Automation has taken not only the IT industry but virtually every industry by storm in recent years. Through IT automation, humans are able to delegate repetitive manual tasks to highly intelligent computers. As a result, tasks that were previously considered time-consuming and monotonous are now completed with efficiency, allowing employees to focus on more strategic projects. In 2021, automation went one step further, and we were introduced to hyperautomation. For those unfamiliar with the trend, we will discuss precisely what hyperautomation is and how it may benefit you.
What is Hyperautomation?
Hyperautomation is an approach to automation that organizations use to “rapidly identify, vet, and automate as many business and IT processes as possible.” In simpler terms, it is the concept of automating everything that can possibly be automated within your organization.
The prefix “hyper” may lead individuals to believe that this is an expedited form of automation when that’s not quite the case. In reality, automation typically occurs on a smaller scale, while hyperautomation is a large-scale concept, using multiple automation tools to enable intelligent automation. Hyperautomation is possible due to technologies including, but not limited to:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Machine learning (ML)
- Robotic process automation (RPA)
- Business process management (BPM)
- Integration platform as a service (iPaaS)
Combining these technologies allows companies to tremendously scale their automation efforts and ultimately automate all business processes within their organization.
While hyperautomation was considered a top trend of the past year, it is still an emerging concept, one that many businesses are unfamiliar with. That being said, many industry experts believe that in upcoming years, hyperautomation will be a necessity rather than an option for organizations. Already today, companies that have yet to automate their business processes are falling behind. For modern businesses, speed and efficiency are essential, and automation is an excellent method of achieving that in a cost, time, and labor-effective manner.
Benefits
Introducing hyperautomation to your organization is a highly beneficial and lucrative decision. With hyperautomation, organizations can eliminate repetitive tasks and automate manual ones, drastically streamlining business processes. Once processes are automated, tasks can be completed with improved speed, consistency, and accuracy, which helps companies reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.
Potential Challenges
While hyperautomation offers many benefits, some organizations are still hesitant to embrace it fully. Due to a lack of resources or technical skills, many companies feel as though they are not prepared to make the transition to hyperautomation. Another challenge is that there are so many options for automation available that it can be daunting trying to find the right fit for your business. Each product offers different capabilities at different price points, and without knowing exactly what you need, making that decision can be challenging. Fortunately, with the right assistance, making a knowledgeable decision about hyperautomation is possible.
Embracing Hyperautomation
Deciding to transition from automation to hyperautomation in your organization can be daunting, but it is not an impossible task. Many companies have found that partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) is the solution to adopting hyperautomation. As MSPs are trained IT experts, they are highly familiar with automated business processes and will guide you through your journey to hyperautomation - from start to finish. In fact, they will lead you through these steps to achieving hyperautomation.
1. Gather Insights. First and foremost, your company needs to gather insights on all business processes within the organization. As each process will eventually be automated, it is important to understand how they currently operate and where any bottlenecks or issues may be existing. MSPs can take over this process as they know exactly what to look for and how it will serve its role in the hyperautomation process.
In the meantime, your workforce can focus on more pressing tasks. Once you have evaluated all business processes, you must identify all structured and unstructured data and any other inputs needed to complete business processes.
2. Predict Outcomes. Once data is gathered and reviewed, you and your MSP will work together to predict possible outcomes. This should include potential ROI and any efficiencies. Fortunately, thanks to their experience with automation, your MSP will be able to help you make an accurate prediction.
3. Create an Automation Plan. Next, you must determine the automation platform and technologies that best fit your organization’s needs. MSPs are instrumental during this step as they will have a vast knowledge of the market’s current algorithms, tools, and products that you may choose from, in addition to an understanding of your business processes and needs. As such, you can determine which hyperautomation systems are right for your organization.
4. Begin Automation. With the right tools selected, you will finally begin to automate your business processes. Using the combination of AI, ML, RPA, and other technologies, you can achieve all identified tasks with enhanced speed and efficiency. Once in a routine, you may even consider further automating your automated processes, enabling you to gain greater efficiencies and cost reductions.
It is important to note that you will not be replacing your current workforce in partnering with an MSP and adopting hyperautomation. In reality, both resources are used to supplement your workforce. MSPs will take over highly complex tasks with their expertise and experience, and hyperautomation will take over repetitive and monotonous tasks. As a result, your organization will operate with greater efficiency, accuracy, and speed than ever before.
Hyperautomation is the Future of Business
There is no question that automation is a highly prevalent aspect of how modern businesses operate today. As such, it comes as no surprise that hyperautomation is rapidly growing in popularity. After all, if companies can benefit from automating their business processes, why not automate all of them?
Many businesses are beginning to embrace this mindset, and not only in the IT industry. Industries such as healthcare, supply chain, finance, and retail can all benefit from the innovation and speed created by hyperautomation. No matter what industry your business is a part of or the business processes you operate, hyperautomation can significantly reduce costs while improving efficiency and accuracy.
Not only will this result in an improved bottom line for your business, but it will also alleviate your workforce of laborious and grueling tasks while boosting customer satisfaction. That being said, it is to see why hyperautomation began to take flight in the past year, and it will only continue to grow in demand and relevancy in upcoming years. For businesses looking to stay competitive and future-proof their organization, embracing hyperautomation is essential.
