Automation technology is changing the landscape of the office
Ever since the advent of the first personal computers in the ‘70s, we have been moving towards a more technologically-advanced future. With computers came automation, and today, businesses across the globe are heavily investing in new automated software to improve their workflow.
When we think about automation technology in the workplace, our first thoughts are often of high-tech factories featuring robotic production lines surrounded by sensors monitoring every situation. However, the office is also adapting to change in more ways that one, and it’s helping to sculpt the everyday working landscape.
Automation is a huge time-saver and those that manage time effectively are often more productive – including businesses. From SMEs to international companies, automation can be applied at any level to improve workflow.
Automated Chatbots
To reduce the amount of time spent conversing with customers about products, offices can implement automated chatbots to help answer some of the most frequent questions both online and over the phone. Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular and increasingly convincing, giving customers the answers they need without having to waste precious time.
Booking and Sign-in Systems
Making it easier for employees to sign in and out, as well as visitors, saves a huge amount of time. Automated signing-in systems allow people across the company to instantly see who is in and out of the building without having to pay a visit to their office. Additionally, linking the system up with a meeting calendar means you’ll be able to see who’s available for your next gathering as well as seeing what meetings rooms are available with the click of a button.
Automated Invoicing
Setting up automated invoicing is essential for saving time in your accounts payable department. The hassle of tracking payments can be significantly reduced, especially for regular clientele on monthly contracts or payment plans. Taking advantage of e-signature software can also speed up the invoicing process while simultaneously reducing the need to print documents.
Unified Online Platforms
Having a platform that’s accessible from anywhere and provides the data you need at the click of a button is becoming essential to the future office. Remote and flexible working hours mean employees are looking for simple ways to access their work online. This is hugely helpful for sales employees who need to refine their sales process in order to attract new clients quickly while on the road.
Additionally, unified online platforms can exist to help analyse certain aspects of a business, such as print resource use. By setting up automated ordering systems based on resource data collected from across the company, menial administrative tasks can be eliminated.
Amy-Elizabeth Edge, Head of Sales ECM at Kyocera Document Solutions UK explains how they believe automation is changing the office.
“Delivering ‘the office of the future’ is a challenging reality and organisations will need to seek the advice of service providers to take them from where they currently are, into an organisation that is fit for the future. Tomorrow’s office will require the support of automation technologies for increased speed and accuracy of tasks, but also to free staff up to focus on higher value-add such as direct contact with customers.
The time saved through automation can also be used to upskill, for personal development, or to focus on more complex or customer-centric work. Aside from the huge efficiency gains for the organisation, customers often want to self-serve wherever possible; automation can be a major boon for satisfaction levels.”
When it comes to preparing for the future office, automation technology is the top priority. For more information on Karlson’s document workflow automation and management services, contact us today.
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