In today’s digital workplace, automation is key to streamlining processes and improving efficiency. However, as businesses grow and processes become more complex, standard workflow automation is no longer sufficient. To keep up with the pace of change and stay competitive, businesses need to move to hyperautomation.
What is hyperautomation?
Hyperautomation is the next level of automation, where machines not only automate workflows but also learn and adapt on their own. It incorporates artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and robotic process automation (RPA), as well as many other technologies, tools, and platforms to make decisions and orchestrate actions.
Hyperautomation: How to get started?
1. Creating a roadmap for hyperautomation
To move to hyperautomation, it is important to first identify and document the business process. This will help to understand which areas are ripe for automation and where there are opportunities to improve efficiency.
By understanding the business process, it is possible to create a plan for automating specific tasks and processes. In many cases, this can be done without impacting customer service or the overall quality of the product or service.
To effectively manage and optimize an organization’s processes, it is important to have a clear view of how they operate. Process mining can be used to research how existing processes operate, where gaps, latency, and bottlenecks may exist, and what the environment is like. This information can then be used to generate a plan for hyperautomation.
By understanding the current state of things, organizations can make more informed decisions about where they should focus their efforts in order to achieve the most efficiency and savings.
2. Determine the inputs and data required for the processes
There is a lot of data that goes into accomplishing even the simplest processes. Identifying structured and unstructured data and other inputs is crucial. This information can help to determine what tools and technologies will be necessary to get started. Additionally, it is helpful to have an understanding of the business goals that will be achieved through hyperautomation.
For example, an organization may need to gather customer contact information to create a new customer account in the CRM system (e.g. Salesforce). In this case, the structured data would be the contact information (name, address, phone number, etc.), while the unstructured data would be the customer’s title or position description extracted from social media accounts like LinkedIn .
3. Make sure the processes are scalable
Hyperautomation generally refers to the wide-scale adoption of automation strategies in order to achieve unprecedented gains in efficiency. As a result, every opportunity should be evaluated from a scalability perspective, and the process should be future-proofed at every step. If your processes are not scalable, you will run into problems down the road
One way to ensure that your processes are scalable is to automate them as much as possible. Automation can help to optimize throughput and minimize downtime, both of which are essential to improve productivity. Automation allows you to do more with less, which makes it an important tool for businesses looking to grow. In addition, automating your processes will help you to manage growth more effectively, as well as improve quality and consistency.
For instance, if you’re looking to automate a manual process, make sure the new system can handle increased volume if needed. Or, if you’re streamlining a process that involves multiple steps, look for ways to modularize it so different parts can be scaled up or down as needed.
Keep in mind that automation isn’t just about scaling up; it’s also about efficiency and speed. So, make sure each step in the process is as quick and easy as possible, without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
By thinking scalability into every aspect of your automation strategy, you’ll be well-prepared for whatever comes your way.
4. Utilize the right tools and technologies
The hyperautomation journey is all about change. Change in the way we work, the way we think, and the way we plan.
To ensure a smooth transition, we must use the right tools and technologies that align closely with our roadmap. Doing so will help ensure a successful outcome and avoid any unnecessary delays or disruptions.
The first step is to assess your current state and identify the areas where automation can be most effective. Once you have a clear understanding of where you want to go, you can begin to identify the specific tools and technologies needed for the journey. This includes automation platforms, robotic process automation, and machine learning tools, as well as AI for incoming customer support calls to be handled by chatbots.
Choosing technologies that integrate well with one another and with your existing systems is essential. By selecting compatible technologies, you will be able to minimize the disruption caused by the transition and ensure a smooth implementation.
5. Incorporate artificial intelligence
In the business world, there’s always a drive to automate processes to save time and money. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as cognitive learning, optical character recognition (OCR), and natural language processing (NLP), businesses can automate simple tasks that would otherwise require human input.
Intelligent automation uses AI and machine learning (ML) to optimize and automate end-to-end processes. It can be used to identify inefficiencies and errors in process flows, and then correct them. Additionally, it can be used to improve decision-making by providing insights into data that would otherwise be unavailable.
While intelligent automation offers many benefits, it is not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that all automated components work together seamlessly.
Hyperautomation is too complicated to ensure perfect execution, so mistakes will occur. A certain level of trial and error is necessary for any organization willing to implement hyperautomation to determine what works best for them.
As automation technology develops, so does the potential for companies to move up the automation ladder. There are benefits and use-cases that need to be considered when deciding to move to the next level.
What are the benefits of hyperautomation?
The benefits are vast, but some of the most important include increased efficiency, improved quality, and reduced costs.
Increased efficiency
One of the primary benefits of hyperautomation is increased efficiency. Automation can help businesses to operate more quickly and smoothly, with less need for manual input or oversight. This can lead to significant time savings and a more streamlined workflow.
Improved quality
Automated systems are often much better at producing consistent results than humans. They are less likely to make mistakes, and they can be relied on to produce high-quality output every time. This can be a huge advantage for businesses that rely on high-quality products or services.
Reduced Costs
Automation can help to reduce the cost of doing business. This is because it can eliminate the need for human workers, resulting in no additional expenses for things like wages and benefits.
Applications of hyperautomation
Here are some of the key areas where hyperautomation is expected to make a big impact:
Healthcare
Hyperautomation can be used to improve efficiency and accuracy in healthcare processes. For example, it can be used to automate tasks, such as data entry, claims processing, and medication management. This can help reduce errors and improve turnaround times.
Supply Chain
Hyperautomation can be used to improve supply chain efficiency and transparency. For example, it can be used to track inventory levels and monitor production processes. This can help ensure that goods are delivered on time and that there is no waste or stockouts.
Retail
In the retail world, it can improve the accuracy of back-end retail processes. By automating tasks such as inventory management, order processing, and shipping, retailers can ensure that their back-end processes are running smoothly and accurately. Efficiencies can be increased and costs can be reduced as a result.
Hyperautomation can also be used to improve customer service. Automated chatbots, for example, can be used to provide customers with instant support and answers to their questions.
Final Summary
Hyperautomation requires a holistic approach, so be sure to consider all aspects of your business when making decisions about automation. With the right tools and strategies in place, you can make your business more efficient and successful than ever before.