◯△× Co., Ltd. is a creative company that specializes in producing promotional videos for small and medium-sized businesses. They mainly target the manufacturing and service industries and produce a wide range of videos, including product introductions, recruitment videos, and brand videos.
The company’s operations follow an integrated process that begins with receiving a request from a client and continues through concept design, video shooting, editing, and delivery. The small, elite production department of approximately 10 people delivers an average of 5 to 10 videos per month, and efficient process management to handle multiple projects simultaneously is the key to the success of the business.
*This process improvement story is a work of fiction. It has no connection to any real persons or organizations.
1. Issue: The Billing Process Is Not Progressing
Client review and acceptance reports are important steps in completing video production projects completion, but delays in the latter frequently hinder the billing process, causing significant issues.
Inspection delays will impede the issuance of invoices and payment confirmation. As a result, cash flow will become unstable and revenue recognition will be delayed, which will have a negative impact on the company’s income and expenditure plans. For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, stable cash flow is directly linked to securing working capital, so these delays risk affecting investments in other projects and employee payments.
2. Solution: Introduce “Inferred Inspections”
To address this issue, the process owner sets an inspection deadline for the public form and implements an inferred inspection process. This process dictates that if the client fails to report the inspection within a defined timeframe (for example, 14 days following delivery), the inspection will be automatically considered complete.
During implementation, it is important to clearly communicate inferred inspection rules and deadlines to clients. Flexibility regarding special circumstances fosters client trust and strengthens relationships.
Before
View details of the workflow diagram
1. Private URL Registration
The production department enters the video inspection request details.
2. Shipping Inspection
Internal reviewers inspect the delivery data. If there are any revisions, they send it back to the production department; otherwise, they complete the process.
Delivery Notification (Throwing Message Intermediate Event (email))
An inspection request email is sent to the client.
x1. Acceptance Reporting
The client inspects the delivered data.
3. Acceptance Completion Confirmation
The production department confirms the completion of the acceptance.
After
View details of the workflow diagram
1. Private URL Registration
The production department enters the video inspection request details.
2. Shipping Inspection
Internal reviewers inspect the delivery data. If there are any revisions, they send it back to the production department; otherwise, they complete the process.
Delivery Notification (Throwing Message Intermediate Event (email))
An inspection request email is sent to the client.
x1. Acceptance Reporting
The client inspects the delivered data. If no acceptance report is received from the client within a specified period (e.g., 14 days) after delivery, the acceptance will be automatically considered complete.
3. Acceptance Completion Confirmation
The production department confirms the completion of the acceptance.
3. Benefits
Stabilizing Cash Flow
Eliminating delays in inspections means that invoices can be issued without interruption, payment obligations can be determined more quickly, and companies can secure a stable source of working capital.
Efficient Project Progress
Streamlining acceptance inspections will ensure smoother project progression, freeing up resources for subsequent projects. This will enhance the efficiency of our small, specialized team managing concurrent projects.
Preventing Delays in Recording Revenue
Smooth billing processes allow revenue to be recorded more quickly. This prevents adverse effects on a company’s financial planning and supports accurate business planning.
4. Other Business Applications
Software Development
By implementing a system to ensure that client inspection is completed within the deadline after the delivery of the application or system development, it is possible to prevent delays in release and billing processing. This system makes it possible to smoothly progress the project and utilize development resources efficiently.
Construction Industry
Implementing a post-completion inspection system in construction and renovation projects accelerates the handover confirmation process, enabling quicker initiation of the next project and faster billing. This improves project management efficiency and stabilizes cash flow.
Education and Training Industry
Collect feedback and completion confirmations for online courses or training programs by a set deadline to streamline payment processing and enable timely progression to future programs, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating revenue generation.
E-commerce Site Management
Streamline your product sales and returns process by setting deadlines for customer confirmation of returns and review ratings. This system enables quick completion, efficient inventory management, and better planning for future shipments.