Automation isn’t just about life-like robots and self-driving cars. It’s also made its way into the workplace. In fact, your association probably uses tons of workplace automation tools already – from email marketing tools to applicant tracking systems – automation is slowly creeping its way into every aspect of modern business.
So, what does that mean for your association? In this article, we’ll take a look at the best automation tools for the workplace, so your association can learn to ride the wave of artificial intelligence (AI) into the future.
Why use automation in the workplace?
You might think your current processes work just fine. Or maybe you’re hesitant to make the leap into the unknown and embrace AI. But the fact of the matter is that 45% of employee-performed activities can be automated. Those tasks aren’t isolated to low-wage roles either; they affect anyone from customer service up to the C-suite level. If you need to explain AI to members and leadership, we’ve got you covered on that front as well.
The rise in automation doesn’t have to equate with mass unemployment, either. You’ll quickly find that the more processes your association can automate, the more time and resources you’ll have to focus on high-level decision making, personalizing marketing campaigns, and organizing events. In short, you’ll enjoy more time to concentrate on delivering value to your members.
Streamline Repetitive Marketing Tasks
Does your association ever run email marketing campaigns, send out listservs, or distribute digital newsletters? If so, you’ve likely heard of email marketing tools like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign. These automated marketing solutions are ideal for reaching prospective members and following up with existing members.
Need to remind members of an upcoming dues deadline? What about sending RSVPs for your next event? Email marketing tools allow you to send out automated yet personalized content to your audience, so you don’t have to waste time manually chasing down members. Content curation tools can even help you create personalized newsletters in a flash.
Find and Hire the Best Candidates
The landscape of recruiting has changed drastically in the past few years. Besides the fact that remote work is here to stay, virtual interviews and applications are now the norms in nearly every industry. Applicant tracking systems and other hiring software have perfected the art of automating talent acquisition and interview scheduling.
AI is also learning how to match employer preferences with employee experience, so you can find the right candidates for your association. In the near future, traditional recruiting could fall by the wayside as machines take over the tedious aspects of candidate selection. Of course, the face-to-face interviews and teamwork that fuel your organization aren’t likely to disappear anytime soon.
Make Use of Chatbots
Chances are your members and prospective members have lots of questions on association perks, events, and general membership. Unfortunately, it’s impractical for your team to give a personalized response to every inquiry, especially if you receive the same question multiple times a day.
But you can give members the next best thing: customer service chatbots. The replacement for website FAQs and response templates, chatbots field frequently asked questions from site visitors, freeing up time for your team to focus on complex questions, outreach, and other aspects of member support. IBM’s Watson Assistant, for instance, boasts an algorithm that’s 79% accurate at answering customer requests independently — now that’s a recipe for organizational success if we’ve ever seen one.
Living in an Automated World
The automation revolution is well underway. AI is already helping businesses everywhere improve workflow processes, making jobs everywhere less repetitive (and more intellectually stimulating). As your organization becomes more streamlined with the aid of automation, you’ll experience firsthand how AI can transform association-member relationships for the better.
.svg)
