British Cycling, for almost a century, epitomized mediocrity in professional cycling. Since 1908, British riders had won just a single gold medal at the Olympic Games. Their performance was so underwhelming that top bike manufacturers even refused to associate with them.
However, this narrative changed drastically after Dave Brailsford was appointed as the performance director in 2003. During the ten-year span from 2007 to 2017, British cyclists won 178 world championships and sixty-six Olympic or Paralympic gold medals and captured five Tour de France victories in what is widely regarded as the most successful run-in cycling history. How does this happen? How does a team of previously ordinary athletes transform into world champions with tiny changes that, at first glance, would seem to make a modest difference at best?
Brailsford implemented a philosophy called “the aggregation of marginal gains”, which revolved around improving every conceivable aspect of cycling by just 1%. While some improvements were anticipated – like enhancing bike seats for comfort and optimizing aerodynamics – others were unconventional, such as determining the best mattress for sleep and teaching cyclists the most sanitary hand-washing techniques. These myriad 1% improvements culminated in a staggering transformation. In a mere decade, British cyclists marked an unprecedented era of dominance in cycling history. –Atomic Habits
Business leaders often hesitate to innovate or implement new technologies, thinking their processes aren’t ready, and are pessimistic about the ROI. But, as the example of British Cycling Team now made famous by the book ‘Atomic Habits’ demonstrates, it’s the accumulation of small changes and improvements that can lead to groundbreaking results. Holding back due to perceived unpreparedness might just be depriving businesses of monumental growth and innovation.
Consider for a moment the notion of ‘waiting for the perfect moment.’ It is a seductive idea – the thought that if we just wait a little longer, get things a tad more in order, the stars will align, and success will come effortlessly.
But in reality, is there ever truly a ‘perfect’ time? Business landscapes are always shifting, customer needs are continuously evolving, and technology is perpetually advancing. In this dynamic milieu, waiting for perfection is tantamount to standing still.
And standing still, dear reader, is a luxury business can scarcely afford.
Let us for example, consider the transformative power of hyperautomation, a tool that many modern businesses eye with intrigue but approach with caution. A common hesitancy emerges when the discussion turns to the promise of hyperautomation.”Our processes are still taking shape. Is now the right time? “We understand its importance, but our processes aren’t ready yet.” But what if we told you that this very belief could be holding you back from unparalleled growth?
Much like Brailsford’s strategy, hyperautomation involves streamlining and enhancing numerous aspects of a business process, by removing the errors which may creep in due to manual efforts. AI-driven hyperautomation, isn’t merely a tool to streamline existing processes—it’s a powerful ally in shaping and refining those processes. Hyperautomation is the aggregation of marginal gains in action.
The true power of hyperautomation lies in its ability to identify inefficiencies, spotlight bottlenecks, and catalyse continuous refinement. B
Every strategic conversation in boardrooms, virtual meetings, and brainstorming sessions circles back to one core principle: How can we pivot faster, act smarter, and stay ahead of the curve?
Gain unparalleled insight. A good example is how leading HMC’s across the US gained a higher degree of visibility into the chargeback management process when they used an IPA solution to manage the responses. With this visibility they were able to 5X their win rate, which means a lot of revenue was protected.
Inefficiencies become glaringly apparent. Loan Processing System includes manual validation of multiple documents and manual reconciliation of loan processing from third-party systems. The intelligent RPA solution automated repetitive, mundane or manual touch points that included data entry and validation, simplifying the lives of loan officers and increasing the accuracy to 99%.
Bottlenecks come into sharp focus. A US based Title Insurance company had to manually review the huge volumes of documents and extract data points from the title deeds for downstream processing. They opted to automate the process of title processing which reduced manual efforts by 70%.
The Pursuit Of Perfection Can Often Become The Enemy Of Progress.
Think of the businesses and leaders who’ve made their mark in history. They achieve success because they dared to act without waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect process. They recognized potential and seized it. They understood that perfection isn’t a prerequisite for action but rather an ideal that one strives for through continuous effort and adaptation. Just like Dave Brailsford.
Markets shift, user demands evolve, and tech trends come and go at a breakneck pace. In this environment, waiting for a fully crystallized process before diving into automation is like waiting for the next big software update while your competitors are already beta-testing it. We’re in an era where proactive adaptation is the key.
Do not wait for every variable to settle. Choose progress over perfection.
Let’s underscore another critical aspect – the adaptive nature of AI-driven automation solutions. The ML component helps the solution to learn and morph, ensuring that as your processes evolve, the automation frameworks keep pace. This means that as your business grows and changes, your automation solutions will grow and adapt with it- helping you to scale easily. Instead of being a static solution for a dynamic problem, it is a dynamic solution for a dynamic challenge.
In closing, remember this: You have a business to run. There will always be a ton of reasons to wait, to hesitate, to hold off until tomorrow. But in waiting for the perfect process, you might be missing the opportunity to create it.
Embrace AI first hyperautomation now, not as a finish line for your existing processes but as a starting point for unparalleled growth.
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” Don’t wait for it. Act today.
