Implementing automation is an ongoing process – a journey rather than a destination, don't fixate on a specific technological endpoint but instead, prepare your organization to be flexible, adaptive and open to change.

Fundamentally, these technologies are nothing more than tools that have the potential to improve your business processes.
 
If a software or service vendor can't explain the business benefits of his products without resorting to jargon there probably aren't any.

To some extent, these vendors exploit the intimidation factor and prey on our fear of not "getting it." You must reverse the tables and ask hard questions about what their stuff can do for your bottom line.
 
When planning any business initiative always start with the fundamentals: markets and competitors, channel strategy, financial goals and organizational effectiveness. These define what you want to accomplish.

Only after the goals are laid out should you consider the specific technology tools that make up the "how" of your plan.
 
Understand the limits of automation
 
Many companies look at technology as a "silver bullet" to solve many different business problems. Unfortunately, buying software and computer equipment is usually the easy part. If you automate a bad process you'll simply get bad results faster!

In the typical automation project the benefits are only achieved after most or all of the development is complete.

Often, the real bottom line impact awaits full deployment and training followed by months or years for the changes to "work their way through the system" or be adopted by your partners.

In some disciplines, where the pace of innovation is slower, this may not present a problem (aside from the obvious investment implications). In the high-tech arena, however, these long time horizons are deadly.

You may be able to successfully predict what the reigning technology standard will be in 6 months. But how confident can you be of your choice three years from now? The technology bandwagon may pass you by before you see one dime from

Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution's "Leadership Strategist", founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com. Don't forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business.