iv Vronski
Opening Word
The current state of the world is vastly different than some ten months ago. The start of the year was not at all promising with numerous devastating events and scares taking place. Then, the dreadful year that 2023 has been and continues to be was not in anyone’s predictions. All the bad things that happened to us as a species reached its peak with the pandemic of COVID-19 that has caught us unprepared and left a bunch of businesses in survival mode. To these businesses, any form of further wastage of the available resources is an economical hell, which must be avoided at all costs. They had to let go of many of their employees, so losing anything else would bring them even closer to a potential end.
Having realized there is no going back to ‘normal’ in the foreseeable future, possibly ever, the businesses are utilizing the technology of the 21st century to remain productive and continue working in these dire times. This incites a lot of questions, however, as many things need to be checked and adapted. For example, what wastage do these businesses have to minimize? What does, ‘going back to normal’ mean even mean, and is this the new normal state of things? What is the technology of the 21st century and which can be used in this situation? And these are only some of the things worth considering.
In the article before you, you will learn the answers to these and other questions. Make sure to read on if you wish to find out how you can use similar techniques to boost your business and productivity.
The abrupt genesis and the never-ending spread of COVID-19 have left a myriad of businesses with less financial resources. Not only did enterprises close down but also most of them have been waiting for the situation to better so that they can proceed with manual production and distribution.
Sadly, the needs of humans cannot wait for productive activities to resume. The result is businesses looking for survival instead of growth, as a business first needs to exist of course before it becomes more successful. On the other hand, some of the competitors are utilizing remote working, robotic process automation, and many forms of artificial intelligence to propel their profits.
Excitingly, the participants and leaders of the fourth industrial revolution have gained millions during these emergency times, while their competitors are sinking further and further into loans and reduction of commercial products. Is there a solution in sight?
Rethink Automation
To level the playground, every business, no matter how large or small, should dedicate the third eye to BPA, which stands for business process automation. It entails utilizing the arms of the 4IR, the fourth industrial revolution, to heal their production wounds. The arms of 4IR include important processes, norms, and practices like RPA (robotic process automation), AI (artificial intelligence), and IoT (internet of things).
Briefly, the RPA entails using robots to boost most of the industrial processes. AI is the general term for machines that think and make independent decisions for themselves based on the software they have installed. This makes them similar to humans in terms of decision making and autonomy.
Finally, IoT is making several devices or things communicate amongst themselves, and has to do with the famous “smart” notion of modern devices. Here is how you too should utilize this growing technology and implement it into your business the right way.
Reduce Wastage
If your business is almost dying and on its last legs, it is not too late to find the green button and start reversing the damage. All you need is to take the shortest time possible to reach the goal you set. The first rule to succeed is, “Work with less to produce more.” Here is a good example of how that works in the real world.
Assume you manufacture construction materials. Instead of worrying about employees resuming work or your inability to pay rent for the workspace, invest in a smaller space, and start from there. What is more, buy a few robots and some world-class CNC machine parts that will elevate your productivity.
For that, you will need a top of the line supplier, and Bjorntoft is one of the best there is. They have been around since 1946 meaning they truly know their stuff. The company installs the machines on your behalf and you do not have to worry about employing a large workforce to run the system. The robots work in a small workspace and tend to the machines completely on your behalf.
Apart from fully utilizing space, the machines apply their accuracy to minimize wastage of raw materials. Wasting valuable resources can always be limited, and big companies know it. By combining super speeds and reduction of resource wastage, you are now in control of all the expenses.
Next up is the quality that robotic process automation brings to the equation.
Uplift Workplace Security
With BPA, you drastically reduce industrial accidents that come with frequent cuts from handling sharp products. Besides, the collaborative robots organize the workplace creating an attractive workplace and faster movements within the work area.
The improved organization and collaboration between robots and the few employees that work together with them within the workspace are sure ways to realize a goal much faster and more efficiently. Having solved production challenges, you can focus on the distribution and management of remote employees.
In addition, here is the most exciting part; the cost of spending on 4IR arms is cheaper than conducting manual production. Automation is the fastest route to return on investment as seen in tech giants like Tesla, Amazon, and other big-name brands that utilize this modern tech.
What Else is There?
By studying the industrial storms and counter-punches, you should be able to change the production process. Depending on the current circumstances, you should find the best way to adapt what you need and what you want with the goal of taking your suffering business out of the whole the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it in. And there is hardly a better way of doing it than investing in AI, RPA, and IoT. By combining these three crucial technologies, you will have made the best decision you can make as the current economic trends dictate.
The “back to normal” is not coming, or even if it is, that does not mean that you should do everything you can to make it a better normal for yourself and your employees. Nobody will give us back what we lost, so working hard and adapting in order to survive is all we have in these trying times when destiny is testing us.
