Automation is the way of the future! 97% of businesses believe that automation is important to their future success. Major companies like Gartner are embracing automation and encouraging small businesses and start-ups to use automated technology and processes.
If you’re interested in automation but unsure where to begin, you can start with automation trends. Gartner has produced a few papers this year that discuss IT automation trends that they think will matter over the next few years. Here’s what you should know about automation Gartner trends for your business today.
Related: Axe Automation Features
Digital-First Initiatives
Digital-first initiatives date back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies reliant on physical interactions and experiences developed digital-first initiatives to stay in operation during the shutdowns. Museums launched virtual reality programs allowing guests to view their collections without entering their spaces.
As time passes, digital-first initiatives will become more commonplace because they increase client bases and provide additional revenue streams. They also make customers’ lives easier, as they don’t need to leave their houses to get basic services. They can use videoconferencing software to talk to their doctors or VR headsets to conduct business meetings and tours of properties they want to buy.
Automation relates to digital-first initiatives in a few ways. It can help you brainstorm new digital-first initiatives, letting you develop ideas and workflows that move initiatives and products into the marketplace. Automated tools like Zapier can help you perform initiatives sooner by connecting apps and services together. Automated tools can promote your company brand by making you seem knowledgeable about the latest technology. If you need help using Zapier, you can order Zapier consulting from automation professionals who can give you access to the latest tools and trends in automation.
Internet of Behaviors
This year, Gartner introduced the term “Internet of Behaviors” (IoB). The term and automation trend refers to programs and services that help companies understand how customers use technology to make purchasing decisions. For example, a company that makes toys may use automated IoB tools to create sales reports on their toys. If they notice a toy is doing well, they may increase the sales price and speed up the manufacturing process to produce more products.
IoB is a very new concept, but it’s already gained popularity as a Gartner intelligent automation trend. You should look for automated tools that help you conduct product research and gather information about your customers. You can connect various tools to Google Sheets and make spreadsheets with your latest sales figures, helping you see what products sell the best.
Automated cloud tools can be extremely helpful for IoB operations. You can use Azure for Microsoft technology and tools and Google Cloud Platform for Google platforms. Ensure that your cloud is shared with all team members so everyone has access to all of the company information.
Do you need assistance planning digital-first initiatives with IoB technology? Book a call with Axe Automation today, and we’ll help you figure out how to incorporate automation into your business operations!
Digital Wall
Gartner also introduced the term “digital wall” this year. This term refers to how companies must keep pace with their competitors and customers and test out new technology. A company's current technology will eventually hit a wall, lose functionality, and stop being useful for the company. Gartner believes that by 2025, most traditional computing technologies will hit a wall and require companies to try new paradigms.
The digital wall may be coming soon, but one year is plenty of time for you to experiment. Neuromorphic computing is a new form of computer engineering that many companies are looking at. Engineers develop computer systems based on models of the human brain, using electronic impulses to send signals to hardware and software. Neuromorphic technology includes artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning applications.
If you haven’t started investing in AI yet, you should. The AI industry is expected to increase in value by over 13 times during the next seven years, reaching almost $300 billion by 2026. Salesforce Einstein has machine learning algorithms that help you predict customer behaviors and gather data. You can use it to overcome the digital wall and bolster your IoB operations. If you’re worried about the digital wall, take an automation quiz that helps you see how you can automate your company and scale your operations.
Related: Top AI and Automation Agency
Hyperautomation
Many companies cut their overall spending during the pandemic but increased their spending on digital transformation and automated tools. Hyperautomation refers to how companies build off their previously acquired automated tools to streamline operations further.
Artificial intelligence is one way to achieve hyperautomation. Robotic process automation can help you build and manage software robots. The robots can emulate how your customers use your website, software, and digital systems, helping you design better products. You can also hyperautomate your manufacturing process, using robots to assemble and test products.
Does robotic process automation sound interesting? Contact robotic process automation agency professionals with Axe Automation, and we’ll help you set up your automated processes!
CAOs
Chief automation officers (CAOs) oversee the acquisition of automated tools, deploy automation, and manage corporate campaigns that require automation. Your company may have a chief information officer (CIO) overseeing your automation campaigns. Having them work on automation is okay, but hiring a CAO can allow your CIO to turn to other efforts, like improving your cybersecurity. You should still ask your CIO to consult with your CAO regularly, and your CIO should help with their onboarding process, introducing your CAO to your team’s IT professionals.
Your CAO should be on your corporate board and have their own office. They should educate the executive board and other high-level staffers about the latest business process automation trends and technologies, especially AI and machine learning. They should brainstorm ideas and help with digital-first initiatives whenever possible. They should also test automated tools regularly and see how they help customer experiences.
Your company should invest in an IT team who can assist your CAO. Give your team access to your business information, including sales figures and case studies, so they can use automated trends that relate directly to your corporate operations. Cloud servers are an easy way of allowing your CAO and IT professionals to share information with each other while working in different locations. You can also use tools like Make.com that all of your team members have access to, letting everyone automate multi-step processes and integrate apps with each other.
Related: Make.com Consulting
