Don’t Panic! Here’s How You Get Started with Automation
Automation is a process in which technology is leveraged to handle labour-intensive, repetitive tasks. It encompasses a broad range of technologies and applications, developed with the purpose of:
– Minimise or eliminate human involvement
– Automate repetitive, routine tasks
– Enhance efficiency, productivity, and accuracy by streamlining processes
– Optimise resource utilisation and minimise labour costs
The future of automation is linked to artificial intelligence, with 92% of companies planning to escalate their AI investments over the next three years [1]. This emphasises that the right automation software is not merely a desirable upgrade, but a critical strategic priority to reshape business operations.
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However, the sheer number of available solutions presents a significant challenge. Businesses must lay out the essential steps to identify and implement IT automation software that aligns with specific business needs and delivers tangible, long-term value.
Let’s explore what those steps are in this article.
Defining your automation software requirements
Defining requirements for automation software is crucial for any business, and carefully evaluating these key criteria ensures that the chosen solution truly delivers value:
– “Must-have” versus “nice-to-have” features
– Technology compatibility
– User accessibility
Innovative software is an investment. Businesses must ensure the new solution aligns with the business’ unique needs, integrates seamlessly with its existing infrastructure, and empowers all users to achieve their full potential.
Read more:Where to Automate? Identifying Key Opportunities for Business Efficiency
Must-have vs. nice-to-have features
Businesses today are constantly bombarded with a plethora of options, each promising to revolutionise their operations. Software selection depends on knowing what features a business truly needs instead of chasing after “the next big bang” that may end up unusable. This requires a clear understanding between “must-have” and “nice-to-have” features.
Must-have features are the critical functionalities that directly address fundamental business needs and solve pressing pain points. They change how work takes place, and not only make current processes better, but they also add value that businesses could not get before.
Nice-to-have features are supplementary functionalities that may enhance the user experience or offer additional benefits. While they might seem appealing, these features are “nice-to-have” because they often fail to drive widespread adoption or deliver tangible returns on investment.
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Moreover, they can distract businesses from core objectives, further complicate implementation, and increase costs without providing commensurate value.
To navigate the complexities of software selection, a pragmatic and phased approach is essential:
– Prioritise core functionality
– Establish a solid foundation
– Gradual expansion and integration
– Focus on user adoption
– Consider scalability
With this strategic approach, businesses can avoid the pitfalls of feature creep and ensure that their software investments deliver tangible and sustainable value.
Compatibility with the existing technology stack
A mismatch between the chosen automation solution and your current systems can lead to costly customisations, operational disruptions, and ultimately, a failure to achieve the desired automation goals.
Selecting automation software without careful consideration of its compatibility with the existing IT ecosystem is akin to building a house on a shaky foundation. To avoid these pitfalls, leaders can ask themselves the following critical questions:
– Can the new solution integrate smoothly with current systems? This includes ERP, CRM, and other critical systems required for the daily operations. A follow-up question would be how data will be transferred between systems, and how often?
– Will it require significant changes to your IT setup? For example, extensive customisation or major infrastructure upgrades can add significant costs and delays to the automation project.
– Does your team possess the expertise to handle the integration? Successful integration requires specific skills in system integration, data management, and software development.
– Can the solution scale as your company grows? Consider the software’s scalability, performance, and ability to handle increasing data volumes and the number of users as the company expand (or downsizes) in the future.
– How easily can your current data be migrated into the new system? How will data integrity be maintained during the migration process? Poor data migration can ruin a software implementation.
User accessibility needs
Just like with any digital transformation project, it is important to ensure that innovation does not create new barriers for the end users. The new automation tools should empower every team member, regardless of their abilities, to effectively utilise these technologies.
Making tools accessible is not just about avoiding legal repercussions; it is about:
– Unlocking the full potential of your team
– Enhancing productivity and overall performance
– Improving user experience and increasing adoption
– Promoting a positive brand image
Prioritising user accessibility means organisations are committed to fostering a more inclusive, productive, and equitable work environment as well as ensuring every employee can benefit from the transformative power of automation.
Read more: Top Common Accounts Payable Automation Myths Debunked
The next big question is, should you build or buy your next automation software?
