Holism in Business Process Management

So, most of my blogs to date can be (maliciously?) characterized as somewhat trite. I've been selfish and talked about what was important to me and not necessarily what others could benefit from. I want to depart from that line of communication for at least one post. Understood that my ramblings are not widely read but allow myself to indulge myself.

I'm a bit of a process-driven person. I believe strongly that any action or interaction can have macro-level implications and that when sentient entities (people or machine) operate in isolation - self-interestedly - that may be counter to any macro-level goals intended by entities with broader goals. Two examples:

Look at a bar/restaurant.

Primary Use Case: Customer dines

The Use Case begins when a Customer decides to dine at a restaurant. There are many process steps that follow and actions taken by some entities in isolation (Customer chooses what restaurant they want to experience without 'polling' any restaurant actors [they may look at menus online, walk by the restaurant, whatever]). Some of the important process steps:

1. Customer makes reservation (optional, depending on type of restaurant). They typically interact with a host(ess) or maitre d', whose job it is to manage restaurant capacity, show a good face, seat customers, etc
2. Customer is seated with a menu(host/hostess), given water (bus boy) and awaits their server
   
3. Server takes Customer's order
   
4. Order is fulfilled - Drinks (bartender), appetizers (expo)
   
5. Server delivers order
6. Customer asks for check and pays

repeat steps 3-5 as necessary. Understood that I've skipped any alternate flows to this Use Case/Process but the critical thing is this: Bartenders don't just make drinks for shits and giggles. They do it for the Customer, in support of their dining experience. Internally, they may prioritize individual tasks differently (and should, in order to be optimally engaged); They may pour all well drinks first because those are right on hand, then move to wine, then beers, then cosmos/martinis. They have their own decision support matrix to determine what to do first but customers waiting for an inordinate period of time will have a negative experience.

Without going into details (naming names, etc), order fulfillment models in Enterprise-scale businesses should operate similarly. Too many of them are metrics-driven in only one or more sub-function. Sales/Service Delivery/Billing Operations are all acting self-interestedly and are quick to 'push-back' because they cannot process something that has entered their processing queue for x, y or z reason. Without sufficient, HOLISTIC, process management, the Customer experience is negative.

Whatever the industry, strive to understand why you are doing what you are doing and in support of what greater goal. Doing that, you'll never fail to meet or exceed Customer expectations