Could your automation be working harder for you?

Organizations of all sizes, across all industries, are embracing automation.  

New research shows that, of a sample of 200 global business and marketing leaders, 94% use automation for workflow management or are in the process of introducing it. But, in most cases it’s not having the right impact. Why? 

Because simply having the technology isn’t the answer. The value and growth potential lies in connecting the dots between people, workflows, technology and data. Linking these is a clear route to growth. Here’s how: 

Empowering your people 

Headcount freezes are a common reality in the current climate – just 4% of business leaders ranked staff growth and retention as an organizational priority. But this hiring halt doesn’t come with a reduction in growth targets, meaning marketing teams need to do more with less.  

Technology can lift the load by automating manual and time-intensive tasks, but only if the team has the confidence and capability to use it. One way to ensure your marketing automation is having maximum impact is to make sure it’s being used effectively.  

Do your people have the right skills to maintain and maximize automated platforms, and are they actively pursuing automated opportunities? Adoption and usage can be improved through training, and by developing a transparent culture around troubleshooting and support. Consider training and development opportunities – or where the capacity simply isn’t there, augmenting the team with external support in the short term can help fulfil immediate requirements while upskilling internal teams for the future.  

Building better workflows 

When workflow software was implemented in your business, were processes assessed for their suitability against the new technology? Or, were existing processes adapted around the new platforms? If you adopted existing processes into an automated world without considering the fit and adjustment of each stage for automation, your platforms may not be delivering maximum value.  

It’s not too late to make a change. Take a step back, assess your processes. Consider the successes, and where bottlenecks arise. Pay close attention to any remaining manual elements and question whether simple tasks can be automated. By taking a holistic approach to the workflows that sit behind automation, you’ll build an ecosystem which frees up time within the team to focus on genuine business priorities and growth.  

Embracing technology 

Introducing workflow automation isn’t a one-time project. As your digital infrastructure expands, or legacy systems are retired, new integrations will need to be considered. You’ll need to maintain the integrations associated with your legacy tech, while exploring opportunities for new connections during rollout. Can you unlock greater functionality by integrating it with wider digital infrastructure, rather than letting it exist within a marketing silo? 

Staying on top of updates and maintenance is also essential. Updates will bring new features that should be carefully considered for where they can add value, as well as ensuring continuity of base performance. It all comes back to making sure your automation platform is well-integrated and delivering the required impact. After all, when you’re investing in automated platforms, you need to be maximizing value and utilizing every relevant functionality to increase MROI. 

Utilizing data for growth 

Are you making full use of the data and insights that your workflow management tool offers? 

Automation platforms are a rich source of data – and not just for platform performance. Yes, you can check out performance metrics including platform usage or downtimes which can inform adoption among the team. But more crucially, you can explore real customer insights.  

Around half (49%) of marketing leaders intend to generate growth by focusing on customer experience, and improving ‘customer experience, engagement and loyalty’ was the second most popular business objective (44% of respondents). Data from automated platforms is a major resource to this end. Tap into these analytics to create personalized customer journeys and encourage customers and prospects towards revenue-generating outcomes.  

Then, continue to use data to support revenue attribution and demonstrate the MROI of your customer journeys. Pinning down the success of marketing activities is a driver for iterative improvement and growth; so why not get your automation working harder by utilizing all the data that’s available?