Automation has long been treated as an afterthought by companies. Not because they didn't want to do it. The reluctance to change was either due to fear of it or a lack of time to learn about it. Rather than making automation an afterthought, why should you make it a primary goal?
There are many ways to get the most out of automation, and all of them spring from thinking with an automated mindset. The implementation of automation is not an arduous process. You just must think about how you are going to accomplish the task. Make things easier for yourself by automating the things you need to do every day. Asking the right questions will enable you and your team to discover more opportunities to automate your work and create more productive processes as a result.
What is automation?
As a result, the goal is to set up systems that can run on their own, so you can focus on more important tasks. You start by setting a trigger, which then generates one or more actions in the applications you use to accomplish your tasks. Automation techniques, processes, and technologies are used to make many tasks that were previously performed by humans more efficient, reliable, and faster by using automation techniques, processes, and technologies. A wide range of industries are using automation, including manufacturing, utilities, operations, transportation, information technology, and defense.
Do you know what an automation mindset is? Having an automation mindset allows you to keep your daily tasks at the forefront of your mind. It allows you to consider automation proactively instead of as an afterthought. Large corporations aren't the only ones automating their processes these days. Many businesses are automating their processes wherever they can, from small businesses to freelancers to startups in the early stages. It makes sense, doesn't it? In the 21st century, automation has made running a business easier and more cost-effective than ever before. However, automation is not just confined to the workplace anymore.
Furthermore, there are several business tools that have emerged in the automation space, most of which require little or no coding, making adoption easier and reducing friction. Modern tools include automation features to stay ahead of the curve. Despite the abundance of tools and methods available to automate repetitive tasks and increase efficiency, organizations of all sizes must instill an automation mindset to make this a reality.
For example:
People without an automation mindset wait for a problem before considering automation.
In an automated mindset, one is proactive about thinking about how automation can reduce the amount of stress in an otherwise stressful situation.
For example, the auto-reply from Gmail would be a good example. It's time to go on vacation with your family. Upon your return, you will find hundreds of emails waiting for you. To avoid getting angry customers baying for your blood, you use auto-respond instead of leaving them unanswered. If you told everyone you were away manually, it would take up some of your vacation time. Using the auto-reply function instead, you can automatically reply to all your customers' emails and let them know you'll be returning soon. You can even leave a number they can call in case of an emergency.
This is an example of one small task that happens a couple of times a year.
Developing an Automation Mindset
The first step in developing an automation mindset is reviewing your work processes and evaluating how automation can increase reliability, streamline operations, and accelerate growth.
In order for a task or work process to be automated, it should possess three main characteristics:
- Work that is repetitive or mindless, such as copying and pasting or entering data.
- Work that is vulnerable to human error, such as typos or forgotten steps.
- Routine tasks, such as reminders and automatic responses, that happen on a regular basis.
As you notice these characteristics in your work, you can consider how automation can be used to improve it.
Apps that you use and how you use them can also be used to analyze your work. The fragile, repetitive, and timely framework describes these tasks. It's just a different perspective on how you approach your work.
Forms as triggers: best for gathering information from customers, leads, or teammates. Form-based automation can store data, send data, or notify people when new responses are received.
Coordination using spreadsheets and databases: spreadsheets and databases enable users to take in information from many places, store it for analysis and reference, and then distribute it among team members so it can be approved before being sent out again.
You can automate the notification of a team member (or yourself) through a chat app or the task management tool of your choice when something is ready for their attention.
