If you read my articles you will know that most of my writing is written from a positive perspective. This article, however, I wanted to write about a conversation I had with one of my AP Automation buddy that took a negative turn.
Picture This
My friend was faced with expanding to a group of paper loving, old school accountants (which by the way is my favorite type of group – the mixture of experience and skill goes well with Accounts Payable Automation) the benefit of AP Automation.
Reaction
He was met with, “you are going to do what!” “Take the paper away!” Needless to write, they weren’t getting the idea very well. He tried several times to explain the benefits of automation, but the group was having a very difficult time getting away from no paper invoice.
Then
Instead of continuing his march towards certain death, he decided to take a turn by explaining the impact that AP Automation could have on their work like (great move). He asked the group when they went to college was it to learn how to push paper, file and do data entry? The group said no because they were skilled accounting professionals. He explained that those were the things that AP Automation will eliminate from their lives, not the control or visibility, and not the ability to make a decision on expenses, just the manual labor that they had grown accustom to.
Wow!
I could not have said it better myself. (And) As a writer I hate hearing these types of stories because I didn’t think of it myself. Once the group got the idea that automation was designed to eliminate manual task and free the accounting professional up from work that, well, is below their skill, AP Automation took on a considerable different light.
Keep In Mind
If you make sure as you evaluate and select an AP Automation service provider that they too under stand that automation is only as good as the time, people and effort that it frees up, then your department will be happy and your people will be very happy with the outcome.
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To buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy
(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy
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