Whether process automation is good or bad is no longer up for debate. Nowadays, automation has become a must for any business that wants to succeed. The value that process automation brings is too much to ignore.
The question now is about how and why you should automate your business. What exactly can be automated in your process depends on the industry that you’re in. This is a major factor that directly influences your business process automation choices.
No matter what industry you’re in, there are general automation benefits that apply to you. While it’s true that the specific automation details can vary significantly from one industry to the other, the benefits apply to everyone.
Unlike what most people think, business automation doesn’t “destroy” jobs. In fact, it improves them. The“robots are coming for our jobs” rhetoric is as far from the truth as it could be. Business automation actually allows people to work in better jobs. They no longer need to do all of the redundant, boring tasks the can be automated.
Instead, more jobs are being created to keep up with the rapid business automation that’s taking place. This Forbes article clearly explains this effect and the expected growth in jobs due to the global business automation trend.
So, if you’re still wondering why business automation is good for your business, the following reasons will put things into perspective.
Reason 1: Less Human Error
One of the things that all humans have in common is the fact that they all make mistakes. This is a part of what makes us human. No matter how much instructions and training you provide to your staff, mistakes are inevitable.
Depending on your industry, mistakes can have anything from mild to catastrophic results on your business. And that’s where automation truly shines. Unlike humans, robots do not make mistakes. It doesn’t matter if a system is operating or a single shift or for days at a time. It’ll never make a mistake that’ll cost you money or hurt your reputation.
In most cases, tasks that cause most human errors are the repetitive tasks that are better when automated. Repetitive tasks are something that machines are better equipped for than humans.
Reason 2: Lower Operational Costs
Hiring more staff members can be costly, especially if you’re doing it to fill roles that don’t have a big effect on your bottom line. Most businesses have redundant tasks that require additional labor.
If you hire more people to fill these roles, you’ll add a big financial burden to your business, which can easily be avoided. The right automation solution won’t only perform these tasks better, it’s also cheaper in the long run.
Sure, the initial cost of creating a custom automation solution might be higher than actually hiring someone. However, automation is an investment that pays for itself over time. The ROI of an automation solution depends on the number of people it’s replacing.
The best thing about these solutions is that they’re completely scalable. When your business grows, your new tools can easily adapt to this change, instead of having to hire more and more people, and adding to your business expenses.
Reason 3: Higher Client Satisfaction
If you want to keep your client satisfaction rates high, you must automate as many of your business processes as possible. The reason for that is quite simple, which is the fact that machines are more reliable.
They’ll never take a sudden sick leave or forget anything. The result is more consistent results that keep your clients satisfied. Knowing that a business will deliver the exact same great result every time is something that keeps clients happy. If you want consistency in the quality of your services, business automation will help you achieve that.
Reason 4: Scalability
Scaling a business can be a complicated process. There are many variables that add to a business’s operational costs when it’s being scaled. The more manual process your business has, the harder it is to scale that business.
When you automate your processes though, scalability becomes easier. All you have to do is make sure that your systems can accommodate that growth. If not, minor upgrades are all you’ll need.
Upgrading a system to scale with a business isn’t only easier, it’s also much cheaper and less complicated than having to hire more staff.
Reason 5: Better Collaboration
Another added benefit to business automation solutions is that they allow your team to collaborate better. You might think that this automation results in poor teamwork. However, it’s the exact opposite.
When repeated tasks are automated, your staff will have more time to focus on things that matter. Instead of doing the same things over and over, they’ll work together to make the business better.
When all of your business processes have to be done manually, your team will have to dedicate all of their efforts just to keep things moving. The result is wasting human potential and putting that valuable brainpower where it’s not needed.
Reason 6: Increased Accountability
When you automate and streamline your business properly, you know exactly what everyone is responsible for. This is something that comes as a result of having clear, well-defined tasks, with all the minor tasks automated.
If your business has many small tasks that are not automated, they tend to become “nobody’s responsibility”, as none of your staff is directly responsible for them.
When you automate these tasks, you end up with the few important tasks that staff members are directly responsible for. Having this clear responsibility distribution increases the staff’s accountability for work done and makes quality control easier.
Reason 7: Better Business Insights
Automated and digitalized processes are much easier to track. Your system knows exactly the time, effort and resources required to carry out a specific task. Using the right tools, you can get valuable business insights that’ll help you make it better.
Decisions that are based on facts are better than ones that are based on mere guesses, and that’s another thing that business automation solutions can help you achieve.
Conclusion
Automation is essential for any business that wants to remain competitive in today’s market. There are several tips outlined here to help you do just that.
B5 Digital provides experienced professionals that can help you make the most of your automation efforts, allowing you to enjoy time and cost savings, as well as improved productivity and customer service. Contact our team today to get started.”
