The use of automation is essential for achieving qualitative and quantitative business goals. Despite rapidly growing workloads and requirements on the part of the digitization of companies, IT Automation often continues to be used as a last resort, especially in medium-sized businesses. A mistake. We would like to explain why here:
Ensure fast processes and availability in IT
Often, IT organizations have neither the resources nor sufficient staff to adequately maintain all operations, implement new technologies, and meet the growing demands of their customers.
IT Automation can help. It not only serves to reduce the workload of employees, but also enables the effective use of human resources. Reliability is increased, fast processes are ensured and errors are reduced. As specialists in workload automation, we would like to show you a few ways in which automation can help in concrete terms. In an article in InformationWeek, we found a few apt examples of other automation solutions that we would like to share as well:
Automate background processes
Automated processes in a uniform IT organization do not require any waiting time, but act independently and advance the workflow. A significant advantage is thus the improved workload of the entire company, since standardized tasks are completed immediately or according to a tightly organized schedule. Time buffers become redundant and resources are used effectively, since there is no need to wait for a response from other organizational units.
Workload Automation can assist with background processing. Workload Automation enables cross-system planning, initiation, execution and management of tasks related to broad business processes and transactions within the enterprise.
Improvement of service quality
Experience shows that many employees within a company do not always encounter service as satisfactory. Even simple tasks can take a long time or are only completed partially. Moreover, the procedure for solving problems often varies from employee to employee, even if there are clearly defined process flows.
Automated processes, e.g., through the use of workflow automation and RPA, on the other hand, run according to a clearly understandable, uniform process and thus support the quality of the service. For example, tickets can be processed and in many cases already resolved by machine learning or self-service tools without the assistance of technical staff. If the processes do not work, the expert personnel already have a lot of information for handling thanks to the individual ticket report.
Relieve IT staff and increase productivity
IT employees are of central importance in every company. Without their daily support, a company cannot exist successfully. Experience shows that IT employees are needed every day for a wide range of different activities. They are expected to develop solution concepts for IT problems, answer support requests or contribute their in-depth expertise to a project. Many companies are already using hybrid and cloud technologies or are planning to do so, so the tasks facing IT are constantly increasing.
Often these activities change depending on the priority of the request. The repeated interruption and switching in the work process means that individual steps have to be repeated. If numerous processes were automated in parallel and processed and completed without intervention by IT staff, they could focus more on their control functions and core competencies. Productivity could be significantly increased as a result. Waiting times would also be reduced for employees in other organizational units, and IT staff would be more available for creative solutions. Automation tools, for example, use Kanban boards to help prioritize daily tasks and activities to ensure that individuals are working on the right things at the right time without compromising the downstream delivery schedules or work priorities of their IT colleagues.
Basic principle: Reduce errors
Processes that are very well suited for automation are clearly defined. How complex these are, on the other hand, can vary greatly. In the case of simpler processes, experience shows that human operators are more likely to make mistakes due to the fast and unvaried processing, as concentration suffers. Particularly in the case of time-controlled processes, the lack of personnel and the costs associated with an increase in staff is yet another stumbling block.
With workload automation, such errors are reduced. An IT system does not tire, but can implement the defined workflows quickly and reliably. It takes into account all necessary data such as technical resources, depending on demand and workload. Time-controlled work is no longer necessary, as the workload is fully utilized and cross-platform control is possible. The company’s employees, on the other hand, could use their specialist skills to optimize process flows and adapt them to new circumstances.
Enabling of IT staff
By using automation tools, processes are mapped in such a way that a common understanding is created. This eliminates the need for subject matter experts when, for example, individual processes need to be restarted in the event of interruptions. This also enables operational staff or outsourced data centers to take on these tasks, such as controlling the WLA solution. The result is a relief of the employees also regarding their necessary availability. This makes it possible for employees without in-depth process knowledge to work with abstracted processes, e.g. to run payroll at night. The entire organization becomes more dynamic, as people can be integrated into the process who would not have been able to do so before.
Security and compliance
Comprehensive security measures for system landscapes and processes are standard for most companies. However, the associated work and the evaluation of threats, warnings and also optimization of the security tool often result in unplanned additional work and expenses for the IT organization. If a warning is real, action must be taken as quickly as possible. Here, solutions such as SOAR tools (Security Orchestration Automation and Response) offer support to quickly check errors and responses. Compliance requirements are also met and simplified in the WLA through user roles and documentation.
Automation not just a nice-to-have
If you want to be successful as a company, automation in various areas of the IT organization is a must. Leading companies show that by using various automation solutions, employees can devote themselves to their core tasks again and use their full potential. Another task of the employees is the clear monitoring of automated processes and their optimization . However, these no longer have to serve the specialist process, but can be handled by the operative employees. Particularly in connection with outsourcing, this can lead to a positive redistribution and increase in capacity within the IT organization.
Learn how Worklaod Automation helps your IT organization
The cross-platform workload automation of business processes and tasks in SAP and nonSAP systems can be designed securely and reliably with our BatchMan tool. BatchMan grows scalably with your business requirements and has a low total cost of ownership.
