We are living in a time of extremely fast change. The last 30 years were painted by the invention of so many new technologies that it’s hard to conceive. Computers, DVDs, Blue-ray, Smartphones, iPhones, Tablets and even self-sufficient vacuum cleaners. Not to mention self-driving cars and robots that can actually hold conversations!
Technology and artificial intelligence permeate our daily lives deeper than we think. When it comes to business, either big or small, AI and automation are becoming a bigger part of companies by the day. Like it or not, we need to adapt. Organizations that stick to the “old ways” and refuse to innovate and implement those technologies are doomed to get surpassed and end up disappearing.
The question that remains is… Is automation a good thing?
Robots are taking all our jobs
The World Economic Forum recently conducted a study. It has predicted that, in the next four years, 75 million jobs will be lost to automation. On the other hand, it also states that 133 million new jobs will emerge. We will see the development of a new division of labour between man and machine.
It is true that robots and/or AI are taking over some jobs, but it is also allowing humans to create new jobs. There are some types of jobs that can only be done by humans, such as customer service, copywriting, program management, and other roles that require skills such as empathy, ethical judgment, and creativity. Other careers are showing a promising future such as cybersecurity and technology development.
In his book “Zero to One”, Peter Thiel states “Men and machines are good at fundamentally different things,” implying that computers are not substitutes for humans but complements. Computers take upon repetitive tasks, and can actually outperform humans with ease. But when it comes to creativity, improvising, and dealing with unexpected situations, humans are still necessary to make it possible.
Automation without processes
Automation can make a mess on its own. In order to implement automation in any business, there must be clear processes and procedures that will be followed by the software. Simply automating something doesn’t create a process and, at some point, it is going to get worse. Computers don’t understand unpredictability and can’t “figure it out” when something doesn’t go as usual. It is essential to have processes and set automation correctly. It is just as essential to know exactly what it is that you are going to automate.
Processes are what make automation successful. The processes are the parts of your systems that are embedded in your business as a whole. If you automate your processes well you will see reduced costs, increased efficiency and profit across your company, not only in the sector the automation was implemented but also in other areas.
You need to have a check and balance process in place to make sure everything is working well. When your working with software, eventually, you will have situations when things stop working properly. IT IS NORMAL. So you have to keep track of your automation and have a checking schedule to make sure things don’t get messy. Checking regularly and not taking it for granted assure you catch problems at the beginning before it gets ugly.
Automation makes human life more enjoyable
Automation allows us to focus on tasks that are less mundane. Computers can take repetitive, boring and time-consuming tasks like email and list sorting, scheduling, data management, content post and much more off our hands. That means we get more time to invest in creative, innovative and exciting projects, or to take care of ourselves and our families.
People can provide more complex services. Creativity is at the core of the human species. At the same pace, new things get automated, people come up with new ideas and new services that might not have been possible before. That means people can have more satisfying jobs and even earn more money. It’s a whole new world of opportunities to create, expand and find a passion you can sell.
We can work fewer hours and make more money! Do I have to say anything else? When it’s done, the right automation can literally get you money in your sleep, and that’s definitely one of the best parts of it!
What kinds of automation are helpful for your business?
There are many things you can automate in your business. It all depends on your needs. Let’s talk about a couple of things that automation does great with:
- Moving data
If you have a lot of data that needs to be stored, transferred and/or processes across different platforms you might be in for a treat. Automating data transference means not having to type the same information multiple times. You can use a bot to automatically copy information from one system to another. Zapier or Make.com (formerly – integromat.com) are examples of programs that will do that for you.
- Posting content for you
If you have an online business you know how time-consuming posting on a blog and social media can be. Even more, because to get good results out of it you need to be present and at least a bit regular with your posts. Automation can not only save you time but also allow you to post consistently. Even while you are sleeping!
Some of those programs will even tell you the best times to post according to your audience, making your social media more effective. One of my favourite systems for this is SmarterQueue.
- Create consistency
Your tasks will be done the same way every time. No human can be as precise as a computer. Automations guarantee you that the task is being performed exactly as you programmed it to. Your team will know what to do and when. Everything gets more organized. With the right processes in place, automation will keep your business growing.
Automation isn’t free
You will need to pay for services. You might not be directly hiring a person, but there are a lot of people behind building the software. Their money has to come from somewhere too! The difference is that with automation you will be paying much less. Think about it! They need to create the software one time and then many people will buy it, so the costs get shared by all those sales.
There are a couple of different payment options. It might be a one-time investment, a yearly subscription or even a monthly payment. But in the long run, it will always be much less than actually hiring a person or team to do those tasks.
Keep in mind there are free versions or trials of most apps, systems and software. And while it’s recommended to test first, you may need to pay to have those services implemented. There’s a good chance you will need the full program with all its tools. However, when done right, automation can increase efficiency and profit. So it’s totally worth it!
It will save you time! And as we all know time is money. The less you and your team members have to worry about those repetitive and boring tasks the more you all have time to create value for your business. You can give your team members and yourself more time to rest. That increases the quality of life, happiness and effectiveness for everyone!
Do you want to implement automation into your business but are unsure how? I can advise and help you choose and implement your automation! Let’s chat!
