Many firms find themselves spending a lot of time doing repetitive, low-value tasks. This includes onboarding new clients and tracking open items during a project. Additionally, it is important to document feedback from client review meetings and creating invoices every month in addition to following up with overdue payments, and closing out projects. The good news is, you can increase efficiency and reduce costs by automating these manual processes.
It is crucial to understand your current business systems and operations in order to identify which processes could be automated first. The best method to accomplish this is to implement Business Process Management (BPM) practices.
Involving key team members in these sessions of brainstorming and workshops can help provide greater insight into the existing procedures, and the areas that may benefit from automation. After the As Is process map is completed it is important to analyze the impact of these processes on the overall results of the business. It is also important to determine any problems that could arise if these processes are automated.
Be aware that automation cannot substitute for human intervention. It can be used to supplement and enhance the work of existing employees. It is crucial to recognize that you won’t be able automate everything at once. The key is to begin slowly, try the tool, and then monitor its performance as it is put into use.
If you’re trying to cut costs or streamline your processes or both, there is a strong chance that you have an automated process solution for your firm. By adopting a practical and thorough approach to automation, your firm can reap the benefits of improved efficiency, transparency and reduced errors.