It’s Time to Automate CCM!
The digital revolution has happened. It is no longer a question of ‘if,’ or ‘when’ but rather how to incorporate automation into your legacy Customer Communications Management (CCM) strategy. Automation is a fundamental shift that can redefine the very structure and operations of contemporary businesses – including work distribution and workforce staffing.
The prominence of automation in CCM demands attention due to factors more significant than the mere trimming of workload. While it’s true that implementing automation can decrease the volume of manual labor, let’s consider another consequential benefit. Automated document production reduces reliance on the knowledge and experience of seasoned employees. Many of these individuals are retiring or making career choice decisions that lead them away from their long-time employers.
Implementing automation allows organizations to maintain an equilibrium, facilitating the increasing demands of both clients and a fluctuating workforce.
Automated processes aid the smooth generation, management, alteration, and distribution of digital and physical communications. Combined with the business’s increased control over communication strategies and quicker execution, the benefits of CCM automation are hard to ignore. Yet, why do some organizations still hesitate? Why is there a persistent inclination to trust traditional, labor-intensive methods? The reasons often lie in misperception and reluctance to change.
| Traditional On-Premise CCM | Automated Cloud-Based CCM |
|---|---|
| Dependence on skilled technicians | Reduced dependency on specific individuals |
| Slow, meticulous processes | Quick and efficient execution |
| Inflexible | Enhanced adaptability to market changes |
| High risk of errors | Lower risk, higher accuracy with automated processes |
Addressing the Knowledge Gap with Automation
As companies rely on seasoned professionals to handle CCM, they face a pressing challenge, a potential knowledge vacuum. Several employees, having honed their skills over the years, are on the cusp of retirement, and many others are considering career paths away from their long-standing roles. Companies need to deal with how to bridge this looming knowledge gap. For most, the answer probably lies in automation.
CCM document generation responsibilities transferred from specialized technicians to individuals in marketing, legal and compliance, and business line management enriches careers. Providing automation tools to business unit employees appeals to a growing “automation generation” willing to leverage automation tools to foster creativity, boost productivity, and deliver new experiences their customers expect.
In many organizations, a subset of employees, often just one individual, is indispensable because of their deep understanding of the company’s document composition software. Robust knowledge and unique skills have made document development specialists crucial to the company’s CCM efforts.
This could be a problem.
Document development specialists are typically seasoned professionals, many of whom are nearing the end of their careers. These individuals are not just in short supply, but their eventual departure will be keenly felt. When they retire or choose to depart, they take with them the deep hands-on experience and knowledge that is difficult to transfer and even harder to replace.
Employee retention incentives will only work for so long. Eventually, those critical document composition skills will walk out the door. Other companies facing similar challenges are luring established resources from their current employers. There are only a few such individuals to go around.
It seems switching to a system that allows business-line people to participate more directly in CCM document design and development is the only answer. People can still create the documents; they just need better tools to do it.
Attracting New Talent with Modern Automation Tools
Automation tools in CCM are not just about efficiency, productivity, and maintaining the status quo. They also impact a company’s attractiveness to potential new employees. Employees may be deterred by companies that continue to rely on what job candidates consider outdated, on-premise document production platforms.
Why work in an environment that clings to antiquated methods when other companies embrace the cutting-edge? As the world shifts towards digital technologies and systems, companies must update their protocols to survive and thrive in the digital age.
- Job seekers, particularly those from younger generations, are more likely to be attracted to companies that leverage modern technology. This signals the company is forward-thinking, adaptable, and ready to embrace the waves of the future.
- By incorporating automation tools in CCM operations, companies show their commitment to fostering digital literacy, a vital skill for a modern workforce.
- Companies that use automation tools operate with greater efficiency. This can foster a more productive and less stressful work environment, which can be appealing to potential employees.
- 86% of employees think automation will help them work more efficiently, while 65% believe technology will improve their future job prospects.1
A system that encourages employees’ direct participation in CCM document design and development can influence the company’s ability to secure top talent. It’s not about eliminating the human element – people still play a crucial role in creating the documents. It is about equipping them with the best tools to execute their tasks more effectively and efficiently.
Make Plans to Automate Now
Companies need not completely abandon their traditional CCM production methods. Automation tools can complement existing systems, facilitating a smoother development, production, and distribution of transactional documents and other customer communications. Document creation platforms like Quickcoms come with workflow and business rule administration that allow organizations to upgrade time-consuming manual processes like authorizations and approvals. Companies no longer need to risk delays and cost overruns typically associated with these critical steps in document creation.
It’s no longer really an option to keep relying on older methods when the future of CCM is leaning towards automation. The benefits of automating processes in the creation, production, and distribution of transactional documents and customer communications are too significant to ignore. Companies can reduce their reliance on technical specialists working with legacy document composition tools while simultaneously enriching the employee experience. Automation tools placed into the hands of business units will generate creative fresh approaches and enhance employee recruitment efforts.
Why not get ahead, embrace this shift, and wave goodbye to the delays and cost overruns that plague traditional methods? The time to automate CCM is now.
