Automation of work processes has become mandatory in the context of rapid digitalization and increased competition. Thanks to this technology, organizations are able to achieve phenomenal productivity. Firms that create a culture of continuous improvement of procedures and apply a flexible iterative approach will be able to maximize the return on investment in the complex.
Let’s explain the basic terms, talk about the key types of automation, and give examples. Let’s find out what it is required for, what can be automated, and how to choose a complex. We will also talk about the stages of implementation, give examples of successful system implementation, recommendations, and best practices.
What does automation of work and business processes mean?
This is an approach to the automated management of business processes and workflows: with a minimum of manual actions. Workflows are a structured series of steps that guides an employee from the beginning to the end of an operation.
Business processes are a set of repetitive, logical operations of an organization that are aimed at achieving certain goals. Unlike workers, business procedures involve several staff members.
Workflows allow you to optimize the solution of tasks, while business processes help to increase the overall effect of the company’s activities.
Software is used to automate procedures in order to create a set of automatic manipulations.
The main types of automation:
- Basic (scripts, macros).
- Cognitive (AI, ML): AI, machine learning.
- Business Procedure Management (BPM): online service orchestration, monitoring, and modulation. Examples: document management systems, task management, and query management.
- Robotic (RPA): working with current web shells, programmable robots to simulate human actions. Examples: collecting information from various complexes, transferring information, and entering data into web forms.
Why do we need automation?
5 Key reasons:
- Time savings – time costs are reduced both for the processes themselves and for eliminating errors.
- Reducing errors. Due to the step-by-step solution of tasks according to pre-established rules, automated workflows allow minimizing the human factor. This increases the accuracy of processing tasks, input information, and calculations.
- Cost reduction. Automating standard tasks reduces the need for manual labor. And reducing the number of errors allows the company to save on the costs associated with making adjustments. The allocation of resources is also being improved to eliminate their excess or shortage.
- Increase productivity. Automated operations allow you to solve tasks faster and can be performed 24/7, which significantly increases productivity. In addition, automating repetitive tasks allows employees to focus on strategically important work, which leads to increased overall efficiency.
- Increasing competitiveness. Efficiency and productivity are significantly increasing, which contributes to the continuous improvement of business procedures: the competitiveness of such companies is increasing.
McKinsey’s research shows that process automation can reduce operating costs by 15-25% and increase productivity by 20-35%. And according to Deloitte, organizations that have implemented business process automation systems have reduced total costs by about 30%, reduced business transaction execution time by 80%, and reduced the number of errors by 90%.
What can be automated
Let’s list the directions with examples.
Marketing and sales: deferred posting, email newsletters
Automation of e-mail messages is a method of creating emails that reach the right people with the required message at the right time. The deferred posting tool helps you plan publications in advance, at a convenient time and in the required location.
Online customer service: chatbots, CRM
AI chatbots help automate customer support, reduce costs, and improve online service. Connect chatbots to online payment services, CRM, CMS, ERP. The introduction of customer relationship management (CRM) complexes will allow you to manage and analyze interactions and information throughout the entire customer lifecycle. CRM will help improve business relationships with the audience, retain it, and stimulate sales.
Project management: task allocation
For example, you can implement an automated code monitoring procedure in which verification tasks will be distributed among the group members based on their workload and experience. Moreover, notifications about scheduled audits can be embedded in the business process. Thanks to this, the most necessary team members will perform code verification in a short time. You can also set up a monitoring package for the employment of group members, automatically suggest task reallocation to control the sequence of the project, and load balancing.
HR: automation of hiring and adaptation
Hiring automation is a business procedure for implementing IT solutions that improve the search, selection, testing, and training of employees.
Automation of adaptation involves the use of AI and automated operations to optimize the integration of new staff units into the company.
Finance: billing, reports
Organizations using financial automation tools will be able to compare accounts more efficiently and accurately, and create transactions in the ledger. This reduces the likelihood of billing errors and saves time spent on routine tasks. Automation of financial reporting forms helps to speed up their preparation, increase the accuracy of the information entered, improve monitoring, and reduce costs.
