Study on the automation of standard processes in IT

Many IT departments tie up unnecessary resources in standard client management processes that they could actually automate in order to focus the freed-up resources on important digitalization projects, for example. However, according to a recent study by aagon and techconsult, it is often feared that the savings made through automation in client management will result in job cuts.

Kassel, June 29, 2017: Optimized client management can lead to considerable savings through a high degree of automation. The IT employees who are entrusted with client management currently account for an average of around 3 percent of the total number of employees in companies. The savings in working time resulting from the use of a client management solution are usually estimated to be in the range of 10 to 40 percent. In companies with 100 to 199 employees, there is currently an average of 5 IT employees looking after the clients in the company. Automation in client management would free up at least one employee for other projects.

Against the backdrop of staff shortages in IT departments and urgently needed digitalization and innovation projects far removed from day-to-day business, there is a lot of potential here to create the necessary freedom. However, there are also fears that the increase in efficiency will lead to the freed-up resources being cut, i.e. jobs being cut.

"Client management currently takes up around half of IT's time. Only a third of the time is spent on IT projects. This ratio must be reversed if a company wants to advance innovative topics such as digitalization," says Henrik Groß, Senior Analyst at techconsult, commenting on the result. "It is absolutely understandable that IT departments pay little attention to increasing the efficiency of standard client management processes if they are putting staff positions at risk as a result."

Companies should therefore take this into account in their IT strategy and IT personnel planning. As the digitalization of the economy progresses, it will be important in the future that IT departments not only maintain day-to-day business, but also contribute to transformation and innovation within the company. Companies should set aside the necessary resources for this. Some of the human resources could be freed up simply by automating standard client management processes.