Let’s assume you have decided to automate business processes to streamline the way your business functions. But where do you start?
Automating Processes – Step by Step
This step-by-step guide will walk you through it.
Step 1 - Identify the Functional Business Areas
Automation is not something you use to replace a handful of team members with AI. This is why your first step is to identify the functional areas in your business that could use efficiency improvements. Your business may require help in inventory management or accounts payable. Or maybe your sales team or customer service needs an overhaul.
Step 2 - Define Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
This is where you document the precise steps required to complete a task in each role within your business. Any type of automation needs a clearly defined process with step-by-step instructions. SOPs provide this and business operators should establish SOPs and review/update them every six months.
Step 3 - Identify Repetitive Tasks
Within the functional areas of your business, you defined in Step 1, you can take a hard look at the repetitive tasks found in the roles of each department. You may find some overlap, maybe even some duplication.
Step 4 - Prioritise Where You Would Like To Automate
By the time you get to this step, you should have a long list of tasks that present many opportunities for improvement. Your next task is to organise that list according to priority. But what considerations should be made for prioritisation? Reframe the process as operational improvements and how they will impact your customers. Automation should offer benefits like decreasing errors made manually or reducing tedious tasks.
Step 5 - Moving To The Digital Landscape
Business processes can be automated in ways that will not stretch your budget or force you into financing them with a bank loan. That is because there are several workflow software programs available. These exist to help small business owners design and automate several business processes to streamline how their business operates.
Step 6 - Implementation
Automation integration is probably the easiest step of the entire process. Follow the installation instructions for the software you plan to use for automation and aside from onboarding team members who will use this new program, the transition should be seamless.
What Are The Advantages Of Automating Processes in you Business?
There are several pluses to streamlining how your business operates by introducing automated business systems. They include:
Improved Accuracy
Although the human touch is still vital in every business, the risk of human error in the processing of invoices, scheduling activities, or any other business process you choose to automate will be greatly reduced when you remove the human element.
Saves Time
When you remove team members from boring, tedious, repetitive tasks, they perform better saving you money when their focus is shifted to something that is more interesting to them and is value-added for your business.
Faster Processes
Automated workflows run smoothly from Point A to Point B all the time. There are no hiccups, lost data, or team members trying to rush things along to get it over with. An automated system will methodically follow your step-by-step instructions every time.
Improved Productivity
When you automate workflows, you eliminate bottlenecks so that everything flows smoothly. This increases productivity and makes your business run better than it ever has before.
Happy Staff
Automation is not designed to replace staff with robots. If anything, automation gives team members a tool to use that enhances their contribution to your business. It also gives them something to take pride in and eliminates boredom. Automation allows staff to work on more important tasks so they don’t get bored with repetitive tasks.
Streamlining Your Business
When you invest in automated workflows for your business, you instantly make it run better, and more efficiently, and return bigger profits through money saving resulting from the streamlining activity.
Do You Want Your Business To Grow?
Business success is more likely to happen when you introduce automated processes to your operation. For tips on how to make this lead to business growth, contact the best business coach in North Brisbane, call Action Coach Business Coaching today. Business coaching services in North Brisbane can make a difference and Action Coach Business Coaching can make that happen for you.
Conclusion
It is common in today’s world of business to have various business processes automated. When you look at what automation can bring to your business, regardless of size, it is a wise investment. Business coaching services in North Brisbane support this and encourage you to explore the possibilities.