Business process automation simplifies processes and implements systems that enable your business to run like a well-oiled machine. It measures key performance indicators so you can tweak and optimize your business processes, breaks down communication barriers, avoids duplication of effort, and eliminates time wasted on monotonous, non-productive tasks.
Until recently, organisations depended on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems that were out of reach for most small, mid-sized, and fast-growing companies. With the advent of cloud computing, however, platforms like SharePoint, Salesforce, and Service now can quickly automate business processes and serve as gateways to future ERP implementation.
These “mini-ERP” stepping stones are evolving into the lifeblood of companies striving to master adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continuous improvement. Most importantly, they eliminate the three top productivity killers that continuously threaten to mire organizations in inefficient, money-wasting quagmires.
Productivity Killers and How Cloud Computing Manages Them
# Inefficiency: The Money Shredder
Often, inefficiency in a business goes unnoticed because there is no effective method for managers to assess departmental productivity. Without understanding where time and resources are being wasted, it's challenging to prioritize improvements.
Imagine the journey of processing a sales order. Inefficiencies arise when supplier orders are not promptly transmitted from sales to customer service, or if representatives of the latter department spend too much time looking for appropriate information on project codes. This results in congestion and creates tensions on the production side to counter for lost time.
Although such minor inefficiencies might appear insignificant, they can become a major obstacle to business development over time. The overtime work to resolve the inefficiencies also adds costs and potentially impacts customer satisfaction.
These inefficiencies can be addressed by the streamlined processes that cloud computing provides. Cloud-based tools provide instantaneous data delivery, where information is promptly channelled across departments. Partial automation of workflows can decrease the amount of time that employees spend on routine tasks, giving them an opportunity to focus more effort on essential elements of their job.
# Decision-Making in the Dark
Using outdated or faulty information can leave decision-making with serious impairment. For example, an incompetent manager might assess the potential of a market segment as limited because it has unreliable data that may result in poor marketing strategies.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems especially those that are located in the cloud afford markedly better access to correct and timely company information. Better access to data facilitates better decision-making.
Cloud computing services provides managers with a range of tools for enhanced analytics and reporting. These systems can efficiently analyze large data volumes to deliver insight, which management uses in making decisions informed by current market trends and company performance.
# Auto Wreck or Auto Pilot?
The tendency to micromanage business processes fails because of the absence of automatization. In that case, managers might think their consistent engagement is necessary for the purpose of avoiding mistakes or inadequacies but such an approach works against them.
Cloud-based ERP systems automate the majority of routine processes for businesses. Not only does this automation improve efficiency, but it also creates the opportunity for managers to concentrate on strategic planning and growth.
Companies can function without constant manual monitoring because cloud computing offers flexibility and reliability. This implies that managers are at liberty to take off days without risking the business since cloud systems guarantee smooth and efficient processes.
# Hybrid Cloud Servers
In traditional IT environments, it is hard to accommodate changes in the operations of business activities and this makes them inflexible thus leading to waste of time.
The hybrid cloud servers combine both the features of public and private clouds to form an IT environment that is flexible. This hybrid cloud model combines public clouds’ scalability and efficiency with private ones’ security benefits, providing business entities to tailor their IT infrastructure depending on unique requirements or workload demands.
The hybrid cloud servers allow companies to efficiently distribute resources, therefore providing better control of fluctuating workloads and eliminating unnecessary spending on IT infrastructure in effect removing the productivity barrier posed by static systems.
# Edge Computing
The physical distance between data centers and end users may cause latency in conventional cloud environments it has an implication on real-time applications.
Edge computing does this by processing data closer to where it is created or used thereby significantly reducing latency. By merging with the cloud, this integration guarantees both efficient local processing and vast capabilities of computing resources in the cloud.
Combining edge computing with cloud computing services enables businesses to realize quick and efficient operations, which in industries such as healthcare, retail sector and manufacturing is highly important when dealing with real-time data processing.
# AI Integration in the Cloud
Data and process complexity increases as companies grow, which makes it difficult to manage all the related information.
The incorporation of AI in cloud computing changes the way data is managed and processes are automated. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are capable of analyzing large amounts of data to find trends, forecast results and automate rote operations which means better decisions can be made along with higher efficiency in production.
AI-enabled cloud computing offers numerous benefits to businesses that include operations smartening, and minimising manual errors while generating more value out of their data resulting in intelligent decision-making based on analytics and improved work efficiency.
# Sustainable Cloud Practices
The traditional data centres and IT infrastructures consume lots of energy, both environmentally adverse and costly to the companies.
This is where cloud computing steps in with sustainable practice including serverless coding and containerization. Through serverless computing, businesses can use only when needed while containerization optimizes application deployment cutting down energy consumption and thus reducing operational costs.
Embracing sustainable cloud practices not only reduces the environmental burden but also curbs operating costs. Businesses can therefore become more sustainable while either sustaining or even increasing their efficiency and profitability.
Conclusion
As one thinks about the transformative force of cloud computing, it is impossible to perceive a future where companies boast unparalleled agility and innovation. However, the trip into cloud platforms such as SharePoint, Salesforce and ServiceNow is not just about addressing today’s problems; it enables tomorrow’s opportunities.
On the edge of this technological revolution, it is exciting to conceive what might be next. However, the times of inefficient and inflexible businesses are becoming a thing of the old days. Rather a novel age of cognitive automation, strategic agility, and environmentally friendly practices is emerging fueled by cloud computing.
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