Is automation the answer?
The other day I panicked, questioning if I had paid the electricity bill on time. Then I remembered that the bill was set up for autopay. Immediate relief followed by laughter reminded me that it had not always been this easy. Unlike the days of writing checks and timing the mail to ensure there was money in the bank when the check was deposited, auto-pay has made keeping current on bills much easier.
Automation is a powerful concept. To have something automatically completed without needing to think or execute is liberating. The bill pay example works in business as well as personal life. Even if you do not automate the actual bill pay, using a tool that you can schedule when the bill is paid is a piece of automation that allows you to control when the money leaves your account.
Marketing is another business function that benefits from automation. Newsletters and social media posts can be automatically delivered or posted. Notifications to clients about new services are automatically going out in a specific sequence. Communications happen without you remembering or actively pushing a button. No panic is required to keep your marketing machine moving forward.
Business owners are now asking the question “what can be automated” regularly and looking for more and more opportunities to streamline processes and reduce manual activities. Getting something off our plate to provide more space for higher impact activities is something many have not felt able to do until automation became more accessible.
The goal of automation is to save time, money, headaches, and errors in your business. As you consider the different areas of your business where automation would be beneficial, consider a few different approaches:
Which of your processes involve manual entry, or copying the same information in multiple places? If you are downloading or copying the time sheet data into your payroll system every two weeks, is there a way to have that automatically uploaded once it has been approved?
What are activities that happen the same way every time? If there are standard communications that need to go to a new client once the agreement is signed, look at automating those messages to be sent once the document is signed.
Are there steps that trigger another person to take action? If so, automated notifications reduce the need for manual emails, texts, verbal reminders or other follow-up time. Setting up automated notifications and reminders to team members when it is their turn to take over ensures efficiency of the process moving forward.
As we all look for more ways to automate our work, the other question that needs to be asked is whether automation is the answer.
Not every task should be automated, particularly if it diminishes the quality of the experience. As you identify opportunities to automate, confirm that your recipient will not perceive your automation as cold, impersonal, or AI generated. You want your clients and prospects to feel cared for, not simply a name in a system.
As you look at your processes, be sure you are not removing the core of who you are or what your business does by automating. Some tasks should not be automated. Perhaps it is better to explore opportunities to streamline the tasks or process than to automate (more on that in future posts).
Automation is a powerful technique for enhancing your business. There are endless opportunities to automate processes and many tools you already use have the capabilities you need. Get as much off your plate through automation as you can. And keep on your plate those tasks that will create a stronger connection to your client.