Accounts payable (AP) leaders are hearing a lot of hype about automation these days. From self-service supplier on-boarding and touch-free invoice processing to digital payments and bots that respond to supplier inquiries, emerging technologies promise to replace workers with machines.
Sounds tempting! But the key to optimizing AP lies in balancing people and process automation, experts say. According to a new white paper from CASBO Associate Member Paymerang, AP leaders must find automated solutions that redefine the role that humans play, otherwise they risk deploying a fractional solution that takes the organization two steps forward and one step back.
But how?
Leaders should embrace automated systems that combine advanced technology with white-glove service. By putting people at the center of automation, organizations can achieve faster payback, stronger supplier relationships, reduced risk of fraud and better business continuity.
What does that look like?
Perhaps it’s automating how you pay suppliers while balancing people with process automation. Maybe it’s automating data collection and processing but keeping humans in the loop. Or just maybe it’s about coming to understand that jobs will be changed — rather than lost or gained — as machines complement human labor.
Curious about how to increase efficiencies while keeping humans in the loop? Read the full white paper from Paymerang here.