The Sexy Factor

The question of automation comes up from time to time in various businesses and industries: When to automate, what to automate, how exactly to go about it, and whether to automate at that point in time in the first place. If these questions are answered correctly, automation in general should make processes easier and improve accuracy.

Sadly, automation is not always useful. For instance, no matter how automated a payroll system can become, a pair of human eyes is always required to monitor things between steps. But these days, we’re largely seduced by the idea that all technology is cool and necessary. We embrace shiny new apps without noticing that they take a few more steps to get us to the desired results than say a phone call. We jump at the idea of sexy devices when the old trusted (however bulkier) machines might often be faster and more efficient. We simply fall for the sexy factor of the next new thing.

Well, far be it from me to rail against sexy stuff. Everyone appreciates beauty and there’s nothing wrong with that. The point here is to rationally consider the task at hand before choosing the tool for the job. So, when shopping for business solutions, be sure first to review all options available to your unique business situation. More often than not, good business solutions combine enhancements to both the underlying process and the technology. It is therefore imperative to run an in-depth analysis of the actual process and desired results before deciding on what technology to implement.

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