Imagine what a truly automated life might look like. You wake up to the alarm clock at 8 AM, your phone unmuting itself to nudge you awake. Checking your email, you received a few non-urgent emails overnight but your phone never bothered you because it was automatically muted.You head down to the kitchen, and grab a glass of orange juice. You drink the last glass and toss out the empty jug. As you do so, your refrigerator notices and adds orange juice to your online shopping order. Then, you head to work and send out various requests to your subordinates. Tasks to be done, and as each one is completed, you automatically get an update. You’ve got a dozen people under you, and a mountain filled with complex jobs to complete, but much of the management is automated, allowing you to focus on more complex tasks.After work, you’re driving home when your onboard navigation system automatically warns you of a car accident and resulting traffic jam ahead. Your car suggests an alternative route and after a few twists and turns, you’re back home. Just in time too, your fridge ordered some groceries, and there’s a box of food at the front door, including your much-anticipated carton of orange juice.A few hours later, your lights automatically dim and you get ready for bed. Plugging in your phone, it mutes itself for the night as you drift asleep. This is what “Automation as a Service” (AaaS) looks like. Automation is designed to help manage an increasing number of daily life activities, both personal and professional, providing improved business process management and more. And by doing so, AaaS facilitates more time for you to focus on more pressing challenges and concerns.For business owners, executives, IT departments, and ambitious employees, AaaS can feel like a major boon. Let’s take a look at why.
How IoT is ushering in Automation as a Service (AaaS)
Think about the day outlined above. Notice how many devices are involved? There’s a smart (genius?) phone, the fridge, your car, and your computer at work. If we dug deeper, we might find smart toasters, security systems, health monitors, and more. All of these devices, among others, are part of a growing web of devices connected to the web and empowered with AI and other powerful software programs. The IoT is vital for AaaS and will allow people to automate an increasing number of tasks. Accenture believes industrial IoT will contribute $14.2 trillion or so to global output by 2030.AaaS and IoT will derive much of their value from the massive flow of data from IoT devices. As data flows increase, more decisions can be automated in real time and service management will become easier and more practical. And data-based decisions allow companies and individuals to make choices (automated or otherwise) with the best on-hand data.Automation-as-a-Service is also being combined with and , allowing companies to greatly improve how business processes are managed, solved, and delivered. This can significantly improve employee engagement for everyone from front-line workers to C-Suite executives.Further, IT departments can benefit tremendously from AaaS. Many IT departments are bogged down with highly-repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Minor slip ups and oversights can cause huge headaches, as well. However, automation tools can reduce mistakes and automate tedious tasks.
