When a company wants to improve efficiency, management has options; to spend money on automation technology or to utilize an outsourcing provider. For a company to grow both in size and profit, it’s a good idea to consider delegating non-core activities to an external organization (outsourcing) or to use business automation processes (“BPA”).
Both automation and outsourcing come with its benefits and risks. If your company is looking to relieve some of your non-core tasks, you should consider both these options. In this blog post we give some insight into the automation of business processes and outsourcing, and the benefits of both.
Business Process Automation
Business Process Automation (“BPA”) is the automation of business processes with the use of technology. BPA uses technology to do menial, repetitive tasks that would’ve once been done by a human employee. BPA uses artificial intelligence (Robotic Process Automation), apps or software programs.
BPA aims at reducing the amount of monotonous jobs that require specific attention to detail. Two elements that do not do well together, when a human is responsible for the task. Mistakes are more prevalent, and it takes a lot a lot more time to complete the task. Technology is often quicker and more reliable and will hardly ever make mistakes.
Benefits of BPA
Minimizes time consuming non-core tasks
By utilizing BPA, you minimize non-core tasks for your employees, leaving them to focus their efforts on tasks that are valuable to the company. The non-core tasks tend to be very time consuming and having an employee responsible for them will take significantly longer than using automation technology.
Enhances productivity
Eradicating these repetitive, laborious tasks for your employees, enhances job satisfaction. Happier employees are generally more productive employees. BPA also increases productivity by reducing all the time that a person would spend manually doing the task and then time spent checking for mistakes.
Outsourcing
Outsourcing involves hiring external companies or contractors to take care of non-core tasks for your company. These tasks usually relate to HR, software development, IT, or certain administrative tasks.
Benefits of Outsourcing
Multiple responsibilities
Since automation technology relies upon algorithms, software, and programming, it can only focus on one task that it has been assigned to. With outsourcing, you can assign your service provider with multiple responsibilities at once.
Delegating non-core tasks to professionals
Companies prefer outsourcing where there is still a benefit to having a human responsible for the task. When it comes to HR, IT and software development, outsourcing may be a better option. These tasks are necessary for the running of your company but may not relate to your core-competencies. Instead of training your existing staff to complete the task, with outsourcing you can hire a professional in that field. This saves a significant amount of time.
BPA VS Outsourcing
BPA and outsourcing both offer similar benefits in that they both reduce costs and save time. They both improve efficiency as they lessen non-core tasks. This allows your company to focus on its core competencies, which will increase productivity.
When it comes to deciding between automation technology or outsourcing, it would depend on the task that you wish to delegate. Simple, repetitive tasks that don’t require human thought, may be better a better fit for automation. Tasks that require a human to do, but don’t relate to your company’s core competencies may be better to outsource. Depending on what you require, outsourcing andBPA are useful if you are wanting to maximize productivity and profits.
What Ascension 6 can do for you
If you are seeking to outsource some of your non-core tasks for your company, Ascension 6 can help you. We are an outsourcing service provider with a team of highly skilled individuals ready to assist you with all your non-core business tasks. Contact us at [email protected] to find out more.