Automation and robotic processes are the future of all companies in the world. Companies, whether small or large, currently look at the scope of automation to reduce repetitive processes and save money. 94% of decision-makers and company stakeholders prefer going for integrated automation to relying on several platforms for business management.

Today, more than 1/3rd of businesses have five or more automated divisions. This number is only going to expand in the coming years. As more and more companies look towards automation solutions, precise strategies for automation are the need of the hour. Before a company implements automation solutions for its business processes, it needs to look at the building blocks of automation strategies.

In this article, we discuss the Key Factors For Automation that make the approach a success for businesses at different levels.

The Building Blocks of the Automation Implementation Strategy

Automation solutions need customization according to the industry and business objectives. Therefore, the strategy to implement automation also differs from company to company. However, Growth Jockey has created a basic framework of building blocks for automation success that company decision-makers can follow. The key factors and building blocks of automation implementation are as follows-

1. Process Discovery

The start to automation implementation is process discovery. Process discovery takes a look at the process that the company intends to automate and studies all the steps in the process. The tools of process discovery are used to discover the tasks in the process that can be automated.

The process discovery tools collect actionable objective data that shows how repetitive a task is. The insights from these tools help companies automate a task on a large scale. The tools show the stakeholders which tasks are ready for automation, which need more refining, and which ones are inconsistent. Without the process discovery phase, the Automation Road Map is unclear for a company. Process discovery tools draw insights from existing tasks and measure their automation compatibility so that a decision can be taken.

2. Process Intelligence

Process intelligence is another parameter for successful automation in the company
. The strategic data tools should offer insights into how intelligent the existing processes are. A detailed insight into company workflows offers a view into the process intelligence level. Once the process intelligence level is clear, the company management can go ahead with standardization and automation of the processes.

Successful Implementation Of Automation comes through when the use of automation solutions enhances process intelligence. Often, if the automation process goes on without proper insights and strategy, it complicates the processes instead of simplifying and minimizing them.

According to studies done by Growth Jockey, nearly 42 per cent of all workers in the coming years will be done by machines. However, for this, companies need the best automation tool on their hands.

3. Process Management

After process discovery and process intelligence have been fulfilled in the automation strategy, it is important to address process management. After automation is implemented in the process, its long-term management is important. The company needs to run Successful Test Automation solutions and then implement them on a more permanent basis.

The management has to ensure that the automated processes fit the larger picture of business management. Many companies make the mistake of leaving automated processes without maintenance and monitoring. The automation solutions need to be maintained and observed for effective workflow and process management. With good process management, automation solutions bring forth more productivity and revenue for the company.

4. Systematic Communication

Communication among the stakeholders of the business is important for the success of an automation strategy. Communication should be clear and far-reaching so that the employees who will interact with the automation solutions also align with the business objectives. Automation implementation is a long process and needs coordination from all the teams involved. The team has to understand How To Boost Performance Through Automation in the workspace. Different teams of the company will have different perspectives on automation implementation.

What Growth Jockey suggests is to communicate with the stakeholders from the beginning and arrange meetings with all the stakeholders so that there is a common point of agreement. A system integrator who is familiar with automation solutions can act as a mediator in such meetings.

Another aspect of communication breaks away from humans and is between existing systems. After communication with teams, automation solutions are implemented. However, new automation solutions often take time to fit into the existing systems. With proper insights and planning, customized automation solutions that work seamlessly with the existing system come through.

The team should stress not only automation but also the integration of the solutions with existing systems. This creates data concurrency and maintains the workflow despite changes in the internal processes. System integration and communication are important for the big picture of company workflow.

5. Standardized Process and Framework

Before a tool is used for Build Automation, all the processes of the company must be standardized. Standardization of processes creates an SOP and reduces variations in existing processes. When there is minimal variation in existing processes, the designed automation can fit in perfectly.

With process standardization, the company reduces the need for new training cycles and errors after automating the processes. When a process is already standardized, the company realizes the full potential of the automation solution. The implementation of automation then enhances the productivity of streamlined automation.

Apart from the processes, the framework in which these processes run also needs standardization. The framework of all the company tools and processes standardizes when all the team members have the same data verticals. When the baseline data is standardized, the overall output from the processes is concurrent. The framework then offers a solid platform for the implementation of automation solutions. However, the framework should also be a bit flexible to implement upgraded automation in the future.

6. Standardized Data

Apart from the processes and frameworks, it is imperative that companies also standardize their data sets which underline the processes. Data is the driving power of all processes, and any inefficiencies in it can cripple a process. Without standardized data, automation solutions do not work accurately. To reduce the frequency of errors and improve the security of the processes, it is important that data goes through the process of standardization.

Data standardization with accurate data sets allows the automated processes to run without any major issues for a long time.

7. Proof of Concept

Before the implementation of automated systems, it is important to create a proof of concept that prototypes the automation solutions. The proof of concept should be created for the basic processes that are easily automated. The team should pay attention to the business impact of the automated solutions.

After a thorough business analysis and future projections of business revenue post-automation, the automation solutions are designed and implemented. Only when the proof of concept is a success can the company go forth with implementation and integration.

8. Integrated Process

The answer to How To Achieve Success In Automation depends more on the integration strategy than the implementation strategy. Many companies tend to neglect the integration process and leave the automation solutions independent.

The stakeholders and decision-makers have to look at the results they expect from the automated processes. The management has to look at the requirements, desired results, and how the automation solution fits into the vision before picking the individual solutions.

Quite often, companies simply pick individual automated solutions without looking at how it works and what it brings to the table. The objective of automation cannot simply be to make a company cooler in appearance. Rather, the automation solution should support existing processes in a result-driven manner.

Growth Jockey suggests you pick an integration approach that does not need much change or investment. The integration strategy should take your company a step ahead without any hassle. The best way to do so is to consult with system experts and pick solutions that align with long-term and short-term goals.

9. Tech Support

Once the automated system is implemented, the company's work is not done. The company has to prolong support from a good tech team to ensure that the automated systems work at maximum efficiency at all times. The automation solution should be supportable and maintainable with the help of tools and dashboards.

Conclusion

The strategy to automate and the success of automation depends on the type and scale of business you are running. If the company lacks standardized processes, solid frameworks, and data sets, the automation process will take time. On the other hand, if the implementing company has been working on legacy systems for a long time, the automation process will take time to reap success. For legacy systems, companies should take a step-by-step approach and aim for simple processes at first.

At Growth Jockey, we are fully committed to creating tailored models that address key challenges faced by businesses in various industries. No matter the size of your company, whether small or large, you can harness the benefits of automation. Take the crucial leap towards unlocking your brand's next level of success by contacting us today!