When it comes to automating business processes, organisations face a critical decision: should they build a custom solution from the ground up, purchase an off-the-shelf product, or explore a hybrid approach? Each option presents distinct advantages and disadvantages, tailored to specific business needs and circumstances.
Understanding these nuances is essential for making an informed choice that aligns with your specific strategic objectives.
When custom development makes sense
Custom software development involves designing, creating, deploying, and maintaining software tailored to meet businesses’ intricate requirements and goals, thus enhancing their efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness in the market.
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This approach works best when:
– Business processes do not follow the norm, and standard solutions fall short
– Pre-built applications come with generic features that might miss the unique challenges each business faces
– Growth looks promising down the road
Custom software provides a more personalised, adaptive, and effective solution compared to off-the-shelf options. Businesses aiming for rapid expansion may find this flexibility valuable. However, this advantage requires higher upfront costs and takes longer to develop.
Advantages of off-the-shelf solutions
Off-the-shelf or pre-built automation software offers a ready-made solution that can be quickly implemented. This type of software is designed to address key business needs and processes typically based on industry best practices, making it an ideal choice for companies looking to:
– Lower upfront cost and better manage their IT budgets
– Implement quickly with minimal downtime
– Maintain more stable and reliable systems with a user-friendly design
– Be provided with ready-made training and well-documented standard operating procedures so staff can get up and running almost immediately
Off-the-shelf automation software has undergone extensive development and refinement by experienced solution experts, ensuring it meets a wide range of industry standards and requirements. Years of rigorous testing across different setups and environments have built confidence in their performance.
This extensive vetting process not only enhances their functionality but also ensures that they are equipped to handle various challenges and scenarios that businesses might encounter. As a result, organisations can focus on their core activities while benefiting from enhanced productivity and reliability that such software provides.
Hybrid approaches to think over
The good news is: Leaders don’t have to pull their hair out deciding whether to build or buy a solution. Businesses can opt for hybrid options—a blend of both approaches.
Hybrid IT automation mixes on-site with cloud platforms, allowing organisations to leverage the strengths of both environments and optimise costs by placing workloads in the most cost-effective environment.
Modified pre-built platforms offer a middle ground between off-the-shelf solutions and fully custom development. Organisations can begin with existing, proven solutions and then adapt them to meet their specific requirements, i.e., companies to get a working system quickly, and then modify it as needed. This also reduces the amount of testing needed.
Modular development enables organisations to build targeted components for critical processes, ensuring that development resources are focused on the areas that deliver the greatest value while leveraging pre-built solutions for standard functionalities. By keeping the custom parts of the system smaller, the overall system is easier to maintain.
Your business’ situation determines the best choice. It is best to look at your current complexity, budget limits, timelines, and growth plans while keeping in mind the build vs. buy vs. hybrid options to determine the most balanced approach that meets your automation goals.
Vendor due diligence is a must in IT solutions selection
Due diligence is the process of systematically investigating and verifying the accuracy of a statement. Conducting vendor due diligence on a new IT solution or service provider means evaluating all associated risks before coming to a business arrangement.
Many organisations either underestimate the importance of conducting due diligence or fail to gather all the relevant information to support their decision-making. Committing to a new IT solution can pose several threats if all the relevant aspects of the vendor are not checked from the beginning.
Read more:How to Choose Software Vendors: Hidden Red Flags You Must Know Today
Most IT solution deals are summed up in a lengthy contract that legally binds the two parties together. Therefore, if your vendor messes up (e.g., a faulty update like in the recent CrowdStrike incident), your business will suffer, especially if the solution is meant to support a key function of the organisation.
Here are 3 key factors businesses should consider in the due diligence process:
Technical validation
A reputable vendor would be happy to deliver a thorough product demonstration so that the prospect can have a glimpse of how the software functions, processes data and how much value it can add to the business.
The technical validation should be able to answer these questions:
– How can technical problems be solved?
– How is training provided?
– Is there any hidden expense for updates and replacements?
– What are the details of its capabilities and performance?
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In addition to evaluating the vendor’s technical expertise, checking the company’s references is also among the top priorities. The selected vendor should have a strong customer base and customer satisfaction.
