Ask HN: What's stopping you from automating your business processes?

#1

Post by calmbeluga54 » Thu, Nov 25, 2021, 12:44 AM UTC

Are you still performing manual processes across teams? Emailing backing and forth? Why haven't you automated these things using zapier or some workflow process software?

Curious because most companies I join still do a ton of things manually. My guess is it's just due to non-technical managers, or no one's taken initiative, or job security. Thoughts?

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from automating your business processes?

#2

Post by poetically » Thu, Nov 25, 2021, 1:17 AM UTC

I tried to get someone to use Zapier to automate how they were monitoring some news sources for their consulting company but they never managed to do it because the technical barrier was too high for them. The main blocker to automation is ignorance about what computers can do. Most people never bother to learn how to fully utilize computers so that they can leverage it to simplify their work. I think this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from automating your business processes?

#3

Post by tony-allan » Thu, Nov 25, 2021, 2:21 AM UTC

For manual processes with thousands of participants not enough people will agree unless the process is forced upon them. e.g. use this HR process or you will not get paid and we don't care if it's hard to use.

This is the most common type of automation.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from automating your business processes?

#4

Post by tony-allan » Thu, Nov 25, 2021, 2:23 AM UTC

For smaller processes with tens of users the process often evolves quickly. This might be be because it was not well understood in the first place or because participants change their minds or forget what was originally agreed.

From my experience, there are not many people with a strong process mindset.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from automating your business processes?

#5

Post by tony-allan » Thu, Nov 25, 2021, 2:24 AM UTC

The most success I've had is where I automate my own tasks and permit others to participate if they are really interested.