While Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia may be more renowned, Star Wars fans know that the truest hero of the franchise is astromech droid R2-D2. If not for this diminutive galactic stalwart, countless spaceships would have remained grounded; Luke, Leia, and Han Solo would have likely perished at the hands of Jabba the Hutt; and Luke would have never intercepted Leia’s plea to Obi-Wan Kenobi, kickstarting the future Jedi Master’s entire involvement in the saga.
Clearly, this is the droid we all should be looking for. R2-D2 himself is clearly too indispensable in our favorite galaxy far, far away, but there is plenty of robot help available to companies here on planet earth, and it’s becoming harder and harder to conduct business without the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
“Without the learning, reasoning, and self-correction of AI, businesses remain dependent on humans to oversee operations, make decisions, and complete activities,” says Steve Mustard, independent automation consultant and president-elect of the International Society of Automation. “This is costly and inefficient, but it also limits the speed at which an organization can react to change.”
Human-Cyborg Relations
In some circles, “automation” is seen as a dirty word, associated with lost jobs and industry overhaul. The fear is not completely unfounded—McKinsey research indicates that 45% of jobs could be handled by existing machines—but for ladder maker Wing Enterprises, automation improved efficiency enough that they purchased a bigger factory and expanded their human workforce by 1900%.
Organizations should approach automation not with the mindset of eliminating jobs but of aiming to improve experiences for both customers and employees. If an automated process will allow customers to address concerns more quickly and conveniently, it’s worth implementing. Likewise, automation should help employees by taking care of time-wasting processes, allowing them to concentrate on more creative, stimulating tasks.
“Well, if droids could think, there’d be none of us here, would there?”
While the question of job creation remains contentious, there are other reasons why automation is not necessarily the best fit for every company. Consider financial, organizational, and transitional factors in determining the extent to which your enterprise automates.
“Sometimes costs outweigh benefits, especially if you’ve focused on a very small detail improvement,” says Nikola Baldikov, Digital Marketing Manager at Brosix. Additionally, automation “impinges communication between employees, customers, and suppliers.” It’s important to strike the right balance in using automation for customer service. Consumers appreciate ease and availability, but they also demand a personal touch. Just about everyone who has called an automated customer service hotline has a horror story of listening through a long menu of options in a futile attempt to reach a real person.
Of course, the problem sometimes stems from a lack of willingness to adapt. “A major inhibitor to change is organizational culture,” says Mustard. “Conventional industrial operations change very slowly, if at all. [Businesses] will need to develop a more agile culture that is prepared to embrace disruptive technologies and solutions.”
There’s also the question of whether automation will actually meet your organization’s individualized goals. “Automated systems are helpful when navigating through a general task or problem,” says Baldikov. “The fact of the matter is that automation generally treats every unit as the same despite how personalized a problem or project may be.” Ultimately, automation is only as valuable as humans teach it to be.
“Help me Katalyst, you’re my only hope!”
To what degree should your organization incorporate automation? There are many considerations, but the first step is creating the right atmosphere and approach for change. Reach out to the experts at Katalyst for a consultation, and may the force be with you.
