Bangalore: The current industrial revolution is unfolding disruptive technologies in the form of automation, robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, genomics, etc. globally, and has started replacing human resource in large number. In India alone, millions of jobs are at stake in the next five years.
On this context, Enate, a pioneer in simplifying automation in service-delivery environments (BPOs), says, making the most of automation in service industries requires a measured, but agile approach. Here are a number of things companies should be considering:
Engagement: Make sure you have a plan and that you’re focused on the problem itself, not just the technology solutions. Make sure your IT and digital team are engaged and on side, so that they can support your vision of automation within operations.
Improvement: Make sure your processes and operations are running smoothly before you begin automating them. Speeding up inefficient, non-standardised or wrong processes won’t help anybody. Get the foundation in shape first.
Orchestration: Recognise that you are moving from manual, to automated processes. Investing in intelligent orchestration technology will provide you with the tools you need to ensure you’ve got a clear business case for what should be automated first, helping you to get the process right before automation. This technology will provide complete transparency as to whether the automation has worked properly, which will help you stay in control of your automation journey.
Choose the right tool for the job: Utilise the human skills that are deployed in your organisation and then match the right tools – this could be a click bot or a natural language component, a classifier or the rules engine in our automation component.
The right space: Don’t think that smart machines are a replacement for the need for processes, rules and practices. People are still your most valuable asset.
One has to manoeuvre the relationship of humans and robots with collaboration, not a competition.
The industries in India, must embrace automation and make it a part of their service-offerings. The West is looking to renegotiate the existing contracts. It is not just about saving the existing business but growing the business as well. Future contracts and a major part of the pie is likely to go to players who have already started the transition. For everyone else, do keep in mind that there is no scope for stagnation, the only way is to move forward and plan for automation in a way that integrates with a human workforce to boost output, not to compete with it.
Uday Jose, COO Enate, highlights that Enate is a business with the single goal of simplifying service automation in BPOs, captive service centres and back offices. He feels that though automation is gradually gaining acceptance as a concept, one size never fits all, and the industry lacks a clear understanding and strategy to implement automation widely and effectively.
Enate focuses on helping global BPOs and captives build automation roadmaps that are custom to their specific business. Enate delivers this by providing the tools, the methodology and technology needed to analyse current service mix, uncover the right areas to automate, the right implementation order, and the right technology for each specific job.
