Shifting from manual to automated processes can greatly improve your business operations and make you more competitive.
More companies are joining the hunt to solve manual inefficiencies and enhance business operations by implementing automation. Automation is a gateway for any business to improve efficiency, increase productivity, and set up a flexible work model.
Automation empowers businesses to make better decisions, increase employee productivity, and efficiently allocate resources.
Moving away from manual processes reduces human errors, many of which are caused by repetitive task fatigue. Employees are a valuable resource to a company and relieving them of tedious tasks can give them time and energy to develop other skills and become more innovative.
Keep reading to learn how you can move from a manual to automated processes.
Tips for automating your processes
#1: Start with the status reports
Industrial automation doesn’t have to be an overwhelming undertaking that requires a hefty investment. Businesses can achieve this by starting with the basic tasks, such as system generated reports.
How does your company currently get reports? Does it require a specific machine log in or is the report cumbersome? Streamlining reporting can be a great starting point for beginning automation efforts.
Automating reports, using real-time reporting displays and dashboards, or even syncing a mobile phone with an industrial robot to access current data, are all examples of how automation can work for companies and projects.
#2: Keenly monitor the repetitive tasks
The greatest potential for automation success is when repetitive tasks can be identified and replaced. Auditing your organization for daily, weekly, or monthly tasks that could be easily automated is a simple way to increase productivity and efficiency.
Consider whether investing in an industrial robot can free up resources, such as staff, for tasks that are useful and more productive elsewhere.
#3: Do not ignore gaps in your business processes
Businesses work months and even years to perfect a process flow. As growth happens, this work flow can develop gaps, and may need to be reevaluated to keep efficiency and productivity on the right track.
In the case of a manufacturing company, are there tasks that human resources cannot complete efficiently? Is there a need to incorporate digital manufacturing in the whole process to align manufacturing services, processes, and supply chains?
Identifying these gaps and needs, and how an automated process can improve them, will keep your business headed in the right direction.
#4: Iron out the escalation and approval process
Adopting an automated workflow can ensure clarity on all items that require approval and escalation. Communicate the process clearly to your team, and automate a system where the workflow automatically gets assigned, emailed, or escalated based on your company’s needs.
Defining business rules for your workflow, and designing an automation system around it, will ensure approvals and escalations don’t fall through the cracks.
#5: Ensure Job Security
Incorporating automation into your business can be seen as a big change, and some in the company may have mixed feelings about it. Change isn’t always easy, and you need to reassure your employees with the positive nature of the change for not only the company, but for the team as well.
It would be easy for an employee to worry their job is at risk when an industrial robot is brought in, but ensuring that the robot is a helpful tool for the team will help with a smoother transition.
HGR is your gateway to automating manual business processes
You can count on HGR when you start your business automation processes. We know how challenging and confusing the process can be for most people. That is why we give you access to a one-stop platform with all the tools needed to move from manual to automated processes. Our team will be glad to advise you as required.