Do they have any former customers in your specific business line? Reach out to them and ask for their feedback if theirs are not provided in the first place.
Contract agreements
This step requires the assistance of an attorney to fully understand the terms and agreements in the coming lengthy contract:
– The Statement of Work (SOW): Outlines the plans for deliverables, costs, and milestones to support the implementation of project tasks and expectations.
– The Service Level Agreement (SLA): Not to be mistaken with the SOW; SLA describes the acceptable levels of operation and maintenance that the business will accept, i.e., the acceptable minimum performance, the maintenance expectations, the escalation process, and the level of severity for specific issues and penalties that can be assessed against the vendor for failure to perform.
– The Escrow Agreement: Ensures the business’ control over the software code in case an “event” happens to the vendor. For example, if the vendor goes bankrupt, merges, or is acquired by another company. These events can compromise the business’ access to the software or services. Therefore, legal counsel is necessary to define and negotiate an Escrow clause that is ultimately beneficial to your organisation.
Project & implementation management
Conducting due diligence in this process mainly focuses on the initial features, such as project portals, the structure of the project team, and performance metrics. Details such as timelines and milestones, and how risks are defined, managed, and mitigated, must be clarified beforehand.
Vendor due diligence and the associated paperwork can be daunting to carry out, but having a checklist and consistently evaluating the software vendor is vital to obtaining an authentic and beneficial IT service. With a thorough research process, your organisation can end up with a business partner that not only delivers a system that works but also elevates your business to the next level.
Creating an effective implementation roadmap
Automation implementation is a complex process that needs careful planning and strategic execution. Success depends on a well-laid-out approach that arranges technology with business processes and people.
Creating a realistic timeline
The automation project should be broken down into manageable phases—much like planning a mountain climb with base camp, summit push, and descent.
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Each phase needs well-defined tasks such as software configuration, data migration, and user training. Buffer periods should be factored in for unforeseen challenges to provide flexibility when unexpected problems arise.
Specific dates must be set for clear milestones: “Pilot starts on [date]” or “Full launch by [month]”.
Assembling your A team
The right team forms the lifeblood of successful automation implementation and should include representatives from IT, finance, operations, and other affected departments. The best automation teams combine technical expertise with domain knowledge and soft skills. These key roles should be filled:
– Process champions who secure buy-in and ensure automations address real-life needs
– Automation architects who design flexible solutions
– Subject matter experts who verify workflows and dependencies
Starting with pilot projects
Small-scale implementations help demonstrate value and build confidence. Organisations can test automation solutions in controlled environments before full-scale deployment through pilot projects. This approach reduces disruption while teams can identify and fix potential issues early. Pilot projects should target high-impact, low-complexity processes that will free up the most time.
Phased rollout planning
Beyond pilot testing, a phased rollout strategy allows automation to expand gradually to more departments or processes. New features should be implemented with a smaller group of users instead of everyone at once.
Performance assessment, feedback collection, and solution optimisation should happen between phases before moving forward. This way, the implementation team can catch issues early through phased rollouts, which prevents problems from affecting company-wide users later on.
Managing change and ensuring adoption
Success in IT automation depends heavily on change management. The best automation solutions may fail without proper strategies that gain employee support and help with the transition.
Communicating benefits to employees
Leaders should show how automation strengthens the workforce rather than replacing it. The message should highlight how automation moves repetitive tasks to machines. This lets employees focus on higher-value activities that require human skills. Companies risk facing resistance when they don’t clearly explain automation’s value, especially with solutions that take time to learn.
Providing adequate training
A complete training program should be developed for different user groups. Employees need to learn how to use the new system comfortably, which builds trust in the new automated solution. Help desks, user guides, and tutorial videos provide ongoing support alongside formal training to address questions as they come up.
Gathering and implementing feedback
Regular catchups, webinars, and check-ins with stakeholders help review their experience. Quick implementation of feedback refines and improves automation processes.
This isn’t a “finger-pointing exercise” but helps identify colleagues who need extra support. Users who struggled at first can build confidence through follow-up sessions or drop-in clinics.
Quick action on feedback shows employees their input matters. This encourages trust and improves your automation initiatives continuously.
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