5 benefits automation can bring to your business

You might not have heard of it, but automation could have a lot of benefits for your business. Automation software is programmed to perform ‘jobs’ and execute commands in a sequence. Automating tasks and batching up activities can free up employees’ time, eliminate any margin of error and hugely increase business productivity. This blog highlights some of the key benefits of automation software.

Automation could be the answer to improving your business processes. How does it work? By automatically processing tasks that would usually be undertaken by humans. The initial investment in automation can guarantee long-term cost reduction as it increases your staff’s availability to work on other things.

An example of automation in practice is the work SimpleClick did for a luxury travel client to develop a web-based Artwork Builder. The client’s design team had been creating branded artwork for the individual travel agents they worked with on an ad-hoc basis. Not only was this incredibly time-consuming for the team, it ran the risk of materials being out of date once finalised due to the production turnaround time.

SimpleClick addressed this problem by creating a bespoke Artwork Builder tool which the travel agents could use to instantly create branded materials. The tool was integrated into the client’s existing systems and was straightforward for agents to access. This led to a dramatic decrease in the client’s design team’s workloads. It also benefited the client, as marketing materials were produced by the agents instead of their team, and consistency in branding and messaging was centrally controlled. 

1. Save time and money
   One of the best side-effects from setting up an automated process is that it means your employees no longer have to spend time on these tasks and can focus on other work areas. Of course, increasing your staff’s availability ultimately saves your business money by reducing operational costs over a longer period of time. Automation can empower employees by removing the mundane, repetitive tasks from their workload and increasing their productivity. Streamlining processes has the potential to reduce your business’s environmental impact too.
2. Increase reliability
   Automating processes removes the risk of human error from results. This has clear benefits for both your business and your clients, as tasks don’t need to be repeated due to mistakes and the quality of the end result is assured. A strong consistency of output is something every business aims for; automation guarantees it.
3. Enhance customer experience
   If it is required, automated systems can work 24-hours a day, seven days a week. There are no working hours and no delays due to staff illness or issues with technology. Inevitably, this leads to more satisfied customers which leads to better customer retention. Automated processes are undertaken within a clear timeframe, so clients’ expectations are managed and deadlines will always be met.
4. Make your business more competitive  
   By freeing up time across the company, automation gives you a better opportunity to expand your business. The increased productivity automation provides can only be a positive thing. Although the price of investment in installing automation can be off-putting, this should lead to a cost reduction in the long term after the initial outlay, giving your business an edge that others in the industry may not have.
5. Smooth your employees’ workflow
   It’s possible to automate content workflow via software operations. How work travels through the organisation from person to person can be tracked by an automated system which monitors where the item is in the workflow, sets deadlines, and sends reminders. This marks an end to long, confusing email trails. Streamlining processes inevitably leads to increased productivity and therefore cost savings. This is especially vital now that many businesses’ employees are working remotely from home and relying on constant digital communication to manage a workflow. Keeping processes and operations running smoothly makes your whole business run smoothly.

Although businesses are often wary of the initial cost outlay to install automated processes, there are a range of inarguable benefits for all areas of the company – such as increased employee productivity and customer satisfaction. Ultimately, all the benefits of productivity come back to two things – saving a business time and money, which are absolutely crucial in running a successful, competitive enterprise. 

If you would like to find out more about how automation can work for your business, call us on 0844 736 2747 or email us.