The benefits of developing an automation strategy

Many of the resources available here from our team at Automation Hero feature specific technologies and use cases. While these resources are instructive in understanding how automation can work for your business, they don’t often dive deep into the strategy of deploying automation in your own business.

In this comprehensive discussion, we venture into the strategic realm of automation. By analyzing its various aspects and benefits, we aim to help you develop an automation strategy that improves efficiency, optimizes ROI, and unlocks the latent business value stuck in vital document-centric operations.

As we dissect the components of a carefully planned automation strategy, we will discover how an automation strategy incorporating intelligent document processing (IDP) can drive your business goals forward with the agility to respond quickly to an ever-evolving business environment.

What is an automation strategy?

An automation strategy is a comprehensive plan that guides an organization’s deployment and utilization of automation technologies. This plan should align with the organization’s overarching business objectives, ensuring that automation initiatives contribute effectively to the achievement of those goals. 

An effective automation strategy identifies processes that are suitable for automation, selects appropriate automation tools, considers the potential impact on the workforce, and establishes metrics for assessing the success of the automation efforts. It also incorporates plans for managing change and up-skilling employees to work effectively with new technologies.

In essence, an automation strategy provides a clear roadmap for an organization’s automation journey, helping to ensure a successful transition and maximize the benefits of automation.

In essence, an automation strategy provides a clear roadmap for an organization’s automation journey, helping to ensure a successful transition and maximize the benefits of automation.

Understanding Automation

Automation, in a business context, refers to the use of technology to execute repetitive tasks, processes, or policies, replacing manual effort. The simplest form of software automation can range from simple scripting programs that run “on top” of other software tools, automated basic web scraping tasks, to sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms that handle evolving complex workflows. 

Automation encompasses everything from simple task automation using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to more complex decision-making processes driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine Learning (ML), to specific use technologies like Intelligent Document Processing (IDP).

Meanwhile, an automation strategy is essentially a roadmap for implementing and using automation technologies with existing software tools. Rather than “ripping and replacing” existing processes and systems with newer technologies, an automation strategy helps an organization determine which processes and tasks are ripe for automation. A carefully planned automation strategy includes: 

1. Identification of processes ripe for automation.
2. Selection of appropriate automation tools.
3. Training of employees to handle new systems.
4. Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing the effectiveness of automation.

The need for an automation strategy stems from the essential understanding that technology alone cannot guarantee success. While automation has immense potential to drive efficiency and growth, adoption and implementation can be the difference between a business that reaches its full potential and one that heads in the wrong direction while the competition gets ahead.

While automation has immense potential to drive efficiency and growth, adoption and implementation can be the difference between a business that reaches its full potential and one that heads in the wrong direction while the competition gets ahead.

A clear, well-thought-out automation strategy prevents disjointed automation efforts that can lead to inefficiencies, duplication, or even process gaps. It ensures a comprehensive, harmonized approach to automation, making certain that every piece of technology adopted serves a specific purpose aligned with the organization’s overall business objectives.

Benefits of automation: efficiency and productivity

Automation drives efficiency by taking over repetitive tasks, allowing businesses to accomplish more in less time. Improved velocity for processes is but one benefit.  Automation also unlocks the potential of employees, giving them the freedom to focus on more complex tasks that require human judgment and creativity. This has a significant effect on overall productivity levels within an organization.

Take, for example, the automation of data entry tasks. Automated systems can process data much faster than a human could, and they can do it round-the-clock without breaks or downtime. This shift leads to faster turnaround times and a substantial increase in productivity levels.

Automation also ensures consistency in business processes, which contributes to improved service delivery. Automated processes are less prone to variations, ensuring that the quality of output remains high regardless of the volume of work.

Furthermore, automation enables 24/7 operations, allowing businesses to increase their productivity levels beyond traditional working hours. With automated systems in place, businesses can continue to provide services or generate output, giving them a competitive edge in today’s digital, always-on world.

Benefits of automation: accuracy and compliance

With automation, businesses can achieve a high degree of accuracy in their operations. Automated systems are not prone to the errors that can occur with manual processes, thus ensuring the reliability of business operations. This level of accuracy is particularly beneficial in areas where mistakes can lead to significant consequences, such as financial reporting or data management.

Moreover, automation can be a key tool for regulatory compliance. Automated systems can be programmed to follow regulations to the letter, reducing the risk of non-compliance due to human error. They also maintain detailed logs of their operations, providing an audit trail in the event of a compliance review. For example, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has become indispensable in our global economy. ESG reporting is a complex process, but ESG reporting automation systems that leverage AI can help enterprises reach their ESG goals faster.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has become indispensable in our global economy. ESG reporting is a complex process, but ESG reporting automation systems that leverage AI can help enterprises reach their ESG goals faster.

In sectors where compliance is heavily regulated, such as finance and healthcare, automation helps businesses adhere to complex regulations and guidelines. Through automation, businesses can ensure the consistent application of rules, maintain accurate records, and reduce the risk of costly non-compliance penalties.

Furthermore, automation can streamline compliance processes by eliminating the need for humans to perform time-consuming and error-prone tasks like record-keeping and reporting. Human errors are expensive to fix and sometimes cost millions of dollars in operational losses. Automation not only saves time and resources; it also allows businesses to focus more on their core operations.

Benefits of automation: employee empowerment and satisfaction

Automation offers significant potential for employee empowerment. By relieving employees of mundane, repetitive tasks, automation allows them to concentrate on more strategic, creative roles that add greater value to the business.

