Scaling back operations isn’t something any company looks forward to. Being forced to lay off employees means that a company will ultimately need to find new ways of doing business with less, requiring greater attention to efficiency in order to stay afloat.
Embarking on a digital transformation is a powerful strategy to offset the loss of labor or other critical business resources. Replacing manual processes with powerful digital tools makes it possible to run a lean, tight ship — enhancing collaboration, improving turnaround time, and reducing costs across the board.
For construction companies, healthcare organizations, and utility providers, workflow automation software can streamline the many paper-based processes that often slow down the speed of work. Real-time data processing capabilities allow companies to do more with less, transforming tasks that may have once required several employees to complete into a seamless, electronic process.
If your company has been forced to downsize, here are 4 ways that workflow automation software can help make your operations more efficient:
- Eliminate repetitive processes by going paperless.
Nobody’s idea of a modern and efficient business runs on carbon copy paperwork. Pink and yellow documents stored in massive three-ring binders waste a tremendous amount of paper, money, and storage space. Workflow automation software can help accelerate your digital transformation by replacing repetitive, paper-based processes with an automated, seamless electronic experience. Rather than wasting money on printing and distributing stacks of paper forms, with a real-time data collection system everyone from the back office to the field can share, store, and electronically sign documents at a moment’s notice.
- Improve compliance and create transparency across an organization.
In highly-regulated industries like construction or pharmaceuticals, following the letter of the law is often a strict government requirement. Following the right OSHA or HIPAA regulation to safely operate machinery, safeguard customer data, or properly store financial information also ensures that businesses are doing right by their customers. Workflow automation software makes it easy to boost compliance through access to policies, procedures, equipment manuals, and maintenance documents made available on-demand. Robotic process automation software also replaces paper documents with electronic, fillable PDF forms and checklists, allowing companies to safely and securely distribute important or sensitive documents for review and approval.
“Automation software provides a really transparent view for auditors – both internal and external,” says Patrick Cote, a Safety Officer, and Training Pilot at Panorama Helicopters. “We can also follow-up with people who are delayed in getting things signed-off. ”
- Break down departmental silos.
There’s nothing worse than a fast-moving project grinding to a halt because somebody didn’t sign some paperwork. Without a proper workflow for document collaboration, files, and forms passed between different departments can result in conflicting approvals, mixed messages, and high turnaround times. Embracing workflow automation software allows companies to easily share documents with clear visibility into the status of an associated project — breaking down departmental silos to speed up the collaboration process.
- Get real-time insights from the data you collect to stay ahead.
Invoices and timesheets aren’t just the standard types of documents encountered when doing business: they hold key insights into the everyday workings of your company. Real-time data processing capabilities allow organizations to take standard documents and extract valuable information, providing visibility into the fieldwork, and producing greater business intelligence. From having the ability for local sites to immediately identify and fix issues based on predefined rules, to faster contract turnaround times, workflow automation software can help businesses save serious time and money through a highly automated, highly transparent solution.
While no company relishes the need to downsize, workflow automation software can help soften the blow by allowing operations to continue with reduced staffing needs. Equipped with tools to better collaborate, stay compliant, and save money, companies accelerating a digital transformation will ultimately be left in a stronger long-term position to handle tomorrow’s business needs.
