Process automation involves the computerization and use of machines to perform some if not all tasks within a business. It is seen in big industries and can also be seen in small businesses that do not deal in the tangible production of goods.
Process automation can be classified into various company sectors, including human resources, marketing, data entry, inventory management, data mining, and customer relations. It has advantages that businesses can benefit from, should they implement it.
Advantages of Process Automation
The following are some benefits that a business can gain from automating its processes.
1. Productivity
An increase in productivity is one of the most outright benefits a business derives from automating its processes. Business processes are repetitive, boring, and tedious. Allowing a robot to take over such tasks means that the tasks can be done fast and longer. Human workers do not enjoy handling repetitive tasks and get bored and tired by repeatedly doing the same task.
However, machines and robots are better placed to handle repetitive tasks without tiring and getting bored. Hence, productivity increases. Moreover, automation resolves the time wasted by employees who waste time navigating through technological applications, switching, and studying them. That is achieved through Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
An increase in productivity depends on the type of RPA robots being deployed. The RPA robots are of two kinds; the attended bots and the unattended bots. Attended bots function alongside humans, whereas unattended bots are automated and function with no human help. The attended bots are slower given that they rely on humans, whereas the unattended bots are fast and can operate 24/7 unattended, meaning production is high.
Hence, your choice of RPA will be based on your business’s processes and the activities you plan to automate. Overall, automation boosts productivity.
2. Efficiency
Businesses that implement automation are very efficient in their operations. Efficiency is witnessed through faster processing, where a company can handle several transactions faster than before automation. Many processes are also executed with an improvement in processing time. Customers have questions or inquiries that they want to be sorted out promptly. Automation makes it possible for a business to respond quickly to customer queries, positively influencing the customer experience.
Also, efficiency is seen with 24/7 operation, whereby RPA software operates non-stop without demanding rest or sleep. The round-the-clock operation makes it possible to maintain particular business operations running at all hours. They also have the ability to set aside tasks that require human intervention.
Moreover, efficiency is generated through analytics collection, where RPA gathers data on all its activities, which a business can subject to analysis to identify issues within its processes.
Lastly, efficiency comes about with improved accuracy. Utilizing RPA software eliminates the vast errors associated with the human workforce since it is programmed to work in particular ways.
3. Cost savings
Automation brings about cost savings in varied ways. First and foremost, automation takes up the tedious and repetitive tasks allowing employees to focus on more critical functions within a business requiring human thinking.
As a result, money is saved as employees are released to handle complicated and involving tasks within the business. Time saved equals costs saved. Moreover, the money that your business would have utilized in settling wages for employees handling the repetitive and tedious jobs is saved. The money saved here can be reinvested into other operations within the business to generate more earnings.
4. Compliance
RPA assists in attaining regulatory compliance, especially if your business requires the maintenance of specific regulations. RPA bots operate as programmed at all times. That minimizes the probability of errors. Also, they report their own tasks correctly into a task log, meaning you obtain a 100% correct audit trail.
5. Diminished errors
Human is to error is a common saying used to excuse human workforce oversight. However, the implementation of RPA guarantees minimal probabilities of an error occurring. That is because robots are programmed through software and can therefore perform tasks consistently.
Errors can be very costly to a business. Thus, a reduction or total elimination of errors helps save money. Moreover, it relieves the human workforce of the time they would have to deal with the negative impact of the mistakes.
Business benefits from reduced errors as they do not have to create time for redoing a messed-up job. They also get to avoid expensive fines or serious downtimes at work. Errors can result in a vast waste of resources within a business. The elimination of errors occurring translates to diminished waste.
6. Customer satisfaction
Customers are happier and satisfied if their experience with you is excellent. Process automation enhances customer satisfaction as you can serve them better by producing quality products or services for them and responding to their queries or concerns on time.
Also, with faster and quality production, you can be assured of getting loyal customers. You are confident in taking and delivering on a customer’s order when you have RPA. RPA ensures you get consistent quality products. Therefore, you build a good reputation with your customers, who will broadcast your good services to others out there. Hence, you get to maintain and increase your customer base.
7. Increased employee satisfaction and retention
Employees get tired and bored of handling repetitive, tedious, and monotonous tasks. Allowing automation to take over such activities means employees can focus on the less tiring and enjoyable work within a business.
Moreover, automation takes up a business’s dangerous and life-threatening tasks. Activities involving exposure to dust, aerosol sprays, and extreme heat are health hazards. Exposure to such health hazards can cause one to get sick, be incapacitated, or die.
Process automation ensures employees can handle safe jobs within the business. Hence, the employees are happy and can concentrate and be more productive at work.
Conclusion
Process automation impacts business more positively than negatively. As explained in the above advantages, process automation results in increased productivity and improves efficiency within a company. Also, process automation diminishes the errors associated with processing and improves compliance, diminishes costs, enhances customer satisfaction, and increases employee satisfaction and retention.
