workflows that enhance performance and resilience. Coordinated efforts across the network ensure that all parties are aligned and working towards common goals, driving overall business value.
Early Stage Results and Future Potential
Practical Implementations
Initial cross-organizational projects and partner-developed apps have shown promising results. For example, electronics partners like Conrad Electronic and its European suppliers have streamlined procurement processes, reducing outdated pricing issues, delivery discrepancies, and data mismatches. Enhanced data structures have facilitated better visibility into order progress, delivery dates, and shipment details. These practical implementations demonstrate the tangible benefits of cross-company process intelligence and highlight the potential for broader adoption across industries.
The success of these early-stage projects underscores the importance of collaboration and data integration in achieving process improvements. By working together and sharing information, organizations can create more efficient and transparent supply chains, reducing costs and improving service levels. The lessons learned from these initial implementations also provide valuable insights for future projects, helping organizations refine their strategies and approach to process intelligence. As more companies embrace cross-company collaboration, the collective benefits will continue to grow, driving innovation and competitiveness in the global market.
Industry-Specific and Revenue-Generating Apps
With process improvement software adoption expected to rise, Celonis anticipates continued development of industry-specific apps. New apps for plant maintenance, maintenance control, cross-border payments, and taxes are being rolled out. These industry-specific solutions address unique challenges and opportunities within each sector, providing targeted tools and capabilities that drive business value. By developing and deploying these apps, Celonis and its partners can help organizations optimize their processes and achieve better outcomes.
The company’s collaborative practices, such as “Freaky Fridays,” encourage brainstorming and developing innovative ideas, with a focus on continuous improvement and fast failure for non-viable concepts. This iterative approach to innovation ensures that only the most promising ideas are pursued, accelerating the development of effective solutions. By fostering a culture of experimentation and learning, Celonis empowers its partners and customers to push the boundaries of what is possible with process intelligence. This commitment to continuous improvement positions Celonis as a leader in the field and ensures that its solutions remain relevant and impactful in an ever-changing business landscape.
Open Model and Avoiding Lock-In
Promoting an Open Platform Approach
Celonis promotes an open platform approach, avoiding the creation of universal specifications or trapping customers in proprietary systems. This open model encourages flexibility and interoperability, allowing organizations to integrate Celonis solutions with their existing systems and third-party applications. By supporting a wide range of technologies and platforms, Celonis ensures that its customers can choose the best tools for their needs without being locked into a single vendor’s ecosystem.
The open platform approach also fosters innovation by enabling a broader community of developers, researchers, and partners to contribute to the development of process intelligence solutions. By providing open APIs, development frameworks, and collaboration tools, Celonis empowers a diverse range of stakeholders to create and share new applications and enhancements. This collaborative ecosystem drives continuous improvement and ensures that Celonis solutions remain at the forefront of industry advancements. Furthermore, the openness of the platform builds trust and confidence among customers, who can be assured that their investments in Celonis technologies will remain future-proof and adaptable to changing requirements.
Conclusion
Cross-company process intelligence is transforming organizational operations, presenting unmatched opportunities for enhanced efficiency, robustness, agility, and digital advancement. This approach involves more than just internal improvements; it extends process intelligence across corporate boundaries and encourages collaboration with external business partners. By doing so, companies can tap into substantial business value.
Incorporating process intelligence on a broader scale reduces inefficiencies and optimizes workflows across the entire supply chain. It enhances visibility into cross-company operations, fostering a more resilient and responsive ecosystem that can swiftly adapt to changing market demands. This overarching strategy enables companies to pinpoint bottlenecks, streamline processes, and share best practices, driving collective improvement.
Moreover, the collaborative nature of cross-company process intelligence bolsters relationships among business partners, leading to more synchronized efforts and better-aligned objectives. This synergy not only ensures smoother operations but also accelerates digital transformation, paving the way for innovative solutions and competitive advantages in the marketplace.
