Almost every day, there is another article in the press about how automation is dramatically reshaping the business and economic landscape. This theme is so common in the media that you may have grown immune to even taking notice. However, it is important to remain aware of developments in this area because things are changing for everyone in the wake of increasing automation.
Automation does not need to be scary. Too often, people believe that robots will take over their jobs and that automation will lead to an era where human labour is no longer relevant. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the here and now. In reality, automation is improving the lives of business owners and workers everywhere. Having a better sense of the scope of these benefits will help to demonstrate why automation is something to be welcomed.
Let’s look at some of the specific ways that automation has changed the way businesses operate.
Accounting Functions
Automation is dramatically streamlining essential office processes like accounting and payroll. Contemporary accounting software has the ability to automate many data entry processes. This allows you to quickly upload all of your invoices, receipts, and expense statements into your system without the need to manually input the data. Not only does this make the process faster, but it also makes it much more accurate. If you are prone to making errors in the accounting department, or if you simply have had enough of mundane data entry tasks in your business, then it is worth exploring these tools in greater detail.
Email Marketing And More
Marketing is another area where businesses are increasingly turning to automation to get the job done. Rather than relying on rote work and intuition, automated email campaigns that are tailored to meet the expectations of your audience can bring more value to your marketing spending. You can also configure your automated emailing programs to send out reminder emails. These can be timed precisely to secure a higher response rate and better sales with every campaign.
Hire Better People
Hiring is a classic problem for business owners and managers everywhere. There are only so many ways to screen potential candidates before making a hire. Too often, these processes fail to reveal what a candidate is actually like and what their working style is. This leads to wasted time and resources in training a new hire who is ultimately not cut out for the position.
However, automation can even help in this area. By using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, managers are able to identify the best resumes and CVs in the pile based on specific criteria. Advanced programs, some of which are still experimental, can aid in spotting a weak candidate from a great one. You can also rely on automation to set up appointments with the top candidates and bring them in for a real interview. The more information you have about a candidate, the fewer bad hires you will make.
Customer Service
Automation also helps out in the area of customer service, and the technology is getting better all the time. In the early days, chatbots were ridiculed for being unhelpful and unsophisticated. Now, however, they are capable of answering questions and assisting customers with a wide range of tasks. This frees up your staff to deal with more complex and specialised tasks.
Towards The Future
These are only a few of the ways that automation has already reshaped the business landscape. However, there are more things to expect in the field of automation in the near future. While we are not expecting that everyone will be replaced by a robot in the short-term, automation will continue to improve and disrupt the business landscape for some time to come.