Just like the revolution created by the world wide web in the 90s, automation has changed the face of business today. With the advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotics, automation has had a huge impact on the way businesses perform. The number of robots used across the world has multiplied threefold in the last two decades. It could multiply even faster in the coming years. Robots are an important part of the changing business landscape and they can have a significant impact on businesses and professionals. 

Large corporations have adopted automation in their business, and it has changed the way a lot of tasks are performed. It is obvious that automation is going to change and disrupt every part of the global economy and the sooner the businesses adopt and accept, the better it is. Here are 5 ways automation has changed business. 

1. Transformation in operations

The future is about technology that optimizes the end to the supply chain right from the suppliers to the end customers. This will help prevent workflow bottlenecks. The focus of organizations has shifted from getting the products to customers faster than the competition to offering the best prices. It has led to companies moving towards better quality and price. This shift has occurred in all types of industries across the economy. With technology, businesses are closer to the just in time supply chain than ever before. It has allowed the warehouses to get products in the hands of the customers without any delay from the time the order is placed. 

2.  Robots are co-workers

Technology has made it possible for robots to work right next to line workers. They are multipurpose and can be trained for any task by simply repeating it. They do not need to be programmed. You can teach them anything by repeating the task. The biggest advantage of robots is that they can also perform dangerous tasks that you can't. They can do jobs like inspecting pipelines, helping first responders, or cleaning oil tanks. Robots have become an integral part of various industries and it is time that businesses accept and adopt them. 

3. Efficient customer service

In the future, the most difficult part of a business will be handled by machines, and business owners and staff will have to focus on looking after the customers. A lot of back-office functions can be easily handled by a machine with little or no disruption. Thus, freeing up the resources that would be better in customer service or marketing roles. When business owners focus on customers, it helps increase their loyalty and generate revenue. Customers like a personal touch and they are not looking to talk to machines. Use a unified communications solution to smoothly transfer them to just the right person no matter where that person is at the time. This is where you can play a significant role and ensure that the customer feels special. There are personalized shopping services that assist a customer in choosing the right products from the right places. While robots look into logistics and delivery, you can focus on growing the customer base. 

4.  There will be an impact on knowledge workers

Those who think for a living like engineers, lawyers, computer programmers, and communication experts will see a change in their life. They will feel the most change with automation. With robots and automation, the mundane and repetitive tasks are performed by robots while the knowledge focus will be on high-value work. The mundane tasks can be automated and they include all the predictable activities from health monitoring of network services to basic activities like transcribing prescriptions. This applies to all industries and will affect all knowledge workers. 

5.  Online operations will change

There will be a huge impact on online services in the next few years. They have become an integral part of our lives and the industry has adopted technology in an efficient manner. Right from drones to self-driving vehicles, everything will become a part of the online service industry. Small businesses will hire automation specialists to design equipment for them. Large corporations will streamline operations by hiring coders. Automation will help reduce time and effort and will save costs. 

No business can escape the impact of technology and automation. If you do not change with the changing times, you could be left behind. Businesses do not have to worry about when to automate, but where to automate. It starts with streamlining business processes and bringing them into control so that they are easier to scale. It might take a while to get used to automation in the business but it is essential to move with the changing times. Automation will save effort and money for every type of business in the industry. It is something that one cannot ignore, overlook or neglect. Automation is here to stay and to make life easier.