How do you select the right automation software for your business?

So, you’ve decided to automate, congratulations! This is the first step towards changing your life and running your business. Yes, automation will literally change your life, for the better, of course. No more repetitive tasks that you don’t enjoy. Now you can focus on what really adds value to your business. The ultimate aim of automating is turning processes which take hours of your time into process which take minutes or seconds of your time, right?

But, how do you choose the right software for your business? Here’s a couple of things you need to consider before selecting the right fit.

What needs automating and why?

It’s prudent to start by asking the following questions:

Where are your businesses choke points – what is talking up the most of your teams time?
What processes need performance enhancement – which processes need more accuracy and accountability?
What problems need to be solved – this will determine what functionality you require and it will also test if your processes are working optimally even before you automate them.
Which repetitive tasks need automating?

These questions may seem obvious but it’s a necessary exercise in order to understand exactly what functionality is required.

You can also ask your employees what they think, ask them what they need help with. User buy-in is a very important aspect to any change in processes.

Usability and integration

You want to choose automation that’s easy and intuitive to use and ensure that it integrates smoothly with existing software applications you may be using. All systems need to work together to ensure that workflow is not disrupted or made more complicated.

Using artificial intelligence (AI)

Be careful not to confuse Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is different to AI. IPA is software used for highly repetitive and predictable tasks and takes instructions from workflows set up by individuals using logical language. It is rules-based, so IF THAT THEN THIS.

AI is how computer systems use data to imitate human intelligence and reasoning, making the system able to learn, predict and make recommendations. This is done by using lots of data to train the system to recognise the pattern you are looking for. For example, using lots of photos of cats that have been tagged as Cat to train the system to recognise cat pictures. This is called a training set. So AI is pattern-based, and you need the training data to set it up. That’s a big commitment.

Customising your automation software

A one-size-fits-all solution might not be adequate for your business, so it’s a good idea to select automation software that is highly customisable. What’s great about automation software providers is that most will allow you to trial the software solution before making a decision.

Some more things to think about before you sign on the dotted line:

Make sure that when you choose a solution provider that they are available to guide you and offer you the best possible customer service once implemented.
Make sure the software has an intuitive user interface and navigation, so that no special skills or training are necessary to run it.
Make sure you choose a partner that helps you consider issues like security and quality control.
A good solution provider will also guide you on how to scale your software solutions as your business grows.
Does the software allow remote access, so that you’re online anywhere, anytime?
Does the software offer cloud capabilities and remote cloud access?
Does the software offer a mobile capability?
How much money do you have to invest?

These are just a few of the many considerations before finding the right solution. AUTTO is here to help you discover the right fit for your business!