A staggering percentage of employees are burdened with repetitive tasks that are necessary but tend to get boring as time elapses. Individuals in a business use different applications for tasks such as data searching, entry, and processing.
The tasks are mandated for a seamless workflow. However, owing to their repetitive nature, they tend to slow down the speed of an employee, leaving them with information fatigue and frustration. Slowly, the repetitive tasks not just cause productivity pains, but even human resource hurdles like low employee satisfaction.
Employee-intensive tasks that are repetitive, and rule-based can be driven through process automation that can integrate with current enterprise to offer end-to-end solutions. Automation adds value to the employee experience by freeing up their time and energy for completing other rewarding roles.
Overcome workflow hurdles
Employees in large organizations use an average of six applications which can increase as per the area of function where IT and finance employees have more layers in a workflow. Most of these tasks can be automated through algorithm-based processes that can increase efficiency and remove process gaps.
Inefficiency is a harmful aspect of a company that can lead to a dip in revenues and impacts the brand’s reputation. Process automation, if done right, will increase productivity, remove process gaps and result in a seamless workflow.
The direct benefits of process automation are measured in monetary terms immediately. However, numerous indirect benefits will translate into future business at a later date through business process automation. In this manner, a company ensures not just current but future positive cash flows through business process automation or BPA.
Save time and money through automation
Automation saves time and money. However, if the automation is not programmed to incorporate all the workflow sequencing, then what one has on hand is a menace-wielding tool that disturbs the operations and causes heavy business loss. Invariably automation has to be done only after enough due diligence has been carried out in the following categories:
- Process assessment to identify gaps and improvements
- Due diligence for the cost-benefit analysis for each process as few companies may not justify complete automation as per their size and capacity
- Choosing the right vendor who can help with automation change management after the changes are affected
Here are some ways where automation will help in saving money and time
- Strategic use of manpower
Automation frees up the capacity utilization of employees as repetitive tasks are avoided through AI-powered tools. Machine learning identifies data patterns to form the sequence and logic of a process flow. Hiring and training manpower is an expensive affair.
When repetitive tasks are automated, companies can focus on hiring people to perform tasks that need human involvement instead of mass recruitment of employees. Companies also can concentrate on reskilling their employees to take on the next set of challenges. The free time can be used to learn and find new problems to solve for sustainable development that even earns the company money.
- Fewer errors
Fewer errors will result in less time to get the work done and more productivity in terms of saleable goods and services that yield money for the company. Artificial intelligence aids in heavy data crunching at a faster speed than human minds thereby removing process snags, and delays, and reducing errors.
To err is human, and it is not an intention of an employee to commit errors. However, unlike machines, human minds are often distracted or fatigued after working a few hours at a stretch. Whereas, machines don’t need rest and can work 24/7 without stopping for a break. Stopping process automation from delivering results may be necessary only to prevent the value of produce from going down due to oversupply concerns.
- Improved decision-making
Business process requires many decisions that need to be taken based on critical thinking and sometimes on toes. It is crucial to take business-related decisions only after considering the data assessment and strategizing different plans and backups.
Automation uses deep learning tools that will raise red flags based on the data sets that are already scanned as per the process requirements. These red flags are usually those that are skipped in a manual process. When well-informed decisions are made with the right timing, it profits the business in a multifold manner.
- Removes data inefficiencies
Data is an asset only till it is used in the right frame and within time. Wasted data is often a pile of nothingness that has just contributed to operational pains through data inefficiencies. In a manual process, employees often complain about the amount of time that is wasted just waiting for the data bottlenecks to clear and get the required information in time to complete their tasks.
With automation, all the data is crunched in a few hours and is stored in the repositories which are accessible to all the collaborators without additional tickets requesting the information. Both time and money are saved with unified data sources.
- Lowers overheads
Automation does not need paper for paperwork. It reduces the need for standard office space and people can work in hybrid or remote mode. The real estate footprint of the company offices is reduced and employees can strike a balance between work and personal life. The whole concept indirectly is reducing the supplies and rental overheads as a by-product advantage.
Conclusion:
It is iterated that automation saves time and money. Likewise, it is also important to know that each passing hour of delaying the decision to automate the business process can convert into a huge opportunity cost. A business that delays automation by six months needs to work harder than four years to be in line with a competitor who took the plunge.
Businesses can no longer wait to stabilize their processes before automating them. It is recommended to hire a consultant who can map the requirements of the business and cite the necessary process to automate to test waters for companies that cannot go for complete automation in a single phase.
