The use of technology to automate routine, repetitive tasks is transforming just about every industry by helping businesses to perform low-level work faster and more cost-effectively. 

“Businesses can reap the benefits of automation by improving efficiencies and using automation as a steppingstone to growth,” says Ian Dury, Business Support Manager at Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa. “Automation processes helps to reduce waste, inconsistencies, complexity and the number of processes in a business. It can also:

1. Support business growth

By investing in automation, business leaders give their employees tools to automate previously manual processes. This allows them to achieve more in the same amount of time or less and supports productivity and ultimately business growth.

2. Increase sophistication and innovation

To keep a step ahead of competitors, organisations need to constantly look for ways to expand and improve their offerings. While this is positive, the reality is that adding something new to an existing business model can result in more complex internal systems and processes. Automation can decrease complexities by taking manual routine processes off employees’ desks and giving them more time to focus on more difficult tasks. This can also lead to greater innovation, as employees spend more time focusing on high-value tasks such as strategy and analysis.

3. Automation improves accuracy

Automation greatly reduces the risk of human error – after all, a machine’s concentration or energy never wavers. There are many tasks, such as data transference, that can be performed by automated technology at much greater speeds and accuracy than humans.

4. Automation prepares for the future

Automation is also key in preparing the business for the future. At the beginning of the automation process, companies are likely to start by automating some of the simpler and more repetitive tasks. This experience makes any future automation attempts far easier as the necessary infrastructure, workflows and cultural changes have already been set up.

“We have seen that automation can have significant benefits if the systems are deployed mindfully and strategically. Successful implementation is particularly important if the organisation is unfamiliar with automated processes, as taking on too much at once can be disruptive, says Dury.

He says it is best to automate one process or system at a time, and then use this experience as a case study for the rest of the business. Identify business processes with high automation potential to determine where it can be applied most profitably. “To get the full worth of automation efforts, be sure to consider how entire processes could be transformed by automation, rather than isolating individual activities within those processes. Ensure employees are clear on the strategic objectives behind the business’s automation efforts, so they understand the value of the automated process and can ensure the goals are achieved,” he concludes.

Automation on its own is not a silver bullet. However, when implemented strategically and thoughtfully, it has the potential to reduce inefficiencies and costs and support growth, encourage innovation and prepare the business for the future.