In most industries and markets worldwide, efforts are being put in place to maximize efficiency while minimizing operating costs. Automation and Business Process Management (BPM) can often help achieve these two important goals that many businesses are trying to implement. Fortunately, significant advancements in technology and artificial intelligence have made it easier for companies to automate repetitive and robotic processes. By introducing automation, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors and focus on other core areas of their organization.
When Should Companies Consider Automation?
While there’s no single automation solution that can work across every business, some elements can apply to many business types. Here, we take a closer look at seven processes that organizations should consider automating.
1. Basic customer support and email response
Automated mailing management can be regarded as one of the main breakthroughs of business process automation. However, many businesses still have full-time employees whose primary role is to send customers emails in a template format.
While some enterprises still practice manual email interactions, the practice is outdated, and the job is slowly being made obsolete using chatbots.
2. Filtering and sorting through leads
It’s now possible for businesses to automate receiving and sorting through potential leads. This automation replaces the practice of having your marketing department cold-call potential customers and manually gauging their responses. Instead, bots can be configured to monitor how potential customers interact with the product online. This automation can then go a step further to create engagement with potential customers.
Today, cold-calling still remains popular in a number of industries. However, this traditional method can present a scaling problem when an enterprise expands and ventures into larger markets. In order to keep up with responses, more cold-calling staff would need to be employed.
3. After-sales customer follow-up
When a business performs an after-sale follow-up with its customers, it helps to create loyal relationships. This automated follow-up can be as simple as sending customers a thank you email or promotion tailored to suit their buying preferences.
4. Customer reminders
Besides giving customers the option to fill a virtual basket or make a wish list, businesses can now see when a customer clicks on or views their product. Of course, this information is beneficial when it comes to identifying new leads and potential customers. Once a new lead has been identified, company’s can use this information to engage and remind the customer about the products they were interested in buying.
It’s important to note that this form of targeted marketing should not be mistaken for bombarding customers with product adverts.
5. Social media marketing
Social media has become an integral and hugely beneficial marketing platform, which, when used effectively, has been shown to boost brand engagement and sales exponentially. When a company chooses to automate its social media marketing strategy, it can quickly access new markets and reach a broader audience.
6. Report generation
Report processing and data analysis require qualified and experienced employees to produce and analyze accurate findings. If you have a BPM platform in place, RPA integration makes it possible for a company to improve existing report generation processes by automating elements needed to both generate and evaluate these reports.
7. Payment and invoicing
The financial aspect of a company’s payment and invoicing processes is a susceptible area that is often subject to human error. Automation of these processes sets organizations up to have detailed, accurate, and secure financial operations.
Why Should an Enterprise Automate Business Processes?
Integrating automation into business processes has almost become a necessity for having an advantage over competitors. Below are a few more reasons why top companies invest in automated processes and why others should follow.
Efficient Workflow
In well-thought-out workplace automation, a business can enjoy a more streamlined workflow. This efficiency is made possible by the ability to predict outcomes and then make decisions accordingly.
Streamlining the workflow of the enterprise will help with the company’s overall productivity and efficiency.
Reduced Operational Costs
While some may argue that automation takes away employment opportunities, automation is one of the most efficient ways to achieve business objectives. Instead of placing people in repetitive tasks, companies can move them into more advanced and client-facing roles.
Improved Data Collection on Processes
Automations take on different forms and are subject to the environment they’ve been set up to operate. Improvements in data collection via automation means that there can be sensors or algorithms in a place whose only task is to detect and record metrics in business processes relevant to decision making.
Customer and Employee Satisfaction
When employees are relieved from fulfilling repetitive and monotonous tasks, they can focus on more creative and fulfilling tasks. Not forgetting, of course, that the human element is (and will always be) essential in various parts of a business.
Effective Time and Resource Use
Saving time is a vital resource and should therefore be treated with high regard whenever a company wants to reach its maximum potential. When business processes are automated, more time is available to focus on different areas and other core business objectives.
