Process Improvement and Business Consulting Services

Implementation failure typically stems from overlooking the human element of change. Our approach integrates leadership vision and frontline reality, engaging all levels of an organization in designing the solution. We also provide structured follow-up support to ensure changes become habits, with clear metrics to demonstrate improvement and maintain momentum.

Our process-first approach maps workflow needs before designing access protocols. We identify which information is truly sensitive, who legitimately needs access when, and where bottlenecks occur. This allows us to create balanced frameworks where security and accessibility enhance rather than oppose each other, with appropriate controls that don't create unnecessary friction.

As a SOC 2 Type 2 audited organization, security is foundational to everything we do. This rigorous third-party audit process verifies that our internal controls and processes meet the highest standards for securely managing your sensitive information. Our consultants follow strict protocols for handling your business data, and we can implement non-disclosure agreements tailored to your specific requirements. We take your information security as seriously as we take our own.

No. Our process consultants are also experienced in technology selection and integration. After mapping your workflows, we can help translate your process needs into specific technology requirements, assist with vendor evaluation, and guide implementation planning, including the critical human factors determining successful adoption.

At the beginning of each engagement, we establish clear metrics based on your specific goals. Typical measurements include time savings per process cycle, error reduction rates, employee satisfaction improvements, and direct cost savings. Our value stream mapping quantifies time spent at each process step, allowing us to demonstrate exact time savings and calculate their financial impact on your organization.

We can absolutely work with individual departments. Many clients start with focused improvements in areas like accounts payable, HR, or operations before expanding to enterprise-wide initiatives. Since departments don't operate in isolation, we'll identify cross-functional connection points, but we can tailor our approach to your specific organizational needs and budget constraints.

Unlike consultants who deliver theoretical recommendations in lengthy reports, we focus on practical implementation that delivers measurable results. Our consultants combine deep process expertise with an understanding of the Midwest business environment. As your neighbors since 1957, we're committed to long-term relationships rather than quick engagements, providing ongoing support to ensure lasting improvements.

Five key indicators include: persistent inefficiencies and bottlenecks that delay projects, increasing error rates affecting quality, rising operational costs with shrinking margins, difficulty keeping pace with competitors, and employee frustration or burnout from cumbersome workflows. If your team spends excessive time waiting for approvals, manually re-entering data between systems, or creating workarounds for broken processes, these are clear signals that process improvement could deliver significant value.

Our approach follows a structured method that begins with defining clear goals aligned with your strategic objectives. We then map existing workflows, analyze performance data, develop targeted improvement strategies, implement changes with strong change management, monitor results using established KPIs, and create frameworks for continuous evaluation. This systematic approach ensures we identify root causes rather than symptoms, leading to sustainable improvements rather than temporary fixes.

Beyond efficiency, comprehensive process documentation delivers multiple benefits: it ensures consistency and quality across operations, accelerates onboarding for new employees, preserves institutional knowledge when staff changes occur, streamlines operations by eliminating guesswork, helps maintain regulatory compliance, and promotes business continuity during leadership transitions or absences. Properly documented workflows also create the foundation for future improvements and technology implementations by clearly establishing your current state.

We prioritize improvement opportunities based on several factors: financial impact (where inefficiencies are most costly), strategic alignment with your business goals, frequency of process execution (daily vs. occasional), customer impact, employee pain points, and implementation feasibility. This balanced approach helps us identify "quick wins" that demonstrate value while also addressing fundamental issues with long-term significance. During our initial consultation, we'll help you assess which processes would deliver the greatest return on your improvement investment.

Process mapping documents the sequence of activities in a workflow, while our value stream mapping goes deeper by measuring the actual time spent at each step, identifying decision points, documenting the information and documents involved, and distinguishing between value-adding and non-value-adding activities. This detailed time measurement is crucial for quantifying improvement opportunities and demonstrating ROI. Our consultants are certified in both approaches and select the appropriate methodology based on your specific needs and goals.