Process Automation

Once a business process has been simplified and improved, there are opportunities to further streamline the process by automating manual processes and/or integrating systems for seamless process workflow. In other cases where the business process involves decision-making and analysis, technology can be applied to complement the labor components for improved quality. Many companies over the last decade have done just that by implementing integrated systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, etc.) realizing the benefits of process automation. One outsourcing company is currently managing integrated human resources functions that use an efficient mix of on-site resources for mail handling, optical character recognition (OCR) technology to read documents, and offshore resources to process data. By doing so, the client has seen a productivity increase of 60 percent with a sustainable accuracy rate of 99.5 percent.

However, more specialized systems and advanced technology (e.g., handwriting and speech recognition, knowledge based systems, etc.) are sometimes not justifiable for a single company to implement. This is another area where BPO firms have the advantage of scale and scope, enabling them to maximize cost advantages and offer specialized support resources for these types of technologies across multiple clients.