If your company is currently automating several processes, you might need to convince the key stakeholders that procurement should rank highly on the list. That key stakeholder could even be you. Consider these benefits and estimate their value to your business. From there, making a decision on procurement automation becomes much easier.
1. Productivity
Some managers still believe busy employees are productive employees. Modern-day managers understand that being busy has nothing to do with productivity, especially when wasting human intellect on menial tasks bots can handle. Automation reallocates that human intellect so people can be doing things bots cannot.
2. Agility
The past two years have taught companies the importance of agility. When companies leverage technology for automation and cloud computing, they have a much better chance of adapting quickly to any changes that occur. It is also easier to reduce or ramp up procurement as needed to meet changes.
3. Availability
Bots work right around the clock. They don’t need lunch breaks and don’t take vacations. This makes it possible to reduce disruptions at work. Bots can follow simple rules to determine whether to approve a procurement request. For example, they might look at the budget and cash in hand and accept a $200 request for office cleaning supplies.
4. Job Satisfaction
Employees want jobs that are challenging for all the right reasons. Combing through piles of paperwork is generally not one of those “right reasons.” Automating and digitizing steps gets rid of the tasks employees tend to dislike most of all. This creates an environment for creativity to thrive.
5. Speed
Bots complete menial tasks much more quickly than humans do. What could take thousands of human labor hours to complete a bot could do in a mere second. The less time people spend on procurement and the less overall time it requires, the faster the business can get the materials, products and services it needs.
6. Documentation
Some companies or managers have stubbornly held on to paper processes. Printing and hand-delivering these take time. They also increase the risk of documentation getting lost or even stolen. Automation and digitization virtually eliminate this risk. You can even track who made changes to the procurement cycle documents.
7. Accuracy
People make mistakes. No matter how brilliant and thorough they are, mistakes can still happen. Bots handle repetitive tasks with much lower risks of inaccuracy. As long as the information bots receive is accurate, the rest of the work they complete follows the same vein.
8. Safety
In some fields, workers rely on the procurement team to get the safety gear they need. Construction workers, for example, need helmets and harnesses. When workers don’t have the safety gear they need, they might feel pressured to work anyway. This could create a safety nightmare.