This re-orientation towards more strategic roles can enhance job satisfaction, as it empowers employees to make more substantial contributions towards achieving the organization’s objectives. It can foster a sense of achievement, improve morale, and increase employee retention rates.

Additionally, adopting automation often necessitates up-skilling employees, offering them opportunities to learn and grow professionally. This can lead to a more engaged workforce that is prepared to take on the challenges of the future workplace.

…the adoption of automation often necessitates up-skilling employees, offering them opportunities to learn and grow professionally. This can lead to a more engaged workforce that is prepared to take on the challenges of the future workplace.

Finally, the adoption of automation signifies an organization’s commitment to innovation and efficiency, aspects that can enhance an organization’s image among its employees. A reputation for innovation can make an organization more attractive to prospective and current employees, helping it attract and retain top talent.

Developing an automation strategy: key considerations

A well-defined automation strategy starts with identifying the right processes for automation. Not all processes are good candidates for automation; typically, those that are highly repetitive, rule-based, and time-consuming offer the best immediate returns when automated.

Next, an integral part of crafting a successful automation strategy involves assessing your organization’s readiness for automation. This step encompasses several key factors that will influence how smoothly automation can be implemented and integrated into your business processes.

1. Don’t rip and replace: examine your current tech stack

Examining your existing technology infrastructure is paramount. Understanding what technologies you currently have in place, their capabilities, and how they might interact with new automation tools will provide insight into what changes might need to be made. This can range from ensuring you have sufficient server capacity to handle the additional load to verifying compatibility between different software systems. 

For example, what existing databases do you need to connect with? Does your organization already have an RPA automation system in place that needs to be augmented with AI? Rather than “ripping and replacing” existing automation implementations, select an automation solution that connects existing systems and workflows together, such as Automation Hero’s intelligent document processing (IDP) platform.

Identifying these issues early allows you to avoid a “rip and replace” approach. Instead, planning ahead for necessary upgrades or adjustments helps prevent disruptive last-minute changes.

2. Evaluate your organization’s readiness

Secondly, evaluating the skills and capabilities of your employees is essential. Are your employees ready to work with new technologies? Do they have the necessary digital skills to interact with automation tools? If not, you may need to consider training programs to help up-skill your staff and prepare them for the changes automation will bring. 

In the same vein, considering your organization’s culture towards change is a critical yet often overlooked aspect. It’s important to gauge how receptive your organization is to new technologies and different ways of working.

Is there a culture of innovation and adaptability, or is change typically met with resistance? You may need to develop strategies to manage change and mitigate any resistance, such as communication campaigns to explain the benefits of automation or involving employees in the implementation process to foster a sense of ownership.

…considering your organization’s culture towards change is a critical yet often overlooked aspect. Is there a culture of innovation and adaptability, or is change typically met with resistance? You may need to develop strategies to manage change and mitigate any resistance, such as communication campaigns to explain the benefits of automation or involving employees in the implementation process to foster a sense of ownership.

3. Partnerships matter: select partners who understand your business goals

Selecting the right automation tools and technology partners is another key aspect of developing an automation strategy. The market is flooded with various automation tools, and selecting ones that align with your business needs and goals is crucial. Similarly, choosing a trusted and experienced technology partner can help guide your automation journey, providing the necessary support and expertise.

…choosing a trusted and experienced technology partner can help guide your automation journey, providing the necessary support and expertise.

4. Get your people involved early in the process

Finally, an automation strategy should include plans for training and supporting employees through the transition. This involves providing necessary training to help employees adapt to new systems and roles and ongoing support to ensure they can effectively utilize the new tools and processes. After all, your people are your greatest asset, and you’ll need their help along the way. The institutional knowledge of your business employees have acquired over years in the field will help you identify critical processes that need automation. 

…your people are your greatest asset, and you’ll need their help along the way. The institutional knowledge employees have of your business acquired over years in the field will help you identify critical processes that need automation. 

Embracing the future with automation

The development of a robust automation strategy is critical for businesses seeking to leverage automation for increased efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and employee satisfaction. As we have explored in this post, automation holds significant potential for business improvement, but it’s strategic planning and effective implementation that ensure these benefits are fully realized.

Developing an automation strategy doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By starting with a clear understanding of your business goals, processes, and readiness for automation, you can create a roadmap that aligns with your objectives and paves the way for a successful automation journey.

Developing an automation strategy doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By starting with a clear understanding of your business goals, processes, and readiness for automation, you can create a roadmap that aligns with your objectives and paves the way for a successful automation journey.

We encourage all business leaders to consider the numerous potential benefits of developing an automation strategy. With the right approach, the right tools, and the right partner, your organization can harness the power of automation to drive growth, innovation, and resilience.

We invite you to reach out to us to explore how automation can propel your business into the future. Schedule a demo today to learn more about how Automation Hero can bring your automation strategy to life.

Customize your path to automation success with our AI-driven automation platform today

If you are looking to streamline document processes for your organization, intelligent document processing (IDP) may be the automation solution your team needs. However, sometimes it’s unclear which vendor can deliver the results your organization needs. So, how do you choose the right one?

No matter where you are on your automation journey, Automation Hero is here to make sure that you have the information you need to make the right decision for your organization.

Learn how to evaluate IDP vendors like a pro from three AI and automation experts. Our on-demand webinar identifies the best business processes for automation and provides the initial implementation steps that will help you scale up your digital transformation strategy. 

• Watch the webinar — unlock your on-demand fireside chat now.
• Speak with an expert — tell us about your specific use case.
• Get a personalized demo — schedule a demo, and our Heroes will get in touch!