Today, more and more businesses are looking to unlock efficiency savings through the strategic use of technology. From collaboration tools that support maximum team productivity, to enterprise software programs that promote resource optimisation, countless solutions exist to help businesses become leaner and more profitable.
One of the most impactful technologies driving greater efficiency in the workplace is automation. Automated solutions allow businesses of all sizes to reduce the burden of routine manual tasks, helping to enhance workflow efficiency, accuracy, and productivity. By reducing the time spent on low-value activities, staff have more time to spend on strategically valuable tasks that benefit from human insights, creativity, and ingenuity. Today, automation can be applied across virtually every business process and department, including customer service, HR, finance, marketing, data entry, and social media management.
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Automation has been something of an IT buzzword in recent years, and with good reason. Used tactically, automated solutions can reduce error, result in faster outcomes for customers, and free staff to focus on value-adding activities. In this article we’ll help you identify which processes are best suited to automation, guide you through some of the most transformative automation technologies, and explain an IT provider’s role in terms of implementing automated solutions.
Which Processes Are Suitable for Automation?
There are a few rules you can use to discern which processes and workflows are suitable for automation. Ask yourself the following about a process to determine its suitability:
Is it repetitive?
Tasks that are performed in the same way each time are ideal candidates for automation. Predictability makes it easy to apply simple automations and ensures that systems can operate autonomously without regular intervention.
Does it occur regularly?
You want to apply automation to high-volume, frequent processes that occupy an inordinate amount of staff time relative to the value they yield. This will ensure that your investment in automation yields maximum returns for your businesses in the form of efficiency savings.
Is it rule-based?
Automation technologies are getting better at mimicking human intelligence (we’ll get on to that in a moment), but the easiest processes to automate are those defined by clear, logical rules. If certain inputs invariably result in corresponding outputs, then a process is a perfect candidate for automation.
Is it error-prone?
Tasks and processes that are prone to human error due to their lengthy and complex nature can be improved by automation. Automated solutions can ensure such processes are executed accurately and consistently each time, eliminating errors that result in poorer outcomes and time wasted on corrections.
Does it require scalability?
Processes subject to fluctuating demand are well-suited for automation. Technological solutions possess a much greater capacity to absorb increased workload demands than human workers, enabling them to scale with greater ease.
Which Automation Technologies Should I Consider?
There are numerous options you can explore to deploy automation in your business, ranging from tools designed to streamline simple rule-based tasks, to solutions intended for full-system automation. Consider the following options, and work with your IT team to identify suitable use cases for each in your business.
Robotic Process Automation
Robotic process automation (RPA) utilises software robots to perform repetitive, rule-based tasks such as data entry, transaction processing, record filing, and performing calculations. The robots involved in RPA replicate the inputs a human operative would make, including keyboard entries and mouse clicks. This makes RPA particularly beneficial for applying automation across non-integrated software applications and avoids the need to make changes to the underlying software.
RPA allows organisations to quickly deploy simple automations that deliver immediate impact and high return on investment. Simple, versatile, and highly-scalable, robotic process automation provides an excellent gateway to more comprehensive and advanced automation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence is a field of computer science centred around the development of machines and software able to mimic human intelligence characteristics, including reasoning, perception, the ability to process natural language, learn from experience, and more. When coupled with automation technologies like RPA, AI enables automation to be applied to a much wider range of circumstances.
For example, AI algorithms can be used to spot trends in data in order to create detailed financial forecasts. Optical character recognition uses AI to interpret and extract information from a range of documents, freeing human workers from the time-consuming burden of data entry. AI can even be used to screen the CVs of job applicants against role requirements, reducing the workload on HR staff.
These are just a few of the growing number of use cases for AI, which is now more accessible than ever thanks to cloud-based services.
Business Process Automation (BPA)
Business process automation takes a whole-system approach to applying automation. It involves identifying complex multi-step processes that stand to benefit from wholesale automation, mapping out these processes to understand their requirements and dependencies, and then applying automation software to streamline them. The goal of BPA is to automate a process from end to end, with automation applied across disparate systems, and trigger actions set up according to predefined rules.
BPA can be more strenuous to implement than simpler forms of automation, often requiring an investment in a dedicated BPA platform. However, the benefits on offer business-wide can be profound, ranging from improved efficiency and greater accuracy to substantial cost savings and better compliance outcomes.
The Role of an IT Support Provider in Implementing Automation
An IT support provider can act as your strategic partner, ensuring your automation solution achieves its desired outcomes and continues delivering for your business long after its initial introduction. Here are some of the ways an IT support provider can ensure your automation project delivers maximum business benefits:
Strategic Consultancy
An IT provider can help you identify processes that offer automation opportunities and marry these with the right solutions for your budget, requirements, and IT infrastructure. They can also offer compliance guidance and support, ensuring that the data handled by your new automations is afforded adequate protection to ensure its integrity and confidentiality.
Maintenance and Performance Optimisation
An IT support provider can ensure your automation solutions undergo regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and continuous reliability. They can also undertake capacity planning to ensure your automations are always ready to accommodate demand increases and the introduction of new workflows.
Training and Support
An IT support provider can help you and your team get the most out your new solution with training and advice that ensures employees are proficient in using new automated systems. They’ll also be able to provide ongoing technical support, including remote troubleshooting, to ensure downtime is kept to a minimum and productivity maximised.
NetPlatforms – Value-Adding IT for Businesses Across London, Essex, and The Southeast
Secure, dependable, and fully-optimised IT is a key growth driver in our information age. We help businesses across the Southeast conquer their greatest operational challenges using tailored tech solutions deployed and managed by seasoned IT experts. We help your business harness technology as a growth driver with proactive IT management that minimises downtime and strategic solutions designed to propel your productivity to new heights. Get in touch today to find out more. We’d love to hear from and help you conquer your persistent tech challenges.