(Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from “Speed, Efficiency, and Cost Reductions are Driving Hyperautomation to the Forefront” In 8x8's 2022 Business Communications Trends report.)

In 2022, one of the key trends that will separate highly successful businesses from their peers is embracing hyperautomation. 8x8 has identified it as a key trend, as has Gartner. But what is hyperautomation, why is it important now, and how do you get your business ready for it?

What is hyperautomation?

The word hyper comes from Greek and is translated as, “over, beyond, or above.” Literally, hyperautomation means accelerating your automation efforts to the next level using tools like:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Single data source (datamart, data lake)
  • Business process automation
  • Low-code/no-code tools

These tools accelerate business process transformation to the speed of software algorithms. Keeping up with this technology-driven transformation is rated the biggest challenge in global business by senior business leaders. Embracing hyperautomation allows you to meet that challenge and outpace your competitors. Hyperautomation goes a step beyond previous efforts by automating the change effort itself.

By 2024, organizations will lower operational costs by 30% by combining hyperautomation technologies with redesigned operational processes. - Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Hyerautomation - Enabling Software Market to Reach Nearly $600 Billion by 2022

Why is it important now?

There are several key forces driving hyperautomation including:

  • Staffing shortages
  • Increasingly challenging business environment
  • Accelerating rate of transformation

Hiring was a key corporate challenge in the past year forcing recruiters to adapt. Staffing shortages are driving demand automation to replace missing workers. Hyperautomation, however, doesn't just fill specific worker gaps, it creates new efficiencies. This makes it a critical tool for many industries.

But staffing shortages are not the only challenge facing business right now. Supply chain issues, frequent natural disasters, the ongoing COVID crisis… the list goes on. The complex interaction of all these challenges demands faster deployment of innovative solutions, but determining the impact of multiple different crises on your business transformation can be a very complex nut to crack. Enter hyperautomation, which can use data from multiple sources to see the real impacts and suggest solutions.

Hyperautomation solves business problems faster than humans can do it alone. Software algorithms can make necessary decisions, implement them, and measure the results without human intervention. This creates an accelerating loop that supercharges your business’ transformation and allows your business to keep up with your competition — or even outpace them.

One-third (33%) of technology executives are prioritizing capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) to personalize products, services and experiences. - PwC Future of Work Pulse Survey

4 ways to get ready

So how do you get ready for this trend? Maybe you are still working on converting manual processes. Maybe you aren’t ready for hyperautomation. There are still some steps you can take to help prepare and get your business aligned to accelerate change.

  1. Pool your data. One of the biggest barriers to change is siloed data. If your information is isolated and can't be connected, it will be very hard to hyperautomate. Bringing your information together into a common pool or lake of data makes it simpler to analyze your business processes and see real results.
  2. Single platform. Integrating across multiple platforms introduces complexity that will slow your hyperautomation efforts. Standardizing on a single platform (such as a single communications platform) will accelerate your hyperautomation efforts.
  3. Low-code/no-code. Using platforms with simple programming environments allows your team to make changes without involving engineers. This reduces the complexity of the change process and can make iterating through solutions faster. These low-code environments accelerate transformation.
  4. Broad API set. No matter how much you work on consolidation, there is no single software or data source for everything. This is where APIs come in. If your platforms are open with broad APIs that allow sharing of data and automation, you will be well-positioned to begin hyperautomation. Conversely, if your platform is closed, you will face great challenges.

Hyperautomation is the key to accelerating your organization's rate of change. You need to start preparing now to stay relevant. Preparing for hyperautomation isn't just developing a competitive advantage, it will eventually be necessary for your organization's very survival. Make sure to prepare now to keep in the game in 2022 and beyond.

Want to read more about hyperautomation and other business communications trends that should be top of mind in the new work from anywhere era? Download 8x8’s 2022 Business Communications Trends here.