You know you want to implement some automation in your small business, but how do you know what to automate? Evaluating and selecting tasks for automation is a smart idea because implementing automation has associated costs. You want to aim for the best bang for your buck and maximize your ROI. Besides not everything in your business needs automation. Some tasks actually benefit from human touch.
So how do you identify which processes could benefit from automation? It’s easier than you think! Start by listing out everything your team does on a regular basis. Next circle anything that’s high-volume, repetitive, and has predictable outcomes. Also pay attention to bottlenecks – the spots where work slows down because a human has to manually intervene.
Analyzing whether a task should be automated
1. Consider the frequency and volume of the task
If you perform the task frequently or in large volumes then this is a prime candidate for automation. Achieving a return on your automation investment can be quick and substantial. You can actually think about efforts in this category as efforts toward increasing your profits, not just automation improvement costs.
2. What is the level of complexity involved in the task?
Tasks that are strictly rule-based that have clear, well defined steps are easier to automate. Tasks which involve ambiguity or require subjective judgement may be more challenging to effectively automate.
3. What is the potential for error reduction?
If your task is prone to human error, as in the case where you are doing manual data entry or calculations, then it can benefit from automation. Eliminating the risk of human error ensures greater accuracy and reliability in your results which leads to improved data quality.
4. Does the task create a bottleneck for your business?
Automating all or even part of these tasks can provide a serious boost in overall efficiency for your company because they will increase downstream flow.
5. Would automation affect productivity and efficiency?
Does the task consume a significant amount of time and resources but not necessarily require human intervention? Automating this type of task can free up valuable time for employees to focus on more strategic activities that contribute to the organization’s goals.
6. Will there be an increase in workload of the task if your business grows?
If your answer is yes, automating the task now, will reap even more rewards in the future. Most automation tasks are easily and cheaply able to handle increased workloads. This could save you hiring more people and both increase your future profits and enable you to be more responsive to growth.
What are some typical tasks that small businesses can easily automate?
1. Reducing the need for data entry
Capturing data from forms, invoices, receipts, and even contracts can easily be automated through a method known as intelligent document extraction. This both reduces the risk of human error from typing in data read from the item into a software system, and also saves valuable time and ensures your data remains accurate and reliable.
2. Integration between systems
Automation can also be the key to seamless integration between different software systems. Even if some of the data in one system needs to be entered manually, if that same data needs to move to a different system, there is no need to have to enter it again on the downstream system. Automation can exchange data effortlessly and in real-time.
3. Reporting
Reporting is how we track progress, measure success, and make informed decisions. Generating these reports often includes gathering data from various systems, formatting it correctly, and then trying to extract meaningful insights. One of the key benefits of automation is speed. What once took hours, and was often error prone if done manually, can take minutes with great accuracy. This rapid turnaround means you can make timely decisions based on the most current data, giving your business a competitive edge.
4. Customer Support Tasks
Customers demand quick responses, accurate information, and personal interactions. Meeting these expectations manually can be daunting. When this leads to long wait times or inconsistent service, it can be very damaging to your relationship with your customers. Automation can step in to bridge this gap, ensuring that your customers receive the attention and care they deserve both promptly and efficiently.
Many people think of automated customer support as chatbots. While these can certainly, when carefully designed, help reduce the need for manual intervention in customer support, they are not the only resources available for customer support automation. Auto replies to an email inbox, converting incoming emails into an automated ticketing system, and canned email templates to be used as replies or the basis for replies are also great automation tools.
How do you get started automating repetitive tasks?
Getting started begins with identifying the most time-consuming and error-prone processes in your workflow. Then, research and select the right automation tools that fit your specific needs. This is where a consultant like Barnes Business Solutions can help. We specialize in both application integration and business analysis & consulting. We can help you determine which automation tools will fit your specific needs, and then help you implement the automation.
It is best to implement automation tools gradually, ensuring proper training and support for your team. It is also important to monitor the effectiveness of the automation and analyze whether it may have any adverse effects on your relationship with your clients. For example, a customer service bot that makes it too hard to reach out to a live person or takes the customer in circles, can lead to customer satisfaction decreasing instead of the desired increases you hope for. By monitoring and refining your automated systems, you can continually improve efficiency and productivity. Embracing automation can transform the way you operate for a more streamlined and successful future.
