Table of Contents
Business Process Automation means minimizing or eliminating human intervention in various business processes. Lesser requirement of human intervention helps businesses grow and work efficiently while reducing operational costs and increasing focus on innovation. This article will present everything you need to know about BPA.
What is a business process?
Before delving into the intricacies of Business Process Automation, we must first understand what constitutes the term “business process.” A business process is a set of repeatable activities or transactions to achieve a specific goal. In an IT ecosystem, such processes usually touch multiple systems in a network, sometimes passing through various segments. Thus, executing such processes manually would require massive effort and time, which can be minimized easily via automation.
Which processes should you automate?
While automation is applicable to all processes, prioritizing certain important ones is the key to ensuring efficiency. Consider three factors to make an informed decision while choosing which processes to automate:
- Repeatability of the process
- Processes that have minimum margin for error
- Processes that require maximum consistency
Here are five crucial processes ripe for automation are as follows:
• HR Management
HR Management is a continuous process, especially for IT, KPO, and other large-scale industries. With a regular influx of employees, the process involves several recurring tasks that must be performed meticulously. Minor errors in tasks like employee onboarding often lead to magnified consequences in the long run. Thus, HR Management is a perfect process that could benefit from Business Process Automation.
• Client Management
Client Management is another complex process that involves various tasks, especially in industries like BFSI and NBFCs. Automating the procedure will reduce the manager’s time and effort and provide a hassle-free experience for new clients. Some recurring activities better off automated include background checks, KYC completion, and other compliance regulations.
• Purchase Management
Purchase Management is one of the essential processes for the smooth functioning of your business. From purchase request submissions to examining request forms, placing a purchase order is lengthy, often resulting in delays and hindered productivity. Moreover, manual procedures in purchase management also cause errors while placing orders and taking delivery. Automating the entire process will help optimize efficiency, reduce errors, and eliminate hindrances in the supply chain.
• General Marketing
Marketing is a vast spectrum that can only do with human creativity and intervention. However, certain aspects can hugely benefit from automation. For instance, sending newsletters, SMSs, and other marketing literature to existing, new, and potential clients is a well-defined and recurring process. Automating general marketing can save valuable resources for the marketing team to focus on innovation and creativity.
• Payment Processing
Dependency on paper invoices in the digital age is a hindrance to growth, which every organization must immediately address. Automating payment processing eliminates several problems in one go. Once automation is synchronized, accountants no longer need to worry about maintaining physical copies or marking dates to make timely payments. The system would take care of almost everything.
Three Major Advantages of Business Process Automation
• Enhancement in Productivity and Efficiency
Automation makes two improvements for every process – first, reduction in time, and second, reduction in errors. By eliminating human intervention in repeatable activities, the chances of errors and delays become non-existent, greatly improving efficiency. Thus, BPA leads to the optimization of resources by streamlining processes, giving managers enough time for creativity and innovation.
• Transparency and Compliance Management
Having human intervention at bay ensures complete transparency. Every point of vulnerability can be managed by a set program, removing the possibility of malpractice. Likewise, automation allows you to comply with laws and regulations at all times, which helps you avoid legal contingencies. Moreover, business process automation lets you minimize digital accidents as every task is performed with utmost precision.
• Higher Revenue and Lower Costs
The primary intention behind every business activity is to generate revenue, and automation is no exception. While BPA involves costs in the short term, its long-term benefits are far more valuable. With improved efficiency and productivity increases, revenue will likely increase as you realize your full potential. Similarly, reducing human intervention can help you cut down significantly on costs.
Procedure for Business Process Automation
1. Analyzing the Automation Capacity of the Business
Business Process Automation is a giant leap towards digital transformation. Analyzing the capacity of your business is essential to understand whether it’s ready for automation. Initiating large-scale automation at an early stage could prove to be cumbersome. A detailed analysis will help you determine the automation level best suited for your organization.
2. Evaluate Various Business Processes
Every business has multiple processes that can be automated, but only some things need automation. Evaluate different business processes within your organization and identify the ones that can benefit the most from automation. Moreover, each process requires different kinds and levels of automation, which need to be categorized by factoring costs and time involved.
3. Create SOPs for Automation
Once you’ve identified the processes, lay down SOPs for automation. Undefined procedures for digital transformation might lead to catastrophes, as slight deviations could deliver substantially different results. Take inputs from stakeholders of automated processes to understand the intricacies and complexities of creating an efficient user interface.
Also Read: How Effective Is Multifactor Authentication (MFA)?
BPA Best Practices
• Aim for Gradual Progress
Start with a single process automation and optimize it fully. Choose something not too big, as a mistake in the beginning could hamper your progress. Implementing automation gradually gives you time and space to conduct a real-time SWOT analysis and make necessary alterations wherever needed.
• Define Priorities at the Start
Before moving towards automation, you need to set your priorities straight. Define your goals and expectations in order of priority. Secondly, create an order of priority for the processes identified for automation. This will help you avoid procrastination and keep moving systematically.
• Use Readymade Solutions
While creating propriety solutions for automation might seem tempting, it is recommended to go for readymade BPA solutions. Adopting tried and tested solutions instead of creating something new will most likely get the job done without any chaos or hiccups. Plus, using a readymade solution with often be more cost-effective rather than developing in-house solutions.
Hire Professional Help
Business Process Automation is a complex activity that requires specific expertise. Our engineers have core expertise in BPA and other aspects of digital transformation that not only ensure a smooth transition but also is cost-effective. Mechsoft offers tested digital solutions backed by highly experienced professionals. Moreover, Mechsoft offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity & IT solutions, including data security and software rescue, which give you additional cover for the automation process.
