Something I am seeing a lot at the moment is the idea that the system can fix any problem. In the context of what I do for businesses, it centres on people using AI or automated integrations to make sure a task happens and productivity is maximised.
I have a client who uses an integration between their ecommerce store and eBay to synchronise product information and stock levels across both platforms. For some reason, the sync between the site and eBay was not firing, and I was asked to investigate. It had been idle for a week, costing potentially thousands of pounds in sales. That it took them a week to reach out was a red flag, but it also hinted at the cause.
The cause was that stock levels were at zero. Stock was reducing automatically as people purchased, and this was reflected on the site and on eBay. But the staff managing the store were not increasing the stock when new deliveries arrived in the warehouse. The best system in the world won’t work if there is no data to work on.
There’s a lesson here: you can have the most streamlined system that automates everything and increases productivity, but if there is one bottleneck where human error can render it useless, that’s the thing you need to focus on.
In case you are wondering, the stock is being counted as I type, and I’m sure the client’s site will be syncing again in no time.
I still think automation is the goal every business owner should strive for, but it is interesting to see how unexpected issues arise in the real world.