I met with someone I had not talked to in quite some time over coffee this morning, and our discussion was about automating business process. I know, it sounds pretty dull to the average person, but it was quite refreshing to me. This technology is something that really gets me excited! I love technology that helps people work better and streamlines the way a business operates.

Our discussion started around the fact that many businesses do not recognize the opportunity to automate things.  Sometimes I think that those of us in the industry, who get caught up in the technology, the acronyms, and the crazy lingo around automating are at fault. We often overcomplicate it, when it is really a very simple thing. There are some elegant ways to use software to automate things.  You might think, I already have an ERP, CRM, or some other business solution for this. These are all good things.  Many times the real gain in productivity comes by addressing the gaps that are left by the software you already have in place.

These productivity gaps are most often found by looking for the manual tasks that seem like time wasters.  This could be that person walking around with a clipboard and manually filling things out.  Or it could be more hidden.  Maybe it is even already electronic.  It can be found in that group of people who are matching electronic documents to verify a process.  It can be found in a detailed approval process that takes more time than imagined.  It could be HR, AP, customer service, shipping, or virtually any department.

As we met over coffee, we discussed a specific solution where an executive spent about 32 hours weekly on cross-checking information and generating reports for others to review. Automating this process, reduced the time spent to just a couple of hours a week at tops. There are automation possibilities everywhere in business. We just have to look for them.

Why don’t we find and address these things?  Sometimes business leaders are held back, because they are unaware of the technology that is available.  Simple workflow, routing documents, reminding users, automatically recognizing text on a page, creating webforms, mobile information capture, automated data entry and more can save huge amounts of time and free people up to do what they are best at, interacting with other people.

Another common roadblock is just having time to address these things.  We are all moving fast in this accelerating business environment. If we do not stop and take time to improve, the hamster wheel just keeps going.  Process improvement technology presents a better wheel, a better work process, and a better result. The time to map and understand workflow and apply technology is always worth it!

Sometimes it is perceived expense that holds us back.  Automation of data recognition and other tasks can present a price tag.  It is always best to evaluate that price tag against the return.  How many work hours are you saving?  Many times, automation will save 30 to 60 percent in people time.  It also reduces error, eliminates missed deadlines, improves the level of service we give customers, and provides peace of mind.  It keeps tasks consistently on track with less mental energy from our teams and less worry and oversight from managers.

So, what are the steps to begin an automation initiative?

The first step is to identify your best opportunities for automation.  Start by looking for very manual processes.  Where are people spending significant amounts of time?  Challenge your assumptions that certain things cannot be automated.  This is almost always a false pretense. Set aside the worry that automating something will make it less customer friendly.  If done right, automation improves customer service and relationships.

Look for areas where people or teams are spending large chunks of time.  Look for areas where there is high risk for error or high risk of loss, if an error is made.  Consider areas that have high dependence on one person.  “We don’t know exactly how Marylyn does what she does, but if we ever lost her, we would be up the proverbial creek.”  Evaluate areas that often break down.  Maybe there is a deadline that is often missed, or when it is missed, creates big customer issues.  These areas are ripe for automation.

Once you have identified some areas that could be impacted, rate them as to which are most “ripe” for automation.  Rate them by:

• Impact – If this were automated, it would have a huge impact on operations, profit, customer service, or even hiring.
• Easy Win – Sometimes you need to start with something easier than the most impactful thing to get a “win” and get people onboard.
• Right People – Getting started with a department or people that are not as change resistant can be good.
• Risk Reduction – Sometimes the area of greatest risk to customer service, operations, or retaining employees is the right start.

Once you’ve considered areas for improvement, it is time to find a solution.  There are times when a simple change of process can bring huge payback, but most often you need something more.  It often makes sense to look at a current software solution or vendor you are already engaged with. Just using what you have can often produce better results.  There is a balance here, sometimes another perspective is needed.  An existing vendor may not have a wide enough view towards automation.

Bringing in a partner who specializes in process automation is often the right next step.  A good partner in this area should begin by working to gain an understanding of your business process and areas that you think are “ripe” for automation.  Most often a partner will offer solutions that can fill the gap for automation, and work with your current line of business software. They will have the knowledge and skills to apply all the tech-gizmo-cool technology we mentioned earlier.  Prepare to hear about RPA, connectors, database linking, electronic forms, mobile interfaces and more, but be sure the focus stays on making your business more productive!