Are you spending more and more time on day-to-day tasks than you are on growing your business? Are repetitive manual tasks taking the joy out of your business? Do you often wish there was a better way?
Your wish is granted. There is a better way, and it’s called workflow automation. “What is that?” you might ask.
Put simply, it means making some manual processes operate automatically – hands free. Not so long ago, people used to write figures in ledgers, with headings along the top and rows of data, using an adding machine to provide totals. Then along came Excel, and formulas were created to add up columns. What a huge step ahead that was!
Thankfully, those days are gone, replaced now by online accounting software, receipt data extraction programs, project management software, payroll scheduling software. What used to take weeks, then days, can now be done almost instantly – by just one person – and even then, for a much smaller part of their day.
There are many benefits of automating a workflow.
1. Minimise errors and risks
Human errors have cost businesses dearly. An extra nought in some payout figures from an insurance company could mean a big loss for the company, but jubilant payees.
According to a recent report from IDC International, it’s estimated that, on average, the cost of human error on Australian businesses is $650 per employee each year. With over 13 million people employed in Australia this year, that’s over $8 billion lost – every year.
With human error nibbling away constantly at your profits, like a mouse at a block of aged Cheddar, it’s time to get that workflow automating happening, pronto, so you don’t let your hard-earned cash dwindle.
2. Save time and money
Repetitive tasks are often where errors occur. Employees get bored, and it’s easy to lose concentration. And because these types of tasks have a high likelihood of error, they often need checking. A repetitive task also takes time, because it’s the same process repeated over and over. And that time is costing you money, every minute of every day.
So when you automate a repetitive task, you save time and money.
3. Improve employee productivity
When employees have to perform repetitive and mundane tasks, it’s hard for them to get motivated to be productive. Doing the same tasks over and over is hardly the stuff to engage an employee and encourage them to go the extra mile for you. But take away the repetitive. Take away the mundane. In their places you’ll have energised and enthusiastic employees who, when you say “Jump”, don’t even need to ask, “How high?”
4. Grow your business
Your employees can focus on your business growth when you automate the right workflow processes. With business bottlenecks and holdups eliminated, teams can work productively because each step flows into the next.
And the workflow automation software can give you beneficial insights that help you identify employee performance, and actions you can take to improve your overall business productivity.
5. Improve teamwork and communication
When processes are automated, your employees will find it easier to collaborate and communicate effectively. This, in turn, encourages teamwork, and that leads to increased productivity. When employees are happy in their work, it’s a known fact that they become more productive.
Want to automate your business workflow?
Want your business to achieve more in less time – and with minimal costs? When tasks are automated, you can focus on your core business operations, and stimulate growth.
Not sure what or how to automate?
Don’t worry. We can help you streamline and automate your processes, so you can use real-time data to plan and reach your goals, while business profits roll in.
Contact us today to discover the benefits of workflow automation.