More Than a Broken Cog: 5 Ways Automation Can Go Wrong

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While automation can boost efficiency, it can easily be relied on as a “savior of all.” Automation certainly has its place, but it’s vital to recognize where automation can go wrong. Here are five ways that automation can be more than a broken cog.

The Wrong Tools

The wrong tools can waste a lot of time, whether it’s software or machinery. In order to make the right decision, you’ve got to find the right equipment that has been used successfully by other businesses, but you must also prepare for any form of a system outage. While you can invest in Indramat products to keep your CNC machines moving and have backup plans in place, if you choose the wrong tools at the outset you going to spend a lot more time re-calibrating your entire operation, which means wasted time, effort, energy, and money.

Unclear Integration

Integrating the automation process may seem like a straightforward practice from the outside, but whether you are looking to digitize your workforce or incorporating new tools into a factory operation, when you failed to understand how these tools will integrate with your existing technology, this can be a very costly mistake that takes a long time to rectify. Tools such as CRM (customer resource management) software can be invaluable to businesses, but if it doesn’t integrate with the software effectively, this will not result in a quick and effective outcome for the customer or the business.

Not Designing Processes Around Users

Businesses are becoming more open to technology taking over low-level functions, such as admin tasks. In fact, many workers believe that automation can work for the entire business, but you’ve got to make sure that you are communicating your efforts appropriately to everyone. It’s vital they see the big picture, but you also need to gear your resources towards those that will benefit from it the most. Automation can cause people to worry because they may think they will be out of a job in a few years. Instead, you need to look at automation as a tool that will aid your current workforce.

Not Defining Goals

It’s something many businesses are guilty of. A lot of organizations don’t necessarily define their goals before they opt for the right tools. When it comes to developing the right type of goals, it’s critical that they look at what will happen in 5 years’ time and if automation has a place in it. Because businesses can struggle to fulfill the vision and rely on tools as a crutch, this is why automation can be a major mistake.

Never Taking Stock

In order for organizations to progress further forward, they must understand where they are in the process and where they need to be. Taking stock of where you are and ensuring you can create opportunities using these tools will make for a far more effective organization. 

Automation is an amazing tool. But we must remember that automation is not something that’s going to make life easier for employees if we don’t target the right areas.

More Than a Broken Cog: 5 Ways Automation Can Go Wrong