This article investigates options for automation and how to seamlessly incorporate them into your current workflows. We will share tips, strategies, and common mistakes to offer guidance and clarity.
When embracing automation, many companies find themselves at a crossroads. Do they overhaul their existing setup entirely, or do they rearrange things to create an environment for the new approach? The answer is neither. Automation should integrate with your existing workflows as they are and enhance them, without requiring you to change how you operate. We assure you that not only is this feasible, but it is actually easier than you might expect. All you need is the right mindset.
First of all, it’s important to understand the concept of an automated workflow. Secondly, you need to have your ‘why’s in check; it will help you with prioritisation and tool selection. Finally, it’s about introducing automation to both the processes and the team. While the latter might sound like the most crucial step, your success depends on the combination of all three.
What is an Automated Workflow?
An automated workflow is a process that involves fewer manual steps. Instead, these steps are managed by software. The degree of automation in a workflow depends on various factors, such as its length, impact, and the need for human judgment. Some processes can be fully automated.
Automated workflows are known to save time and minimise human error. They usually run within seconds once triggered and record data in logs and reports. Almost every process can be automated to some degree. It all depends on your goals, tools, and creativity.
Audit Your Current Workflows
Before making any changes to your workflows, you should conduct an audit of them. This involves understanding how they operate, identifying where the bottlenecks are, and recognising potential opportunities. Doing so will highlight the areas you can automate.
Identify High-Impact Automation Opportunities
Like everything in business, automation also has easy wins. However, you shouldn’t rush to pursue those opportunities as soon as you see them. With the high degree of flexibility that automation offers, especially if you don’t have it in place yet, there are several things you can implement immediately. That said, there are almost endless ‘low-hanging fruits’. The problem is that they are not equally impactful. If you try to capture as many as possible, you will waste time on strategy and implementation due to sheer quantity. While there will be a return on investment, it’s unlikely to justify the effort. However, being more selective and prioritising long-term benefits over quick gains can transform your business. To sum up, the low-hanging fruits in automation present a mixed bag, requiring you to choose wisely.
Instead of chasing the low-hanging fruit, write it down and assess both the immediate and long-term effects. Ideally, there should be a healthy balance of both. A valuable automation opportunity improves your current workflows instantly and allows for endless optimisation in the future. Overall, it’s a gift that keeps on giving from the moment you adopt it.
Choose the Right Tools for the Job
The abundance of digital solutions available is a double-edged sword. On one side, it means you have many options to choose from, and it’s almost certain that the tool that fits your strategy like a missing jigsaw piece is out there. On the other side, the vast size of the marketplace, which is continually growing, makes it challenging to navigate, and the solution of your dreams might be overlooked by larger providers.
You probably already have digital tools that your company uses. It’s worth visiting their websites to explore the integrations they offer and the solutions they partner with. Often, these lists include smaller vendors you might not otherwise come across. Additionally, this will help you be sure that these solutions work smoothly with your current setup, which is a key factor when choosing the right tools. From there, you can start exploring other features they provide and, hopefully, reduce your search time significantly.
Integrate, Don’t Replace
As this article mentions several times, when it comes to automation, it’s better to build on the existing foundation rather than start from scratch. Following that logic, you shouldn’t discard the tools you already have in favour of new software. Instead, you should explore integration options, as the results may surpass your expectations.
Layering Automation on Top of Current Systems
The saying goes that one shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken, and it remains true for automation. The rip-and-replace method rarely works, especially when it comes to internal processes your company depends on. Automation isn’t intended to create new operations but rather to improve your existing setup. Having operated your processes for some time, you’ve already collected historical data and know where the gaps and weaknesses are. This knowledge enables you to address them first, set benchmarks, and generally reap the benefits more quickly.
While you can start from scratch and develop new automation-first operations, it will take longer to optimise for success. Experimentation and analysis take time when beginning with a clean slate, including defining integrations, KPIs, and other components. Overall, it might seem tempting to start afresh when adopting a new approach, but building upon existing systems is more beneficial. After all, this is exactly what integration into your current workflows involves - enhancing them and ensuring they function more smoothly rather than discarding and replacing them entirely.
Middleware Tools to Bridge Gaps
Sometimes, connecting a digital system is more complex than it seems. Some companies, for various reasons, cannot abandon their legacy solutions, even when they have limited options for integrations, which greatly reduces the range of automation possibilities from combining different tools. However, this challenge can also be addressed and overcome.
Middleware solutions like Zappier act as connectors between tools that usually do not integrate or when a custom API option is unavailable. They become an additional automated link in your existing workflows, making their presence almost invisible - only the benefits are noticeable. Middleware tools are generally simple and quick to set up. However, they also require a subscription fee, which might not be suitable for tight budgets.
Train and Communicate With Your Team
The final step in integrating automation into your existing workflows is to help those following these workflows adjust to the change. In other words, you need to bring your team up to speed. Some people are less receptive to changes, so be prepared for some resistance. However, if managed correctly, it’s just a minor hiccup.
The “Why” Behind the Automation
It’s a recurring theme in our articles, yet it needs to be emphasised as many companies continue to neglect it. Specifically, if you merely inform your employees that new measures are being implemented, you are essentially inviting trouble. This can lead to issues like workers misusing tools or secretly reverting to the old process behind your back.
Needless to say, neither of these is good for your company, especially since integrating automation into the business usually involves a financial investment. The way to avoid this common mistake is both simple and tricky: you need to communicate the ‘why’ of the changes to your teams and ensure the message is received. People are more open to innovation and more motivated to adapt when they see a clear benefit. While it may seem obvious to you how automation will boost efficiency and convenience, your workers don’t share that view and need such reassurance. For success, you must understand the challenges they face and then communicate how automation solves them, ideally supported by a hands-on demonstration. One effective approach would be to organise training sessions where, if possible, you allow your workers to try out the new process themselves.
Summary
Automation can fit into your current workflows in various ways. This means you will have multiple options right from the start. However, you need to choose wisely which ones to pursue, as the short- and long-term benefits of different opportunities vary. Opting for quantity rather than quality will affect your progress and deplete your budget. With clear priorities, finding the right tools becomes easier too. A good starting point that can save a lot of time and disappointment is checking the platforms you already use for their existing integrations.
While it might be tempting to discard everything and start from scratch, it’s better not to do so. Improving your current processes with new tools is more beneficial, as you already have data for benchmarking and analysis. Starting anew means waiting for data to accumulate, especially when using integration-bound toolboxes. Regarding integrations, there are times when they simply aren’t possible. That’s when you should consider middleware tools. Overall, the key to smoothly integrating automation into your existing workflows isn’t just about the tools: it’s about your and your team’s mindset.
Are you looking for ways to improve your workflows? Get in touch with us; we know how to make that happen.