Published on the 28/06/2023 | Written by Brad Drysdale

Steps to unlock business potential…

The promises for organisations who can become data driven are great. Elevated customer experiences, improved outcomes and the ability to make intelligent and strategic decisions that propel the business forward are among the rewards to be won. But getting started on the data-driven journey can be an overwhelming task given the mountains of siloed data most organisations have.

Research demonstrates that the average enterprise has 115 distinct applications and data sources. And nearly half of them (49 percent), are disconnected from one another. It’s no wonder then that 89 percent of information technology decision-makers are worried that data silos are holding them back.

The concern doesn’t end there. The same research finds that 76 percent believe they are missing out on revenue opportunities due to a lack of data insights and 77 percent question the quality of their data for accurate, timely, business-critical decisions.

The benefits of enterprise automation

Enterprise automation simplifies complex business processes via the seamless flow of data between multiple applications and systems. And when everyone is empowered to move faster, the benefits are profound. Bottlenecks become a thing of the past and everyone in the business is able to make more informed decisions based on the data presented to them.

This improves business efficiency, agility and speed. Better digital outcomes for the business and its customers become possible.

Automation can take care of many of the more repetitive and mundane tasks associated with a job, allowing employees to have more time to focus on tasks that actually move the organisation forward.

As an example, SnapLogic simplifies the modern data stack, making operations more cost-effective and secure. By delivering a cloud-native, event-driven architecture for both application-to-application integration and the automation of business processes that transcend all 115-plus applications and disconnected data sources, SnapLogic supports organisations across a variety of industries.

Visibility, control and optimising data systems

There are a few steps around data democratisation and broad data optimisation and automation that must be put into effect to unlock business potential. The first is visibility. You have to know where this data lives and be able to unlock, democratise and get it on the move so different parts of the business can gain access to it for better outcomes.

Next comes control. Governance and quality are vital aspects related to data, including who has access to it, its security and associated risks. It is crucial to examine and address any inherent biases in the data.

From a SnapGPT perspective, the first-ever generative AI solution for enterprise applications, the focus shifts to automating business processes and gradually, handing over certain functions to generative AI.

However, it is important to navigate this transition carefully, considering the inherent biases in the data these models are trained on. Balancing the need for security, quality and speed becomes crucial when allowing AI and automation to take the reins.

Furthermore, optimising the data, systems and their interconnectivity becomes paramount. As organisations acquire new systems, businesses and customers and develop new digital products or services, it is crucial to iterate and ensure that the data and systems continue to enrich the digital platform, serving the desired outcomes.

Embracing AI in the workplace

We recently collaborated with Censuswide to discover the attitudes and acceptance towards AI in the workplace. It’s clear the idea of AI in the workplace is gaining steam. In fact, nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents like the idea of using AI in their role, either currently or in the future.

Even more, just over half (54 percent) say that AI would save them time, 46 percent believe that it would improve productivity, and 37 percent share that it would reduce risk and errors in their work.

However, the success of AI implementation hinges on a crucial factor: Employee buy-in. Our research demonstrates that 39 percent believe it would be hard to get everyone in their organisation to fully adopt AI. Understanding and addressing employee sentiment about AI adoption is key to creating an AI-inclusive culture that maximises productivity and optimises business practices.

An AI-inclusive culture goes beyond merely introducing AI tools and systems. That’s why, as part of our research, we took a holistic approach, figuring in the respondents’ personalities into the equation. The results were fascinating.

Thriving in the data-centric era with enterprise automation

As the business landscape continues to evolve, organisations must proactively navigate the data journey, leveraging technology, fostering an inclusive culture and embracing AI. By doing so, they can overcome challenges, seize opportunities and unlock the full potential of data-driven transformation.

With the right tools, strategies and a commitment to employee engagement, organisations can thrive in this data-centric era, achieving remarkable digital outcomes for both their business and customers.

Brad Drysdale is principal solutions engineer at SnapLogic, helping place customers in the driver’s seat at the intersection f cloud, data, APIs and generative AI.