Commonly Overlooked Opportunities for Process Automation

To get the most from new automation opportunities, it’s imperative for a business to examine its processes closely, and not just the technology side.

Digging deep into the business side of processes gives a fuller view of exactly how and where the process moves the company toward a goal and can open up new means of increasing ROI via automation.

Process mining and other business process management (BPM) techniques are the best way to begin. Yet, some processes often escape the notice of even the most dedicated business analyst poring over the results of a manual mining operation.

So here’s our list of the top 5 most commonly overlooked opportunities for process automation.

1. Data Analysis

Automation has moved beyond claims processing and into the world of big data.

The data collected from a factory floor, for example, can be used to eliminate inefficiencies and streamline the production process. Big data also includes web browsing and online purchasing habits making the news. However, it’s more than that.

Modern companies are generating data in unprecedented amounts. RPA can be configured to take this massive amount of data, in bulk, and make it readable to the average human.

Additionally, since RPA is itself an IT system that leaves a data trail, it can be used to recursively report on its own performance. This allows human controllers to verify the veracity and accuracy of the reports being generated by RPA.

2. Customer Journey

Customer relationship management (CRM) and IT service management (ITSM) systems often include automation capabilities that go unused.

With a minimum investment of time to get them configured, these tools can take a load off your support team, allowing them to put their energy into other, more human-centric activities.

Automation solutions can:

• automate reminder emails to clients expecting updates,
• send status emails when a person has an open support ticket,
• even auto-fill customer information fields by integrating the ITSM system with the CRM,
• streamline ticket creation,
• be configured to assign a support representative,
• set a priority based on the words used in the problem description, and even set a due date.

3. HR Workflows

HR departments are known for being rife with repetitive, frustrating tasks.

The HR team wants to be working with people, which is why they got into HR in the first place. Instead, they’re stuck, manually inputting potential candidate information into spreadsheets, and verifying that data translates into the applicant tracking system correctly.

The good news is that these tasks can mostly be automated, using a combination of modern applicant tracking systems (ATS) and RPA bots.

Now the team can put their people skills to work by orchestrating candidate searches, interviews, and generally making the company look good by being an open and friendly face instead of overworked and exhausted.

By automating application screening and appointment reminder emails, the automation tools lighten the team’s load significantly. And by integrating the ATS with CRM and recruitment marketing solutions, the processes involved can become nearly autonomous.

4. Systems Combination

“Bots” allow anyone, on any team, to configure them to complete tasks that previously required human input to do things like click-through screens, switch between applications, and select from drop-down menus.

The fact that these steps can be automated means that systems that once required copying data from one to another, or had clunky connections to each other, can now have one automated process laid over the top.

The time and resources saved by freeing up employees for other creative or intuitive tasks, combined with the fact that bots can work 24/7 and don’t take sick days, is where the biggest ROI gains will be found.

Decision fatigue affects everyone

Decision fatigue is a psychological phenomenon that can affect everyone, no matter the sector or job title.

People are becoming disaffected by repetitive tasks. Once you make the same decision thousands of times, it’s no wonder errors tend to creep in and cause delays and lower profits.

Automation technology has come a long way and is ready to step up and do the heavy lifting by taking these tasks off the plates of human workers, thus increasing ROI and decreasing the chance for errors in business processes across the organization.

Ready to see how Minit can discover the overlooked opportunities for process automation in your company?

Photo by Victor Garcia on Unsplash