Workplace automation has the power to transform the way that businesses do business. Taking on a wide range of shapes and forms, workplace automation is a broad concept and while you might not notice it, you have probably already come across workplace automation in your day to day life.
Much like the automation of the past, which ended up revolutionising the working world, modern workplace automation is changing the economy and gaining momentum. As technology becomes more and more advanced, businesses increasingly have new opportunities to streamline the work that they do while at the same time improve the overall efficiency of the work being done.
What exactly is Workplace Automation?
While workplace automation might conjure up images of robots and other such futuristic concepts, it is a lot simpler than that.
Modern workplace automation has more to do with the software that you use to make your daily work tasks a whole lot easier and a lot more organised.
In simple terms, workplace automation is about creating systems capable of doing repetitive work tasks that can be replicated over and over again. The automation part of the term means that human labour is no longer needed and while this does raise ethical concerns, not all types of workplace automation are going to result in the end of careers. Instead, in many cases, the automation can free up employee time so that they can focus on other more important things.
In the past, most types of automation really ate into budgets and as such made it just about impossible for small businesses to get their hands on it.
Today, as with most advancement in the tech world, automation is now more easily accessible and small businesses have a lot more opportunity to use this technology to their advantage.
Types of Workplace Automation
Repetitive work tasks that take up valuable time can cost a business money, not to mention the fact that such tasks are exceptionally boring.
Automation that consists of older technology are great but it is the newer stuff, like machine learning, that small businesses should start looking into. These types of automation programmes are not only perfect because they are efficient and cost effective, but because they are also capable of learning, they are able to adapt to the unique needs of the business using it.
If you are a small business owner looking to climb on the automation trend, here are some examples of the types that you can and should invest in.
- Customer Services
Every business needs top notch customer service and with things like automated text messages updating clients on promotions and important dates, and even chatbots to answer every day queries immediately as they come in, you can be in constant contact with clients without having to get staff involved.
- Emails
Much like customer service automation, email automation allows a company to save time and money by automating general emails that don’t require client feedback. Email automation is great for marketing but it is equally fantastic for things like invoicing.
- Sales
Sales automation is not so much about sending promotions and ads (that could be ignored as spam anyway) as it has to do with getting leads, processing orders, tracking parcels, and generally managing accounts. By automating such processes you are instantly freeing up staff time for more important jobs, like taking a client out for coffee.
Automation in the workplace is also commonly used for performing various HR tasks, like finding and hiring employees, tackling the monthly payroll and organising timesheets.
Wherever workplace automation is being used, human error is being removed, time and money is being saved, and employees are feeling more motivated by their work, if only because they are not being bored stiff with repetitive tasks.
If you are making the wise decision to automate various tasks in your business, contact 24/7 IT Services today and let our team help you. We can also sort out your VoIP, help you with your Business Continuity plans, and improve your Cyber Security.
