Be honest. Do you ever feel more of your time at work is spent jumping through the hoops of process than actually getting something accomplished?
Never has there been a time when our work lives have been supported by such an impressive amount of technology. So getting things done should be a breeze, right?
Truth is, it hasn’t worked out that way. The more IT innovations put in place to increase user productivity, the more complex tasks all of us are expected to do in greater detail and in on-demand real time, which makes for a dangerous work-life balance (juggle) magnified by the holiday season. For most tasks within an organization, there’s an associated process, many of which require access to the right IT application. Any delay or complication with that access creates an interruption in workflow. Add up a few of those circumstances each day multiplied by holiday stress and overlapping vacation schedules and the sum can be a frustrating level of unproductivity.
The antidote for all this ‘hoop-jumping’ is business process automation, simplifying IT deployment, configuration and access. The strategic use of an automation solution can cut operating costs while increasing productivity, reliability and performance. But a word of caution—you can’t just throw any automation at the problem and hope for the best.
There are some important points to consider when choosing the best solution for your situation:
Asset Management
A centralized database should contain an inventory of the devices that access the automation, along with their operating configurations and installed applications.
Job Functions
Users with similar job roles are likely to have the same needs for accessing data and services. Automation should allow pre-approval on these needs, eliminating administrator involvement.
Automatic Updates and Patching
For consistency and reliability, patches and updates should be deployed without the need for an administrator.
Self Service
A single user request for an application should automatically initiate a workflow that performs all steps from authorization through configuration and software updates.
Security
Security and compliance protocols should be centrally monitored and managed through automated processes with little or no impact on the user.
Monitoring and Remediation
User applications or operating environment issues should be reported automatically to IT operations. Repeated repair processes should be automated for an immediate fix.
ConnectWise Automate is proud to offer the most powerful automation engine available on the market. It’s designed to work the way you work, letting you automate every repetitive IT task imaginable with reliable results every time. Learn more about how Automate can make your business processes more productive—automatically. Because hoops should be for basketball and the holidays are meant to be enjoyed.
Brett Cheloff is VP of product at ConnectWise. Read more ConnectWise blogs here.
