Process analysis and improvement

Process analysis: what is worth improving in your business?

Find out which changes are worth considering for your business and where to start. Our business process analysis examines a selected area, such as order handling or quotation preparation. You receive a process map, an assessment of potential benefits and costs, and a plan for the first improvements.

Scope
One process or 2–3 related processes
Deliverables
Process map, cost-benefit assessment and improvement plan
Price excluding VAT
£730–£1,160 for one process; £1,740–£3,480 for an area review
Timescale
Usually 2–3 weeks; an area review takes 3–5 weeks

Free consultation · 30–45 minutes online · Get in touch and we’ll arrange a time.

Choose an improvement worth starting with

Analysis helps you compare ideas and choose a change that fits your business goals. Your starting point could be:

  • A smoother flow of data — information from messages reaches the sales system, ready for your team to use in the next task.
  • Quicker handovers — employees know who makes each decision and which information is needed at the next stage.
  • Documents ready for the next step — data is checked at the right point before work continues.
  • Clear priorities for change — you compare departments’ needs using benefits, costs and dependencies between processes.

We examine the actual work, from the first message or document to completion. We can start with order processing, quotations and job costing or purchase invoice checks.

What do you receive after process analysis?

You receive a report with a process map and recommendations. We discuss it with you to help select the first step. It includes:

  • A map of the current process. Activities, responsible people and systems, highlighting where work stops or needs correcting.
  • Data to assess the change. Case volumes, working time and common corrections. We distinguish measured data from estimates.
  • Improvement proposals and priorities. A comparison of options, from existing tool settings and working practices to integrations or a new solution.
  • A cost-benefit assessment. Expected results, implementation and running costs, and the assumptions used in the calculations.
  • A plan for the first improvement. Scope, responsibilities for people and systems, and how to check the result. If implementation is recommended, we also describe how to handle unusual cases.

We may recommend an existing feature, a change to working practices or postponing investment. The report helps you decide what to do and whether implementation is needed.

Illustrative extract from a process map — fictional data

This extract covers order intake at a trading company, from the customer’s message to order confirmation.

Order intake process map: five steps and the places where work stops or returns (fictional data)
Diagram: five order intake steps, with the places where work stops or returns.
Show this process-map extract as a table
Step Who and which system Output Where work stops or returns
1. Receive the order Customer service, email Message and attachments assigned to the customer A missing order number makes resubmissions hard to identify
2. Match products Customer service, ERP and product-reference spreadsheet Lines linked to product records The customer’s description matches several variants; clarification is needed
3. Prepare the order Customer service, ERP Draft with quantities, units and prices An unclear pack-to-item conversion needs checking
4. Check availability and lead time Sales, ERP; purchasing or production if stock is short Information about a possible fulfilment date Some stock is reserved; replenishment timing needs confirmation
5. Confirm to the customer Customer service, email Confirmation of quantity, price and timing sent Changes to quantity or timing return to the ERP check

We add measurements or estimates of working time, waiting time and exception frequency. These help determine which stage to improve first. This extract illustrates how a process is described; it is not the result of a client analysis.

How much does process analysis cost?

We match the scope to the problem you want to solve. Prices and timescales are indicative; we agree the exact price before work starts.

Single-process analysis helps when you know which part needs improvement, such as order intake. It includes a process map, a cost-benefit assessment and a change plan.

An area review covers 2–3 related processes, such as the journey from a quotation request to an order. It helps assess dependencies, set priorities and select the first improvement. We describe this broader assessment of where AI and automation are worthwhile as a business AI audit.

Option Price excluding VAT and timescale
Single-process analysis £730–£1,160
2–3 weeks
Area review £1,740–£3,480
3–5 weeks

Analysis is more than a list of automation ideas. We measure or estimate the number of cases and handling time, estimate the payback and design a solution that takes account of your company’s systems and data. After the analysis, you can assess the expected implementation cost, potential benefits and conditions needed to make the change worthwhile. If you commission implementation within 30 days, we deduct the full analysis price from the implementation price. For an area review, we deduct at most half of the price of one implementation and the remainder from the next implementation ordered within 6 months.

The first implementation after a review can cover one selected process.

How do process analysis and mapping work?

  1. We agree the scope. We discuss the goal, current working practices and the expected result. We select one process or several related processes, then agree the scope and price.
  2. We learn how daily work happens. We talk to the people doing it, work through example cases and examine documents and systems. We include situations needing further clarification or decisions.
  3. We compare options and discuss recommendations. We show what is worth changing, what conditions must be met and what results are possible. We discuss costs, sequencing and questions relevant to your decision.

