Being an entrepreneur is not easy.
First, not all people have the financial capability to hire enough employees to do every task — this is why some owners end up doing the job. Second, since the business is not yet well established, roles are also unclear. So when each member of the team does the same job, accountability becomes a big problem. And third, entrepreneurs have too many tasks, that if the business becomes a hit — it would be in a very hectic and difficult situation for them. Thus, the business gets affected in a negative way.
Sure, there is no escape in paying dues and taxes. But there is definitely a way to help small business owners get through busy days. Thanks to RPA!
With the current unstoppable digital disruption in the global economy, SMEs or small and medium enterprises are poised to join the digitalization. Wilson P. Tan, the Vice Chairman and Deputy Managing Partner of SGV/EY Philippines, studied the SMEs in Southeast Asia and how it is redesigning for the digital economy. In his report, he found out that “almost 370 SME executives expressed as their top priorities leveraging digital technology and prioritizing the improvement of their customer service. However, to properly implement digitally-enabled operations and meet the consumer’s increasing demand for personalization and convenience, businesses will need the support of a modernized workforce to actualize their strategies.” Thus, the need to pursue automation.
Small businesses need to be more aggressive, as big corporations have already begun automating their processes. In fact, automation is ideal for budding businesses for a number of reasons. Here are some of the reasons:
1. Organizational efficiency
SMEs with fewer employees typically are characterized by less bureaucracy and more organizational collaborative than larger corporations. Because there are fewer employees, executives, and departments that need to be in agreement, this means that a small business might encounter less internal resistance to the implementation process than a larger enterprise.
2. Process familiarity
Another benefit for SMEs is that employees will be more familiar with business processes compared to, let’s say, an employee in a large corporation that needs to work with five other departments in order to execute a task. Because setting up automation in SMEs do not usually require cross-departmental communication, those most familiar with the business activity will be able to take charge and quickly establish automation.
3. Less chances for error
Because establishing an automated workflow can be accomplished by one or two people SMEs, successful automation can be efficiently reached with fewer errors. While all companies establishing RPA will go through testing and optimization phases, SMEs are able to recognize and iron out any issues within automated processes early on, giving them the potential to achieve RPA success like an enterprise could.
A common misconception about automation is that it is costly, especially for small businesses. However, it is not — not at all. While more advanced robotic implementations may be expensive, there are machines that are made to cater to the needs of small businesses at a smaller price tag. A classic example is the POS systems that are used for payment transactions. There are also simple automation systems that allow business owners to keep track of their employees’ performance and measure their ability to get the job done fast.
So the question now is: do you need automation for your business?
Definitely, automation is perfect to have while the business is still starting. But it still is a matter of perspective. Are you a futuristic type of entrepreneur who takes advantage of technology? Or are you the traditional type of entrepreneur who is only armed with grit and dream to make the business big?