It will not be a revealing statement, but it is worth emphasizing – modern technologies prevail in business processes. Automation is a word talked about at length that in large organizations for over ten years, and the widespread use of algorithms based on artificial intelligence will probably take place in the next five years. When looking at issues that have been topical for a decade, adopting this direction seems a natural process. After all, the use of Machine Learning or Robotics Process Automation tools is regularly discussed, and their use today is only a foretaste of what awaits us in the future.
Automation for real
Process automation works well in every department of the company. For example, it is possible to automate sales or marketing activities. What would be the result? In a nutshell: quick segmentation of leads according to established criteria, adapting the marketing message and personalized promotion to them, which allows you to transform a lead into a real customer. Another example is purchasing departments that have e-procurement tools that widely support the management of this process. We are talking here about the entire procurement process, at all levels of the company and involving: completing and aggregating demand, placing orders, settling invoices, preparing and servicing logistic documentation, verifying the purchased product range, etc., until payment. Purchase control is also possible, through central coordination of planning, budgeting and monitoring, which in turn relieves employees from everyday tasks and allows them to focus on the implementation of the strategy and cooperation with suppliers.
Automation is also perfect in the area of finance, for example payment factories allow for fully automated transfers and cash management of the entire capital group, regardless of the geographic areas in which the company operates. Payment processing is centralized and transparent, and duplicate processes and the number of employees involved in the process automatically decrease. This list could be continued, but the conclusion is obvious – process automation is a real and great support for companies.
Why was Digital avoiding the area of business travel and spending?
Since modern technologies have reached most of the processes and departments in Polish companies, the question arises why they have not yet helped the T&E area. The answer can be found by observing the development of our market, which has been a sufficiently large blue ocean in many perspectives. The competitive advantage of companies was built mostly through cost effectiveness and sales efficiency, and this is where resources were directed for investment and development, so Travel & Expense waited in line with others. Another factor is the fact that Polish companies automated those processes in which they used one type of technology and employees had similar needs. It was just easier that way. There is also the issue of the quality of process management: in order to achieve quality, one must first achieve a certain level of organizational culture, which in turn takes time. There were also technical barriers in the Travel & Expense area. The digitization of the full process required the integration of at least several systems, e.g. workflow, ERP, HRM (Human Resources Management), electronic banking, BTM (Business Travel Management), which, due to the complexity of the tools and their specificity, has so far been difficult to achieve.
What is happening today?
The door to authentic digitization and automation is opening ever wider. Access to technology is global and practically unlimited, and the start-ups that emerge every now and then provide something which has been impossible so far: technology is becoming cheap. We can finally say with confidence that what was reserved for the richest is now available to the public. The market was shaken by innovative young technological companies, providing high-quality solutions for business (for example, LiveChat in Wrocław) which are successively entering the market. The revolution also affected the business model – companies entering the fin-tech market offer great products thanks to partnerships they form. They do not create solutions all by themselves, because it simply does not make economic sense. The above phenomena removed the technological barrier that blocked the digitization of the Travel & Expense area. We have finally met the need for efficient and easy integration of several systems. Technology now allows them to be combined into one tool that, apart from integration, also meets other business needs, such as: availability, data security, transparency, process digitization and automation. And this is just paving the way for what is to come – the use of AI algorithms in the process.
