7 Important Reasons to Automate Business Processes

We believe that great people make for a great business. Especially when they work hard, are easy to deal with and are efficient at what they do. Automated data can be the key to success in an increasingly competitive business world.

Great people, however are not, and will never be as quick, accurate or cost effective as an automated process. Having a great and effective workforce is still crucial to nearly all manufacturers for example, but when it comes to some of the more dangerous or lightning-fast processes… it’s a good idea for the machines and computers to take over.

In order to help your people do great things, we believe that you should bring in automation wherever it is practical to do so.

But why? What are the tangible business benefits of automation?

Businesses are increasingly required to carry out complex and labour-intensive tasks. We believe that by delivering automation, companies will gain a competitive edge and significant cost-reduction by automating as many manual processes as they can.

Below, we go into detail about what we believe are the seven key reasons for automation:

1. CONSISTENCY & QUALITY:

For your business to thrive, everything you deliver or create should be of the highest standard. Delivering high quality products and the best possible customer service results in happier, long-term customers.

Consistency:

If you automate customer service follow-up processes for example, customers will all receive the same level of service from your business in this area no matter when they join or who they’ve dealt with. This allows you to set an optimal process in place, and have peace of mind that the delivery of this experience is not at risk of someone having an ‘off day’ or subject to human error.

Quality:

Automation ensures that every action is performed identically – resulting in high quality, reliable results. Think about a key area of your business, and consider the wider benefit to you or your customers if you could guarantee uniform performance day in, day out.

A guarantee of quality and consistency coupled with time and efficiency savings allows you to innovate in other areas, building higher quality and more feature-filled products or services with minimal increase in production time or other costs.

2. TIME SAVING

Manual processes have to be performed in a consistent and linear way by humans – who can be prone to errors or are sometimes unable to consistently perform to an exact standard in the same way that a machine could. Time is money – so it’s wise to save time wherever possible by removing human intervention.

Automation tools could vastly reduce the number of tasks that would normally need to be carried out manually. The free time that you create can be used to do work that creates genuine value to your company. It really can’t be understated that removing menial or repetitive tasks can provide a giant boost to colleague morale, energy and motivation.

3. QUICK AND EASY VISIBILITY OF KEY METRICS

Continual success in business is dependant on building and implementing a superior strategy – based wherever possible on ‘data driven’ decision making.

Once you have an advantage, it’s crucial that you effectively monitor, evaluate and modify your strategy in real time – all of which requires you to act based on timely and accurate business data.

Automated systems are managed by workflows as you define them – which are consistently operated in an accurate way, and within your defined timeline.

Automation provides a wide range of benefits over manual systems that will give you the edge.

Whether you’ve opted to automate financial, billing, collections, sales or other data, all required key metrics can be recorded and reported on to provide you with the information you need as often as you need it.

4. A BOOST TO OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Efficiency by definition describes the extent to which time, effort and cost is effectively applied for the intended task or purpose.

Process automation reduces the time it takes to achieve a task, the effort required to undertake it and the cost of completing it successfully.

Automation not only ensures systems run smoothly and efficiently, but that errors are eliminated and that your best practices are constantly leveraged.

We obviously respect that people need to take time off for various reasons. It’s a great feeling to know that no matter who’s in the office, your automated tasks will continue to run and support your business. No sick leave or holidays required.

5. GOVERNANCE & RELIABILITY

The consistency of automated processes gives peace of mind that your business processes are operating effectively and that you can offer real reliability to your customers and maintain a competitive advantage.

The reliability of workflow automation ensures that processes essential for corporate governance are accurately carried out 100% of the time in accordance with set requirements.

6. IMPROVED TURNAROUND TIMES

Workflow automation allows companies to define and streamline their business processes. Eliminate unnecessary tasks and realign process steps to optimise the flow of information throughout your production, service, billing and collection departments.

This adjustment of processes distils operational performance and reduces the turnaround times for both staff and external customers. Reduced data entry will help you to deliver projects or tasks much more quickly. Time spent inputting data can be dedicated to more mentally challenging work.

7. COST REDUCTION

Manual tasks, given that they are performed one-at-a-time and at a slower rate than an automated task, will cost more. Automation allows you to accomplish more by utilising fewer resources.

The advantages of automation are clear. It’s time to get in touch to discuss how we can help to automate key areas of your business.

Click here to hear our MD talk if your business could benefit from business automation.

Pick up the Phone: 02920 712 664