Document management: generation of standard documents
The system allows you to create template documents in a couple of mouse clicks, which facilitates their processing and reduces the risk of errors (due to the full automation of information entry).
How to choose an automation system
First, you need to analyze the processes that need to be automated according to the following parameters:
- Frequency – the more often a business operation is performed, the higher the effect of its automation.
- Standardization is a strictly established procedure with a minimum of exceptions.
- Labor–intensive operations that require significant manual effort.
- Opportunities for optimization – the potential for significant improvement.
- Business criticality is the impact on priority indicators.
Tools for analyzing procedures:
- Process maps are a visualized demonstration of relationships and stages.
- Root cause analysis is the identification of inefficiency factors.
- Process Mining – auto-detection, analysis of business operations based on the collected information.
- Cost analysis is the measurement of time and resources spent on operations.
Next, you need to set goals and metrics. You can select as goals:
- increase in efficiency and productivity;
- improving business scalability;
- lower operating costs;
- increasing the accuracy of process execution;
- improving the quality of service.
Then the current efficiency is measured and metrics are collected as is for further comparison.
After that, you need to compare possible solutions: BPM, RPA, integration platforms, AI, low-code/no-code. Based on the nature of the operations and requirements, determine which type of automation is optimal.:
| Type of processes | Recommended technology | When to apply |
| Repetitive, structured procedures between departments | BPM | When to rethink, optimize operations in general |
| Stable procedures using current complexes | RPA | When rapid implementation is required without changing the complex |
| Procedures that require the integration of several complexes | Integration platforms | When the key problem is the exchange of information between complexes |
| Procedures that require the processing of unstructured information and decision-making | AI / ML decisions | When automation requires “smart” abilities |
| Simple procedures, rapidly changing requirements | Low-code / No-code | When the speed of implementation is a priority, the participation of business consumers |
Finally, determine the criteria for choosing a supplier and evaluating solutions. Criteria for evaluating suppliers:
- SLA, technical support level;
- availability of industry-specific solutions$
- experience in the company’s field of activity;
- the history of the organization, its place in industry ratings, and user reviews about it;
- availability of counterparties for implementation in the business area;
- development prospects, financial stability.
Criteria for evaluating solutions:
- Flexibility, adaptability – the ability to adapt to special requirements.
- User–friendliness – learning curve, intuitive software shell.
- Functional compliance – coverage of all required tasks.
- The total cost of ownership of the system, including training, implementation, licenses, and support.
- Integration capabilities – availability of connections to other complexes.
Stages of automation implementation
For the success of automation implementation, a structured approach and detailed planning of each stage are necessary. Let’s look at the key steps of this procedure.
Preparation and planning
This stage forms the basis for the success of the system implementation. Main activities:
- The formation of the project team is the approval of the lead project, the establishment of responsibilities and powers.
- Development of a detailed project plan – setting key points, stages, resource base, deadlines.
- Identification of KPIs, success metrics – which indicators will need to be measured to assess the effect of automation.
- Risk management – identification of possible problematic situations, development of tactics to reduce them.
- Budget preparation – detailing expenses for the purchase of a license, support, training, and implementation of the complex.
Analysis and optimization of procedures
Before automation, you need to make sure that the procedures are optimized and effective. Key activities:
- Detailed documentation of current processes (after the fact) – development of detailed procedure maps.
- Identification of ineffective points, weak points – analysis of problem areas.
- Procedure optimization (as it should be) – reengineering before automation.
- Setting exceptions, business rules – documenting process scenarios.
- Coordination with stakeholders – approval of new procedures.
Setting up and developing a solution
At this stage, work is carried out with the desired automation package. Main activities:
- Installation, basic configuration of the complex – preparation of the software environment.
- Setting up integrations is connecting to existing systems.
- Modeling of automated procedures is the development of digitalized models.
- Setting up monitoring and reports – developing information panels.
- Creation of client software shells – development of intuitive screens and web forms.
Approaches:
- Agile is an iterative implementation with permanent feedback.
