Workflow Automation Software

How is your business workflow set up? Do you still do things manually, or have you adopted an automatic workflow?

Take a look at these two types of workflow and how they differ from each other.

Example of a workflow process:

To help you better understand workflow automation, imagine you’re a client visiting a website that sells custom-made footwear. You submit an online form that automatically enrolls you into their drip email marketing campaign. The first email of the drip campaign is a “welcome” note that includes a link to a landing page explaining how you can measure your foot at home.

Then, once you learn your correct foot measurement, you click on the Add to Cart button to finalize the purchase. A confirmation email is sent to your account telling you that your order will take 7–10 days to arrive on your doorstep. There you have it, and the automation process is complete!

"The automation of automation, the automation of intelligence, is such an incredible idea that if we could continue to improve this capability, the applications are really quite boundless." – Jensen Huang, Nvidia Corp President and CEO

Workflow is categorized into two basic types, manual and automated processes, which have pros and cons. Thus, you may need to combine these two processes to eliminate time-consuming tasks without sacrificing the “human touch.”

Continue reading below to learn the differences between manual and automated workflow and decide if one process is better than the other for your business.

Manual workflow process.

Not only is it more time-consuming than an automated workflow, but it’s also more expensive. That’s because it typically requires two or more employees to do tedious and repetitive tasks such as data entry, verification, sorting, scanning, reviewing, etc.

Another downside is the increased risk of human error. This generally takes more time to correct since the “physical” document must be passed from desk to desk.

And you need to repeat the same process to correct the mistakes. There’s also a risk that one team member may lose a document, leading to delays or errors.

Automated workflow process.

An automated workflow accomplishes many of the same tasks as a manual process. But this process eliminates human errors while fast-tracking the flow of information and activities.

Another great thing about an automated process is that users can adjust it depending on the company’s needs. For example, some platforms allow you to edit and share documents with the rest of the team and allow everyone to track the project’s status and progress in real time.

In short, workflow automation promotes smooth collaboration, transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

Despite the countless benefits of workflow automation software, 22% of businesses still don’t use them due to a lack of expertise. This platform requires money, time, and effort to train employees.

But a long-term and smart automated workflow can save you a lot of money. That’s because it eliminates repetitive, time-consuming tasks and the need to hire employees for this kind of work.

As a result, your staff can focus more on the business’s core operations and increase productivity.

Workflow automation for your inbound marketing strategy.

This business methodology attracts the right customers by creating valuable content and experiences. Many repetitive tasks in marketing, such as sending emails or notifications and posting social media updates, can be performed by automated workflow apps.

Not only this, automation prevents or corrects these problems:

-Duplicates (i.e., the same customer using two different accounts)

-Inactive subscribers

-Friction or lack of collaboration between the sales and marketing departments

-Documents getting lost in the shuffle

-Lack of accountabilityLack of transparency