Challenge demands change. Whether that means a full-scale reinvention or a more subtle revolution will depend on the individual organization. Most significantly, the digital migration that took place when much of the world went into lockdown has demanded an acceleration of the digital transformation already underway in many industries.
The phrase ‘digital transformation’ has been bouncing around boardrooms and LinkedIn newsfeeds for a while now and has lost a lot of its original intent through overuse. But the new digital economy we’re living in delivers an imperative for businesses to develop digital capabilities.
The shift in retail purchasing habits is the obvious trend for businesses to adapt to. But to assume the ‘new normal’ only demands change from organizations in this sector would be to miss the broader point. Consumers and businesses alike can now reasonably expect to access services online and conduct interactions via multiple digital touchpoints.
The impact of COVID-19 on operations
Operational speed and intelligent automation are the two key takeaways from a year like no other. They’re inextricably linked; workforce automation will deliver operational speed, which will in turn enable the fastest businesses to succeed in uncertain market conditions.
This is reflected in the efforts of businesses to pivot to multichannel or digital-first strategies. A Cisco AppDynamics study revealed that almost 75% of businesses have implemented digital transformation projects that would normally have taken over a year to approve since the start of the pandemic. Furthermore, two-thirds (66%) of businesses reported weaknesses in their digital strategy exposed by the upheaval. This has inspired an acceleration of existing initiatives that were part of multi-year digital transformation strategies.
All of this has taken place against the backdrop of a sudden switch to fully remote workforces, which has placed a huge strain on existing logistical, management and operational models.
Intelligent automation
Businesses deploying intelligent automation, whether established or otherwise, have been able to dramatically increase their use of digital labor to meet fluctuating and varied resourcing needs. Ordinarily, employees preparing to move to remote operation would receive training, technology and support to facilitate a successful transition.
The absence of this support has led to uncertainty and, for some, a drop in performance and productivity. Many workers have also been dealing more directly with the virus, leading to higher rates of absence. These factors combine to pose significant challenges for organizations.
Intelligent automation, particularly within the workforce, offers a route to success. By deploying cloud-based digital workers, some businesses have been able to access fast, flexible and multi-skilled resources to supplement remote employees by managing increased demand and creating more efficient working models.
Digital workers can help to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, following existing processes within existing frameworks. They can even be trained to carry out work and tasks that have never previously been required and scaled up to absorb volume and demand-based surges.
Most importantly, they can be deployed at speed. Speed has always been a crucial aspect of business success, and it has become more critical than ever in 2020. Using a cloud-based intelligent automation platform, digital workers are available directly and immediately from the cloud, which makes it simpler and faster for companies to employ them to execute work wherever and whenever required.
The effect of integrating digital workers
There are several examples of businesses that have used intelligent automation to adjust their value proposition and continue to scale during tough times. Value is the key word here; in a world where priorities have shifted drastically, organizations that adapt their offering to meet changing needs will inevitably succeed over those that don’t.
One example where intelligent automation has had a significant impact during the pandemic is within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). While not on the front line, digital workers have contributed in the background, fulfilling tasks and processes that would otherwise take up huge amounts of time and prevent NHS workers from doing what they do best. These tasks include data processing, administrative automation and e-consultation services.
Beyond healthcare, businesses across all sectors have employed intelligent automation and digital labor to deal with huge spikes in demand for services and resources. In the UK, one energy provider had to cancel thousands of scheduled meter installations overnight due to the nationwide lockdown. However, by using a smart automation platform, the company was able to deploy digital workers at scale to deliver important communications to customers.
Succeeding amid uncertainty
Despite the many difficulties caused by the pandemic, some businesses have thrived. They are those that have fostered a culture of speed, agility and adaptability within their operations and workforce, by integrating new processes, platforms and operational structures that speed up change, performance and productivity rather than slowing it down.
Even as potential vaccines come forward and the world looks to emerge from the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, business leaders must look to build resilience against the likelihood of similar scenarios in the future across all economy sectors, however much we hope to avoid another crisis of this scale.
It's not just important to develop speed and agility within an organization as a response to exceptional circumstances; it's the new normal. Digital capabilities delivered at speed are now essential in everyday business, no matter the industry or geographical location. Whether you’re onboarding new employees, merging two companies or turning a proof-of-concept into a viable proposition to deliver to market, speed is crucial to keeping pace with the competition.
Tomorrow’s organization will scale, automate and transform at speed; it’ll be ready to seize the moment. Organizations that begin the process of implementing intelligent automation today will already be one step ahead.
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