Demystifying the confusion…
With so much noise in the market surrounding the word…‘Automation’…how the heck do you make sense of it all?
For most folks and even those within the Automation market, it is very tough to differentiate from what one provider brings to the table over another, in terms of value to your business processes and ultimately the business performance of your key value streams.
The way we classify Automation at A2B Transformation, as we pride ourselves on simplifying the complex, is into 2 x categories.
- Core Automation – Automation that is developed and delivered within core applications, that support key value stream processes within a business. Examples may include;
- Enterprise Relationship Platform (ERP)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Service Management
- Edge Automation – Automation that sits around the edges of your Core Automation to extend the ‘addressable automation’ within your processes. Examples may include;
- API’s
- Workflow Automation Software
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Intelligent Document Processing
- Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Virtual Workers
The common belief even today, is that Core Automation is the most important form of Automation inside my business. This is not surprising given we have had to run our businesses on Core Automation now, since the development of the Mainframe.
This is no longer the case…Both categories are ‘equal’ in their importance to your business if you are to stay competitive and keep your business well positioned for growth.
If you consider that Core Automation only accounts for about 20-40% of the ‘addressable automation’ in your business, then the use of Edge Automation can play a significant role in your company’s future…
And if you aren’t embracing an Automation strategy overall across your business operating model, you can start to imagine… the agility of your business model, will not be relevant for too much longer…given your competitors might be addressing the other 60%.
Furthermore, through the extension and constant development of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IOT and other innovative technologies, Edge Automation will continue to play a significant role for extensibility of addressable automation going forward.
So why is this made so confusing by the market today?
It is made confusing through a number of behaviours. Creating the perfect storm for potential buyers.
Core Automation specialists have tried to take an ‘all you can eat’ approach, even in some cases to put the threat of their core strengths at risk, in fear that their competitors will creep into their space…
Which they do...by the way…or in fear that they will miss out on taking a solid position in a market opportunity, before their competitors do.
The fact is…Core Automation providers are good at what they do in the ‘Core’ and when they try to replicate a competitor’s Core strength or an Edge Automation company’s capability, they find it very difficult…which is not surprising.
It is not a market they have been in historically… and they can only really replicate a ‘shell’ of what the competitors are doing…whilst they represent it as the same thing.
So…unless they have some ‘out of the blue’ luck or make an acquisition they cannot replicate what other providers are doing.
And for most, they naturally find acquisitions difficult to merge into their existing business, due to a range of differing challenges, surrounding the old People, Process and Technology areas…and sometimes end up realising this and carving these acquisitions back out.
It’s a constant struggle…
Some software providers are waking up!
What is refreshing to see in the last 12 months, is that ‘some’ software application providers, whether they are Core Automation providers or Edge Automation providers, both are starting to roll back to their core strengths and not try and be…all things to everyone.
Rather taking an approach to go back to focusing on their core strengths and integrate effectively to other Core Automation providers or extend their applications attractiveness by embracing an ‘Open Architecture’ approach to integrate Edge Automation providers as partners.
Some might say…‘But I could argue, these companies have been working this way for decades!’
On the surface…one might agree…But in reality some of these companies have partnered to extend their relevance and reach into the market, whilst at the same time building a competing product to their partners.
It’s the old FOMO syndrome…(Fear of missing out), that has driven these behaviours…and probably still will in a lot of cases.
The refreshing difference from some providers is their realisation…they cannot be all things to everyone…and focusing on core strengths is what put the company on the map in the first place…and there is still strong relevance for their core strengths in the market.
They can continue to develop their products from a position of strength and embrace the ‘Open Architecture’ mindset and partner with good companies to locate their growth opportunities, whilst not stepping on each other’s toes.
Where does this leave the buyer?
So now…as a buyer…you might understand the problem…but how do you ‘actually’ make sense of all the noise?
This is where A2B Transformation plays a valuable role to bring your Automation strategy to life!
There are 2 x core strengths that we bring to the table for our customers…
- We can help you develop your ‘Automation’ strategy and help you execute it into the DNA of your business operating model.
- We partner and orchestrate the ‘worlds’ best software application providers and service providers and we understand their core strengths, to ensure your Automation vision becomes a reality, across your entire Digital Operating Model.
You don’t need to eat the elephant all at once!
To develop your Automation strategy, (aka your Digital Transformation strategy), A2B Transformation has developed a ‘Value Extraction’ service, which includes a range and depth of value extraction lenses, which are applied with both Core Automation and Edge Automation categories in mind for your business.
These ‘Value Extraction’ lenses are applied across the below categories.
- Growth – Automating Marketing, Sales, Upsell and Retention.
- Cash Flow – Automating the Lead to Cash Cycle
- Customer Experience – End-to-End journey mapping leveraging human and automation capabilities, giving your customers the right experience at the right time.
- Employee Experience – Ensuring your employees are working on high value tasks and extracting Employee development opportunities
- Productivity – Driving Non-Productive work out of your business.
You can either apply one, some or all of the above value extraction lenses when developing your Automation strategy.
To simplify your journey and keep it truly agile, we apply the A2B Digital Adoption Framework™ to assist your business in embracing your Automation Strategy.
A copy of the A2B Digital Adoption Framework™ is located within our latest e-Book – ‘Digital Transformation Simplified’.
If you would like a Free Copy of the e-Book, or would like to know more about our Value Extraction service, leave us a message at www.a2btransformation.net/contact
