These days, it is hard to come across a workplace that doesn’t use some kind of automation technology; whether it be automated HR systems or manufacturing automation. Experts particularly argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the significant need for automation and how businesses need to implement such technologies if they intend to survive in an unprecedented climate.
In investigating how automation is defining the modern business world, we spoke to one particular CEO, Pavel Stepanov. Mr Stepanov is the founder of Virtudesk, a company that has been using automation to grow during the pandemic. Here are some of the key points that the entrepreneur raised in his interview.
“Businesses will have to use automation technology if they want to scale and grow”
According to Mr Pavel, there is now a crucial need for CEOs to integrate automation technologies into their place of work, particularly after the pandemic.
He commented: “We will see in a post-pandemic world that businesses will have to use automation technology if they want to scale and grow. If they don’t, they will forever remain small with their owners scratching their heads as to why their company can never achieve greater milestones.”
In addressing this point further, Mr Pavel also brought to light the countless benefits that automation technologies can bring for employees and customers alike.
He added: “Automation allows any organisation to stay organised, structured, efficient, and relevant to their industry and customer base. Not only can automation dramatically cut down on costs, but it can allow the people of the organisation to focus on revenue-generating activities, such as spending time with leads or customers, expanding into new markets, exploring new channels, and more. This will reduce employees’ time spent on repetitive tasks that are essential, but doesn’t contribute to growth.”
The pandemic may have changed everything
Even though automation has existed long before the pandemic, it seems that COVID-19 presented a catalyst for such technologies to get put into place on a wider scale. Due to just how effective they’ve been, it seems that our automation systems are here to stay – not just for now but in the near-normal future as well.
Mr Stepanov himself said: “Automation technology can absolutely strengthen businesses in a post-pandemic world. What 2020 has shown us is that we are relying heavily on technology. At the start of the pandemic, businesses were forced to transition not only their entire workforce online, but consumers more broadly embraced the online business world,”
“Because the volume of activity has gone dramatically up, automation technology is more important than ever in order to keep up with consumer activity, and run businesses efficiently.”
Automation exists all around us
Contrary to what popular media culture has fed us, automation is not just “robots wanting to take over the world”. Rather, automation comes in the form of chatbot assistants on websites, employee payroll systems and digital contracts – things which we are used to coming across in everyday life.
In addressing the automation processes at his workplace and how these were introduced as a result of the pandemic, Mr Stepanov said: “At Virtudesk, we have pivoted our business models around technology. We use automation not only to support our business but also to scale and grow,”
“We currently use technologies such as Infusionsoft, Sprout Social, Podium, and more. However, we are growing rapidly in 2021, so we are onboarding a more robust automation system in order to increase the efficiency of our workforce, and help them spend more time on revenue-generating activities. When the pandemic is over this trend won’t fade away with the virus, but is here to stay.”
But what does this all mean for the future of the workforce?
Finally, despite the general effectiveness of automation technologies, there have been concerns raised about whether automation will soon take over the role of human workers. The short answer to this is that there is nothing to be concerned about right now. In fact, automation can even open up new employment opportunities. In the North West alone, businesses in wildly different areas have adopted automation, from AGM’s spray booth services in Heywood to manufacturing and hospitality businesses in the city centre.
This is because we humans possess such unique skills, e.g. logic, creativeness, that automated technologies do not have. That said, the modern business world is even currently looking out for workers who have the specialist skills to deal with the more complex AI projects. This means that automation technologies could even prevent job losses and save businesses as we push through the last stages of the pandemic. Robot cell automation is a growing trend that involves integrating robotic systems into manufacturing and industrial processes to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce human intervention.
