There’s no doubt about the fact that automation is the key driver for success and a pillar of digital transformation for businesses. Unfortunately, only a handful have taken strategic measures towards a full-scale automation adoption of their processes. Many chose to stay out of the mayhem for reasons unknown.
If we look at the statistics, we will see that only 31% of businesses have fully automated at least one function, according to McKinsey. However, 66% of businesses are piloting business process automation solutions in 2020.
Agreed, 66% is quite a huge figure, but not big enough to bring all enterprises pan industries under the umbrella of automation.
Even though IT solutions providers like Accenture confirmed that AI technology could increase business productivity by 40%, most enterprises are hesitant to upgrade themselves. There are specific challenges that deter a full-scale adoption of business process automation. A few obvious reasons can be attributed to lacking a clear strategy for AI as cited by 43% of organizations and a lack of technological infrastructure, according to 25% of others.
Hence, anticipating the challenges before implementing automation and identifying clear remedies can spare enterprises a few hundred billion dollars or more in losses.
Below are three critical challenges of business process automation that need serious consideration before implementation –
Challenge 1: The Skill Crisis
Not every single employee in an organization is well-versed with the technical nitty-gritties. That enforces pressure on enterprises that have adopted automation in some form or the other. Yes, automation simplifies the workload for companies. But it is not replacing human intelligence altogether. Resilient businesses and their employees have evolved alongside technological advancements – history says it all. However, not all are fit to understand the tech jargon. To accommodate business process automation, ventures need skilled employees. Now, that is hard to come by. Experts predict that at least 30% of global IT jobs will lie vacant by 2022 due to a lack of skilled workers with sound knowledge of automation, AI, and other emerging technologies. Hence, the first step towards automation for businesses is identifying this gap and looking for ways to fill it effectively.
Challenge 2: Apprehensive Mindset
According to experts, 45% of decision-makers are apprehensive about trusting AI and automation. Such apprehension stems from the common fear of automation replacing humans altogether, notwithstanding the fact that humans and machines might not fit well to drive meaningful business outcomes.
This mindset is quite like the mindset projected by drivers who are apprehensive of autonomous cars, letting go of the wheel and ceding control to their automated vehicles. This is where the lapse exists. Business process automation doesn’t imply letting go of complete control over the business. Instead, automation is coded to assist its creator.
Hence, business leaders have to step up and address company-wide uncertainty to witness a successful business process automation implementation. They have to educate the employees on the varying benefits of automation before implementing one.
Challenge 3: Mismanagement of Technology Overload
Technology adoption is not slowing down. Automating a few business processes is probably the baby step taken towards it. Unfortunately, the IT teams are stretched thin with a huge number of roles falling on their plate simultaneously. They are constantly tasked with managing cybersecurity and connectivity, handling multiple data quality projects, reconciling new and legacy technologies, integrating thousands of disconnected systems and devices across the enterprise. Yes, automation can prove to be a godsend for work overload for IT professionals only if it is implemented properly. Otherwise, if implemented incorrectly, business process automation will only create unnecessary headaches, not to mention the amount of extra work added to IT teams’ KRA.
Remedies for Business Process Automation Challenges
Now, the issues are quite challenging but not impossible to handle. Anticipating them beforehand can save businesses many troubles. However, there are a few precautionary measures that companies can resort to before implementing automation. That’s because a few business process automation challenges, like the ones mentioned above, are one-size-fits-all.
Let’s delve deeper into understanding them –
Remedy 1: Prioritize Upskilling & Training
Opting for hiring new experts might seem a logical decision. But, that will only add to your recruitment budget. Instead, make do with your existing workforce. The latter has the vantage point in that they can understand how existing technology and new automation approaches fit well together. They are already equipped with the existing technology and well-versed in how your business runs. All you need to do is spend hours upskilling them. A few hours of training can easily bring your existing team on board with the new software, automation, and analytical tools. That’ll indirectly contribute to expanding your existing teams’ capabilities and enriching their professional development.
Remedy 2: Identify Areas for Automation
Different business units have different requirements. Hence, the type of automation tools will differ from the other. There’s no rulebook or one-size-fits-all strategy here that enterprises can uniformly follow. So, the next best bet for companies would be to identify the areas that urgently need automation. Evaluate the best approach for each use case and identify the ripe areas for automation. Post that, start implementing to gain insights on how things function. Do not expect to taste success in the first trial. And, it’s totally fine to fail multiple times. That’ll award you with enough clarity as to why the project didn’t work, the challenges faced, and what next can be done to avert the next failure. Such inputs are crucial to evaluating and pinpointing areas of concern and easing business process automation. Automation is a journey, and every organization has a different path to follow – so move at your own pace.
Remedy 3: Start Small; Grow Big Later
The reason why most enterprises are automating a few processes first before going on a full-scale business process automation. Instead of ceding full control to AI tools, companies should take an iterative approach to automation, starting with manual administrative tasks that consume more human work hours. Once your teams are comfortable with the new software, you can ramp up the implementation process to larger workflows. Any challenges perceived at the initial stages will be easily taken care of before handling more critical automation tasks. This approach will cater to a seamless adoption of automation without disrupting operations of other core areas.
Remedy 4: Choose an Open Ecosystem
Always be wary of vendor lock-in. Open ecosystem, standards-based and multi-vendor solutions are the most favoured approaches to business automation. That way, you can deploy the best products and services that align with your unique business needs, thereby awarding you with the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.
Remedy 5: Unsure about Automation; Outsource
No one is putting a gun against your forehead and forcing you to upskill your team, even when they are not skilled enough to run automated, AI-powered software. There’s always a second-best option for you – outsourcing. Outsourcing the management of automation projects will give enough time bandwidth to your existing employees to learn about the software at their own pace. Also, pooling the entire team to training might disrupt other business operations because you are too desperate to get everyone on board with the software as fast as possible. This approach is wrong and can prove damaging to your business, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss you might have to face due to multiple-system failure. Hence, managing such intricated software is best left with experts. As the third party does the implementation and managing tasks on your behalf, you can easily continue upgrading your day-to-day operations and seeking new talents who are comfortable handling such software.
Conclusion
Just like Rome was not built in a day, business process automation implementation takes time. Transforming an entire system to automation is not devoid of foreseen and unforeseen challenges. Hence, it is entirely up to business leaders how they perceive the change, anticipate automation challenges and take appropriate measures to counter them.
Automation is an antidote to clogged business processes relying on traditional approaches. Business process automation is the key to removing the roadblocks and pushing enterprises to their road to success, only when implemented carefully. Hence, anticipating the challenges aforehand and finding a fitting solution for remediation can guarantee success.