- Waterfall – sequential implementation of all processes.
- Hybrid is a combination of techniques based on the type of processes.
Testing
Detailed testing is critical to the success of automation. Types of testing:
- Acceptance is the control of business algorithms by end users.
- Functional – compliance control.
- Integration – control of cooperation with other complexes.
- Security – monitoring the security of the complex.
- Load–based – efficiency control under increased load.
The testing approach:
- Creating test algorithms – a list of tests.
- Preparation of test information – development of a realistic list of information.
- Testing is based on the methodology.
- Making adjustments, documenting and monitoring, and eliminating problems.
- Regression testing is the control after the implementation of adjustments.
Deployment and training
Deployment – configuration, installation of the system. User training – trainings, preparation of materials. Deployment tactics:
- The pilot implementation is the launch of the complex in a limited volume.
- Parallel operation is the simultaneous operation of a new and an old system.
- Step–by-step deployment – sequential commissioning.
- Full replacement is a one–time transfer of the company to a new complex.
Support and optimization
After implementation, operations are optimized based on performance monitoring (metrics control, KPIs), feedback collection (customer experience analysis) – continuous improvement, including adaptation to changing requirements.
Support Models:
- Internal – the formation of a separate support team.
- Vendor – using the services of the solution provider.
- Hybrid – a combination of external and corporate resources.
Examples of successful automation
Here are some examples of the success of implementing a business procedure automation package in various fields.
Insurance company – acceleration of application processing
The introduction of the Pega BPM system with RPA components in a large Russian insurance company, integration with existing complexes (accounting and document management, CRM) led to a reduction in the processing time of requests from 2 weeks to just 3 days, that is, by almost 80%!
Logistics – reducing transportation costs
The introduction by a food distributor with a federal network of an automation system with a supply chain management system (SCM) and AI components to improve routes has reduced vehicle mileage by 22%.
Bank – loan issuance automation
The introduction of a business procedure automation system based on Kamunda BPM with AI elements for assessing CI in the national bank led to the automation of loan issuance.
HR in an IT organization – simplify hiring and onboarding
The introduction of a Cloud HR platform with automation components based on a Workflow solution with additional developments into an IT firm with a distributed team has significantly facilitated hiring and onboarding.
Telecom – automation of online customer service
The introduction by the telecommunications operator of an automation system for user Internet service with voice assistants, chatbots, and automatic query distribution complexes has made it possible to automate the work with requests.
Recommendations and best practices
Analysis first, then automation
Start by analyzing procedures, identifying key areas for automation, and selecting optimal technologies. Before starting a project, think about:
- How does automation relate to the main goals of the organization?
- What measurable improvements do you want to achieve?
- Which business problems should automation solve?
Select to automate the procedure:
- critically important for business, affecting user experience;
- requiring significant labor and time;
- performed regularly, with high frequency;
- involving standardized, repetitive manipulations.
Start with pilot projects
Before implementing the system, the most important practice is to perform a pilot project (POC) to monitor the solution in the current environment. According to Forrester, organizations that conduct pilot projects are 30% more likely to successfully implement business automation projects.
Choose the right technology
Focus on the following technology characteristics:
- ease of use;
- safety;
- scalability;
- functionality, flexibility of configuration;
- availability on smartphones;
- integration possibilities;
- analytics, reporting forms.
Involve employees and build change management
Involve key team members in the process who will apply automated work procedures. This will allow us to develop effective complexes and accelerate their implementation. Constantly monitor and improve working procedures. Periodically monitor changes in efficiency, customer loyalty, and time spent, and make adjustments to improve automation. Also include human verification points in your work procedures, especially when making key decisions.
Technology accounts for only 30% of the successful implementation of automation, the remaining 70% will depend on employees and the effectiveness of procedures.
Create an Automation Competence Center (CoE)
That is, the organization of a dedicated group of experts.
Workflow automation is not a one–time project, but a continuous process of digitalized transformation.
Start small! Define the processes, select the tools, and plan a large-scale implementation.