The timescale mainly depends on how quickly we can speak to the people doing the work and gather sample documents.

Illustrative situation: order processing

An order arrives by email. An employee checks products and prices, then enters the data. Analysis shows how long each stage takes and where waiting occurs.

50 orders a day at 5 minutes each, over 21 working days, represent 87.5 hours a month. Analysis identifies the share spent on data entry, checking information and handling exceptions. Only then do we estimate how much work can be reduced.

If retyping takes the most time, automation may help. If product identification causes delays, names, references and records need organising first. The cause determines the improvement. This is an illustrative situation, not a client project.

Who carries out the analysis?

DO IT GLOBAL carries out the analysis. Your project has one lead who knows the agreed requirements and can lead subsequent implementation. Recommendations account for working practices, system capabilities and change costs. During implementation, we connect solutions to ERP systems, databases, email and business applications.

Our analysis draws on over 20 years of IT experience in requirements analysis, system design, programming and implementation. Learn more about DO IT GLOBAL’s experience.

How do we assess whether a change is worthwhile?

We compare current work with how it could look after improvement. We include processing time, corrections, waiting, implementation and maintenance costs. Where precise data is unavailable, we provide a range and explain what it depends on.

Time recovered lets your team handle other tasks or more cases. Financial savings arise, for example, from reduced overtime or avoiding additional recruitment. We assess these benefits separately to avoid counting the same result twice.

What happens after the analysis?

The decision is yours. You can use the recommendations yourself or commission implementation. If you choose to work with us, we prepare a proposal with scope, price and outcome checks. After launch, we can also provide maintenance and further development.

See how implementation works.

Content updated:

Frequently asked questions

What is business process analysis?

Business process analysis examines how a selected task is carried out: who does it, which systems they use, how long it takes and where delays or errors occur. The result is a process map, a cost-benefit assessment of possible changes and an improvement plan. Recommendations may cover software settings, integrations, changes to working practices or AI.

How much does process analysis cost and how long does it take?

Single-process analysis typically costs £730–£1,160 excluding VAT and takes 2–3 weeks. An area review covering 2–3 related processes typically costs £1,740–£3,480 excluding VAT, depending on company size and the number of processes, and takes 3–5 weeks. We agree the exact price before work begins. The initial consultation is free.

Which companies is process analysis for?

Primarily B2B companies with 10–250 employees in trade and distribution, manufacturing including made-to-order production, and technical services. It is especially useful where data moves between email, spreadsheets and ERP systems, for example in order processing, quotation preparation or purchase invoice checks.

Do I have to order an analysis before implementation?

No. If the scope is clear after the free consultation and a review of examples, we prepare an implementation proposal. Analysis helps when we need to identify the causes of a problem, compare options or assess whether a change makes sense. If you order implementation within 30 days of the analysis, we deduct the full analysis fee from the implementation price. For an area review, we deduct at most half of the price of one implementation and the remainder from the next implementation ordered within 6 months.

Does every recommendation involve AI?

No. Sometimes an existing system feature, a connection between two applications or a change in how information is passed on is enough. We recommend AI when it helps solve a specific problem.

Does process analysis include an AI audit?

If you already know which process needs improvement, we examine it in depth. A broader review of 2–3 related processes, assessing where AI and automation are worthwhile, is described as a business AI audit. This is the same service as the area review on this page, with one agreed scope and fee. We agree the assessment scope before starting.

How does analysis differ from process mapping and optimisation?

Process mapping shows the activities, people and systems involved. Analysis explains the causes of delays and errors and compares improvement options; the map is one of its outputs. Process optimisation means putting selected changes into practice. Your team can do this, or DO IT GLOBAL can implement them under a separate agreement.

Is the analysis carried out online or on site?

Most discussions take place online. We can work on site in Szczecin and the surrounding area, and in other Polish cities for larger processes. We agree the way of working together with the scope.

How should I prepare for the analysis?

Prepare a few examples of cases or documents, including difficult ones, and a list of systems you use. People who do the work daily and the person deciding on changes should take part. We agree the data needed in advance and sign a confidentiality agreement before documents are shared; documents can be anonymised.

Can you specify the outcome of implementation in advance?

We estimate the potential result using your company’s data and record the assumptions it depends on. We include checking time, corrections and running costs. If you commission implementation, we compare the result with the estimate. The forecast supports a decision; it does not guarantee a return on investment.

Where should your business start?

Tell us what you would like to improve and which results matter to you. During a free consultation, we’ll discuss possible ways forward.