Consumer Research and Process Improvement

Most firms have their IT teams taking care of their business process re-engineering projects. Often, this is seen as the challenge in process engineering, as there is a disconnect between the IT and the business units when it comes to who takes ownership of process engineering. IT teams increasingly act as a horizontal division in the matrix that cater to the business unit (verticals). As a result, they are in the best position to 'implement' any process improvement initiatives. But, from a 'what process to improve' perspective, the business units have the best idea of what is right and what needs to change. This clash of conflicts is common in most organizations.

Another problem in process re-engineering is the business case for these projects. Most process re-engg. initiatives are internal to the company, often aimed at improving the operating efficiency of various BUs. But how often are BPM projects a result of a consumer research result? And considering the minimal interactions that IT teams have with marketing / Consumer research teams, are they in a position to understand the pulse of the customer and develop processes that are aimed at specifically enhancing the service offering to the end customer?