In recent years, automation has completely transformed the way in which most businesses operate. Businesses have not only found immense benefit in automating redundant tasks, but they are also able to focus on bigger and better opportunities once mundane processes have been automated. To help visualize this better, 70% of respondents of a recent McKinsey survey said that they are piloting automation in at least one business function.
But what is it about automation that appeals to so many businesses? How does it really affect the way in which your company operates, and what does it mean for your teams?
In this blog, we’ll share everything you need to know about business automation software, how it can affect your organizational processes, and what you can do to train your teams to adopt your new business automation software.
What Is Business Automation Software Used For?
As the name suggests, business automation software is used for enterprise automation and intelligent automation so that teams do not have to be involved in every single workflow. This naturally frees up a lot of time and allows teams to expend their energy and focus on other, more pressing tasks.
By automating your processes, you can reduce the number of humans involved in reviewing and managing each process from end to end. This reduces the risk of unnecessary errors and also takes a lot of the complexity out of day-to-day operations.
Here are some processes for which enterprise automation software can be used:
Expense Tracking
Companies have multiple different kinds of expenses. While some fixed costs, such as utility bills and other such expenses, can be budgeted for and tracked easily, other costs such as marketing spend, employee benefits, and customer dinners, etc., can be a lot more difficult to track. The invoices for all of these different expenses may also be in completely different formats, making it even more difficult to track without automation.
This is one of the key areas in which business automation can come in handy. Automation tools are generally equipped with features that allow them to import data from multiple locations and standardize it so that it’s easier to process. Since this business software is built exclusively for process optimization, it can easily integrate with other tools in your organization to prevent unnecessary delays.
What’s more, since budgets and expenses often need approval from several stakeholders, process automation tools like Intalio Workflow also come with options for digital signatures. This way, team leads and managers can easily approve budgets and invoices in a single place without the need to browse through countless email threads.
Inatlio’s business process management tools also come with correspondence tracking capabilities that centralize all communications and correspondence regarding a project in one place. This gives stakeholders more visibility into the entire process and allows them to view, manage, and archive all correspondence in just a few clicks.
Customer Interactions
Customer support is another key area that can be automated with process management. Customer queries can often be repetitive. Instead of having a team of customer support representatives respond to the same queries multiple times a day, process management solutions can be used along with chatbots to answer customer queries easily and without any delays.
In case a query requires a more detailed response, the customer service team can intervene and provide the customer with a more personalized experience. This will not only save the time of the customer support team but also ensure that all customers are dealt with in a prompt manner.
What Features Should You Look For In Business Automation Software?
The features that would work best for your organization will depend largely on what processes you need to automate and your existing tech stack. After all, each company’s requirements are different, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach that works when choosing software. However, there are some features and capabilities that are quite necessary when it comes to automation. Let’s take a look at a few of them:
- Correspondence tracking: Having all of your correspondences in one place is critical if you want greater visibility into your processes. Correspondence tracking makes this easier by gathering all communications in one place and allowing users to manage processes and correspondences with just a few clicks. Most process optimization tools also come with the ability to control access, which means that only authorized personnel will be allowed to view the entire stream of correspondence, which may contain sensitive data.
- Digital approvals: Email threads can be bulky, time-consuming, and inefficient. Having a way to view, manage, and approve documents and processes in one location is a much faster and more efficient way of getting the job done instead of sending multiple emails and reminders.
- Case management: Case management can involve a lot of complexity. This is why streamlining cases and viewing all information related to them in one centralized location is key to faster work and increased productivity. Case management solutions like Intalio Workflow are also equipped with embedded forms and workflows that make collecting and updating information a breeze.
How to Prepare Your Teams for Using Intelligent Automation Software
In many cases, the main reasons why teams are hesitant about using new software are either a lack of operational knowledge or the fear that the software will be used to replace them. Both of these concerns can easily be overcome with proper training on the tool.
Once teams realize that intelligent automation can help them perform their jobs better, they will be more interested in learning how the tool works and how it can be used effectively. The key is to foster a culture of learning and improvement where managers actively support their teams and help them learn how to implement the new tool into their workflows.
Another important step is to start slow. Instead of automating all processes at once, teams should focus on one or two areas at a time so that they can figure out how to effectively implement automation. Since there can be a bit of a learning curve with any new tool, starting slow will allow everyone to solve problems together and figure out more creative solutions in case they face any problems with implementation.
Ready to experience the power of enterprise automation? Request a personalized demo today to find out how Intalio Workflow can help transform your business.
