As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s time for a bit of thinking. What should we do more, what less? In the world of automation, this is not just a year-end thought but a step into tomorrow. 2024 is not just another year; it’s a new chapter in how we work. With everything from AI to easier-to-use software, these top trends are not just cool ideas; they’re practical steps for various teams in our offices.
Let’s dive into these trends and see how they can make our jobs smarter and our lives easier in the coming year.
1. Connected Business Apps: Different business functions need to work as a single integrated unit during a business transaction, and the same is expected of the business apps used. These apps need to connect to each other seamlessly and exchange data as and when needed with minimal human intervention
“45% of respondents in procurement cite poor integration as the second main barrier to the effective application of digital technology”- Deloitte
2. Single Organization, Single Platform: Organizations are turning towards a “Less is more” philosophy by reducing the number of apps they use and tracking tools that they use. They prefer business apps multiple teams can use without going to multiple vendors to acquire software. This could be a one-stop ERP with CRM, Finance and Ops all rolled into one.
“The average worker uses 35 different tools on the job, juggling back and forth between apps more than 1,100 times daily.” – CIO.com
3. Consumer Grade UX for Enterprise Apps: With modern interfaces and experiences being built across end consumer-facing apps, the expectations have changed and businesses today prefer easy-to-use apps that have a lower learning curve. The users have become the decision-makers and building enterprise products with bad design or needing longer hours to train on the interface can no longer be justified.
“In designing QuickBooks’ onboarding, We tailored the experience by requesting key business details, then used this information to perform initial setup tasks. This approach made the product feel personalized for each user and their business.” – Amanda Liden, Head of Design, Intuit
4. Conversational Business Systems: Everybody is turning towards Generative AI to talk to these systems rather than relying on too many clicks to drive an action. It’s also a herd mentality though to implement these systems without getting a clear sense of the exact areas they would make a great impact. Also, these systems if not built the right way can hamper the brand. It could change the way knowledge workers operate.
“By 2025, smart workflows and seamless interactions among humans and machines will likely be as standard as the corporate balance sheet, and most employees will use data to optimize nearly every aspect of their work” – Mckinsey
5. Data-Driven Decisions: As most tasks start getting automated, teams are now inherently becoming laser-focused on data and key KPIs that drive successful outcomes. Reflecting on KPIs and Data as part of the strategic plan will become more natural for teams going ahead.
As a business, we’ve kept up with the latest trends and used them to improve our new product, the New Cloud Workflow Interface. This update makes it easier for different departments to set up automations. Now, teams can easily link their CRM, Accounting, ERP systems, and more, all with a user-friendly interface. This means better workflow and more efficiency for everyone.
Wrapping up our look at the top five business automation trends, it’s clear that 2024 is a year where businesses can change how they work. The key takeaway? It’s not just about adopting these trends; the challenge is integrating them seamlessly into everyday business operations. This means businesses must re-evaluate and possibly overhaul their existing processes to make the most of these new technologies. The focus should be on identifying critical areas where automation can truly be plugged in to deliver exceptional experiences for customers and employees at scale.
