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Technological evolution demands changes throughout society. Consequently, it leads to the acceleration of consumer relations, making the public much more selective.
In this sense, all these changes drive and require better performance from companies, which can be achieved with process automation.
However, as mentioned, today’s changes occur at an accelerated pace. Therefore, questions about automation are common: what does it represent, what is its usefulness, how to implement it, and what are the reasons that lead a company to seek process automation?
So, read on and find out how process automation can improve your company’s results.
What are processes?
Originally, the word process is derived from the Latin procedere. Thus, it can be understood primarily as a method, system, way of acting, or the set of measures taken to achieve a certain goal.
In this sense, it’s easy to understand that processes are embedded in many ways into our daily lives. After all, we perform a series of activities and tasks in sequence in order to reach certain goals all the time.
Digging even deeper into the concept, it’s understood that a process is a set of activities performed in pursuit of a specific result. Consequently, its structure has a beginning, middle, and end.
In summary, a process is not closed but constantly analyzed for ways to improve it. In other words, it must have a vision of continuous refinement.
The execution of a process needs planning. In other words, what exactly needs to be done to obtain a certain result? The answers to these questions will guide the creation of a process’ stages or tasks.
Understanding the objective is the key to start planning the execution of a project that has a clearly defined result as its endpoint.
In this sense, activities often become routine and repetitive. However, companies are seeking greater agility in the execution of the process as a whole. It was this demand that gave rise to process automation.
Defining Process Automation
The technological revolution has brought countless changes, especially for the industry. From a strategic point of view, it’s an essential tool for innovation efforts.
After all, as we mentioned, the acceleration of changes and new alternatives have made the market even more competitive.
In this scenario, companies that invest in process automation stand out in the eyes of consumers. Mainly because they are better ranked in terms of customer satisfaction.
In short, process automation is the use of technology to reduce manual work.
Thus, automation takes advantage of the best that technology has to offer to make processes more agile and efficient. And this approach generates more effective results.
In process automation, analysis and mapping of activities are performed to optimize tasks, reduce execution time, errors, and rework. It’s a search in technology for ways to improve and speed up activity execution.
Moreover, process automation involves the consistent management of the use of said technologies and the integration of systems and data. It aims to bring adequate technological tools and solutions to the company.
Understanding what process automation is, the question that remains is: where to begin with?
Where should I start, anyway?
There is no secret to business process automation. Yet, we’ll give you a hint: look for the best possible technology to implement it. You can even use this checklist to evaluate software vendors.
First, remember that every change generates a level of resistance. So gather your team and explain the implementation process. Above all, emphasize the intention of generating good returns for the projects created, without process failures.
Every process needs to be very well managed, and it’s no different when it comes to process automation. For this reason, pertinent tools are used, such as BPMS.
A Business Process Management Suite or System (BPMS) has the purpose of mapping and ascertaining the best ways to automate any given process. Its application is carried out with implementation, deployment, execution, and monitoring.
In this sense, process automation follows a kind of step-by-step guide:
- Plan the process: in this step, the organization will be able to structure the plans to be implemented;
- Create tasks: create and distribute tasks among relevant and responsible employees, aiming at making the implementation viable;
- Test the process: after creating the tasks it’s necessary to analyze how they will be carried out in a daily basis. The test intends to show which and how the tasks will be performed;
- Implement the process: This step is self-explanatory. It involves the actual execution of the process in order to obtain the delimited results;
- Monitor the results: the constant monitoring of results verifies the impacts of what was implemented. In this phase, the organization analyzes if the fruits of process automation have reached set goals or if there is a need for remodeling or adjustment.
So, to get started there has to be a willingness on the part of the organization, which includes, mainly, the people. It’s necessary that all employees are engaged in order to obtain effective results.
The automation of processes generates, among other positive gains, the optimization of time, increased competitive power, and focus on core business. In addition, there is a significant reduction in expenses, errors, and rework.
Conclusion
Technology must be used to transform companies and even entire nations. So definitely, an organization willing to manage its processes autonomously under the employment of process automation is able to leverage positive results within the market to which it belongs.
Moreover, process automation provides an effective solution for productivity and agility. It’s responsible not only for financial gains but for a comprehensive optimization of time and scalability.
In other words, the organization will be likely to grow without major expenses, since process automation makes the company able to analyze and potentially replicate a series of techniques.
However, as mentioned, the success of process automation is entirely related to the tool used. Give preference to low-code platforms that adapt to the unique needs of your business.
Try Fusion Platform free for 15 days and discover how the technology brings you closer to your bottom line.
Tell us in the comments if your company already has process automation or if you have any questions on the subject!
