By Sofiya Merenych
The 2020 coronavirus crisis is now global. And it’s practically impossible to find an industry that hasn’t been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Most airlines have had to adjust their schedules or even cancel some, if not all, flights. The film and entertainment industry is in danger because of the cancellation of major events worldwide. Local hospitality businesses all over the world have been forced to close their doors due to the quarantine measures implemented in many countries throughout the world.
The coronavirus pandemic has revealed many business bottlenecks that were not so obvious before. And while it may be too late to make a difference in the current situation, coming up with solutions now will ready your company for the next time there is a crisis. Here are problems the outbreak has highlighted and lessons your business can learn:
1. Your company is too dependent on manual work
Automation in business has been a hot topic for the last two decades. Gartner identifies hyperautomation as a top strategic technology trend for 2020. There are many small businesses that have not automated key jobs and are doing tasks manually.
What are the downsides of manual work?
First of all, it is slow and not always exact. The human factor is hard to avoid, so mistakes happen which can lead to losses. This is also true for manufacturing, logistics, accounting—but almost any department in your company can be modernized for the sake of clear processes and exact calculations.
But it’s not just about money and business. The main question of the 2020 crisis is: Can you ensure healthy conditions for all your employees? The coronavirus spreads from person to person, and direct contact is unsafe. Putting many workers in one room risks turning a workspace into a potential virus incubator. This creates a situation that’s not only dangerous for employees, but also for their families, neighbors, and even random people who shop for milk at the same grocery store.
Being too dependent on manual work is a huge business risk; a quarantine automatically means all business processes stop.
How can automation help?
Business automation allows you to replace manual work with software algorithms. Smart automation will lessen the workload of your logistics office and help sales managers and accountants. But what’s even more important is your manufacturing department won’t be as dependent on a certain number of workers. A quarantine won’t have as much of an impact on an automated factory; production can go on even when 90% of your employees have to stay at home.
What you can do right now
Most likely, your company is already quarantined, so you can take your time to work on mistakes, preventing such a crisis in the future. First of all, analyze your current company structure. Which tasks involve the most manual work? These will be your first candidates for optimization. Then, find a contractor who can do the automation for you.
Outsourcing a task has two major benefits: First, the contractor has experience in business automation, and can counsel you concerning your specific case. Next, unlike hiring an in-house tech team, which can take a lot of time and effort, a contractor already has a team that is ready to start working on your case immediately. Also, don’t limit your search to your country. Outsourcing gives you access to thousands of professionals all over the world.