Workflow automation: Fast growing across the enterprise
Resolving data conflicts Syncari evolved as a result of observations by its founder, Nick Bonfiglio, that there was a large gap in the marketplace because of the lack of a software product that could resolve conflicts among data elements. Inaccurate data was at the root of many of the limitations of analytics, automation, and digital transformation. “Every workflow starts with data,” said Aaron Landgraf, head of marketing at Syncari. Many of those workflows are becoming more sophisticated and cross-departmental, Landgraf observed. In addition, buyer journeys are more complex, and customer expectations are increasing. Meeting these increasing expectations requires a unified view of what’s happening across the buyer journey, which necessitates shared, unified data.
An event such as a purchase can trigger a workflow, and then the system can pull out all the relevant information about that customer as the process is executing. “Our customers have to first think through the business logic that produces a certain experience,” explained Landgraf. “It is a no-code platform, but not a ‘no-logic’ platform. The good news is that business analysts and other stakeholders often understand the processes better than the data engineer so they can create the right workflow.” This way of thinking may be new to an organization. “It takes some effort to think it through,” he continued “and they are likely to have to engage with their counterparts from other departments. They need a unified data model that connects to all their systems.”
Syncari can connect to any business intelligence tool in order to provide metrics on workflow or other data, but the company is building out its own set of dashboards and reports. “Our customers were asking for analytics that can predict the propensity to buy, or some other outcome,” observed Landgraf. “A key feature is the multi-directional nature of our solution. Corrected data and newly created insights get synced back to the applications where people work, so they are always working with the most accurate information available.”
Pervasive use of workflow automation
Interest in workflow automation has increased sharply not only as a result of improving remote work during COVID but also as part of ongoing efforts by companies to streamline their operations and improve efficiency. The global workflow management system market was nearly $7 billion in 2020, according to Grand View Research, and is expected to grow at a rate of 30% from 2021 to 2028.
“Even before the pandemic, when companies were forced to consider the day-to-day workflow implications of remote employees, we were seeing tremendous interest and growth,” said John Bartlett, VP of product solutions at Integrify. “And even companies that have been slow to let go of manual, email, and paper-based processes now recognize they have to transform their business.”
Workflow automation software is often a good match for midsize companies as well as for larger enterprises since it is easy to use and is typically offered as a SaaS product. One Integrify customer, Exacto, develops eco-friendly vegetation management solutions. As it is in a highly regulated industry, Exacto wanted to ensure compliance, as well as automate processes in sales, marketing, research, and other departments. The company considered using its ERP system but found it did not have the necessary workflow capabilities. After evaluating other options, Exacto selected Integrify to manage its workflows.