The COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity to overhaul outdated business practices
Could automation be the key to jumpstarting the Australian economy?
The answer is yes – with the integration of new tools that bolster productivity and with the “creation of new and better-paying jobs,” according to enterprise tech group Pitney Bowes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has redefined the notion of work for most Australians and shown how employees are able to adopt emerging tech quickly. Some businesses are now taking a closer look at their own tech stack.
Read more: How COVID-19 is accelerating hiring automation
“The mass migration to online remote working that companies experienced this year forced many business decision-makers to reassess their processes, and determine the best way to optimise their workforce,” said Stephen Darracott, vice president and country manager, Pitney Bowes Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
“Executives need to critically identify areas to automate that could otherwise threaten business success or productivity, or become a pain point in the future,” he said.
One example in the age of digitalised supply chains is deploying an automated database management software so employees can reduce time and money spent on repetitive tasks, such as manually updating customer address databases.
Read more: 69% of routine work by mangers will be automated by 2024
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“Manual processes, such as data entry, can be easily impacted by human error, which can significantly affect the bottom line. It’s crucial that organisations automate these processes where possible to reduce risk,” Darracott said.
“More companies have started to experiment with automation in response to the pandemic, streamlining working practices to improve the current productivity levels of workers and ease the stress across businesses,” he said.
“However, it’s also an opportunity to overhaul practices to ensure business resilience for the future, especially as Australia is experiencing a recession as a result of the coronavirus.
“Automation lets companies increase productivity while reducing costs, which can be attractive for executives, particularly in times of economic crisis. By streamlining processes, through deploying new technology solutions and automating simple tasks, workers can focus more on improving customer service and productivity, and identifying other growth opportunities,” he said.