Automation is essential for future-proofing your business since it can lead to significant cost savings over time, uplift productivity, and greater strategic management through access to real-time business data and financial insights. Artificial intelligence or “AI” plays an integral part in revolutionising the way organisations work in areas such as logistics and customer service.

Currently, AI may appear to be something only giant corporations use, but we will now see more and more extensive utilisation by SMBs, where “AI will help small businesses offer more personalised experiences to their customers by maximising their time and automating manual tasks…” according to Meredith Schmidt, an Executive Vice President and General Manager of Small Business and Essentials at Salesforce (a cloud-based CRM platform focused on sales, customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development).

From natural language processing (converting voice to text without the need of a typist or admin staff) to process automation (such as instant filing and sorting of emails, orders, invoices, and every type of document under the sun), these are just a few examples of the way automation can be used by small business.

As more businesses of all sizes embrace apps such as AI-powered chatbots for tailored customer experiences and AI-infused Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems (instead of, for example, tracking all your customers manually in a spreadsheet), it is important for business owners to stay ahead of the curve.

“If you are spending almost a quarter of your day on manual tasks, like inputting data, as our research showed, AI and automation can be a huge asset…”

According to Salesforce, 55% of small businesses state “lack of time” as a major concern to them. As we now know that using AI enabled technology solutions can help organisations save time by automating repetitive, manual tasks, AI is well-positioned as a current innovative technology that small business owners in every industry can use to streamline their daily tasks and operations to become more efficient and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors.

Speak with Philip Khao from Solve Accounting on 0412651779 or at philip@solveaccounting.com.au to find out more about your potential business opportunity.

Philip Khao is a Chartered Accountant (CA), Virtual CFO professional and Director at Solve Accounting with many years of accounting and business services experience at global accounting firms and multinational corporations.