Effective business transformation: Turn challenges into opportunities

Here are some ways you can use the technology to build a faster, more efficient and more agile business.

1. Digital document and print management

On average, each Australian office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper every year. This amounts to a lot of waste around the office, plus significant printing and storage costs. Also, the heavy use of paper and other physical documents require more time and manual handling, which can negatively impact operational productivity.

With companies now moving permanently to a hybrid working environment - where employees have the freedom to work from home, the office, or another remote location - there is a pressing need to digitally transform every aspect of the business. This involves moving documents into digital workflows, thereby significantly lessening the use of paper and other physical assets.

In a paperless or paper-lite office, digital comes first. Documents and files are stored in the cloud or an on-premise server, where they can be easily and securely accessed by employees. This reduces downtime, boosts productivity and allows you to be agile in the face of emerging challenges or opportunities

No longer business buzzwords, AI and automation are essential technologies in organisations that seek to increase efficiency and agility. These tools can unlock significant benefits, from reducing manual tasks and streamlining workflows to enhancing scalability to meet future business expansion and growth opportunities.

In fact, a 2024 report from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that with the rise of generative AI in recent years, 62% of Australian task hours at work could be automated using existing technology. This could increase to between 79 and 98% by 2030. Nor is the benefit limited to business productivity; it will also be felt by the Australian economy as a whole.

Robotic process automation (RPA)

Robotic process automation enables businesses to automate manual and repetitive tasks by using bots to gather and analyse information, and take specific actions based on the data. This removes human error and reduces management costs. At a glance, RPA can be used for the following:

• Customer service: by automatically categorising and responding to queries, ensuring quick resolutions without the need for call transfers.
• Completing sales orders: RPA reduces data entry duplication and errors by automating sales order processes, allowing sales representatives to focus on customer engagement rather than administrative tasks.
• Payroll: you can simplify your payroll processing by automating data verification, timesheet validation and paycheck generation, minimising inaccuracies and delays.
• Price comparison: RPA aids businesses in making informed purchasing decisions by automating price and product attribute comparisons across vendors to optimise resource procurement.
• Storing customer information: you can organise customer data, while ensuring quick accessibility for employees and minimising manual data entry for improved accuracy.
• Processing HR information: RPA enables you to streamline HR tasks by collecting, organising and storing employee data, allowing HR personnel to focus on strategic initiatives and employee development.

Automated invoicing

According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the cost of manual invoicing is around $27-30 for a single paper or PDF invoice. Through automation, invoicing costs can go down to less than $10 per invoice, or even as low as $2.70 per invoice for some organisations. 

Automated invoicing replaces manual tasks like data entry, account reconciliation and ledger management. So it allows businesses to remove inefficient processes and save on resourcing costs. It also helps improve data accuracy, account visibility and security.

Business process automation (BPA)

BPA involves automating more intricate business processes and functions beyond basic data management and record-keeping tasks. It typically employs advanced technologies and AI/Machine Learning (ML) capabilities to automate tasks related to operational efficiency rather than solely focusing on data analysis. Usually, RPA addresses event-triggered, essential processes crucial for business operations. Its primary aim is to augment human power within an organisation and help fulfil the diverse requirements of various stakeholders and decision-makers.

AI and automation technologies continue to evolve to help streamline and speed up operations. Here are some of the business process automation solutions that you can consider:

• Cloud automation improves the overall efficiency of your business infrastructure by optimising resource allocation, enabling faster infrastructure provisioning, providing integration support and enhancing scalability to meet future demands.
• Micro automation helps automate smaller, more specific tasks to streamline workflows and improve efficiency across multiple systems and complex processes.
• Hyperautomation goes beyond just automating manual tasks. With advanced AI and Machine Learning capabilities, hyperautomation can improve performance by identifying process that can be automated, and perform the actual automation - removing the need for human intervention.

Australian networks are regularly targeted by cyber criminals to compromise vital systems, steal sensitive data, conduct fraudulent or scamming activities and extract payments from ransomware victims. Almost 94,000 cyber security incidents were reported in 2022-23, according to the Australian Signals Directorate – around one report every six minutes.

With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks, security continues to be a significant challenge for many businesses. As companies digitally transform their operations, cybersecurity risks and threat exposure increase, particularly as employees work from different locations and use a growing number of devices to access online applications.

As we’ve seen from high-profile data breaches in past years, the fallout of a cyber attack can be extensive and highly damaging. While the average cyber attack costs a business $276,000, the upper limit is much higher, with costs potentially running into the tens of millions due to ransom demands, fines or law suits. And that’s before calculating the damage it does to your company’s reputation and customer relationships.

If security is to be a top priority in organisations, business leaders need to implement holistic approaches that are regularly reviewed, tested and updated to stay abreast of the changing threat landscape.

Here are some steps to protect your business users, data and systems:

1. Conduct a cybersecurity audit

A security audit is a great first step in building a comprehensive and holistic strategy. It will help you identify and analyse security risks, threats and vulnerabilities across all digital assets, systems and devices. Understanding the risks can help your organisation determine which areas and measures to prioritise so you can prevent a costly data breach and other security incidents.

An audit also enables security teams to make more informed decisions, develop specific responses, evaluate the impact of possible incidents and take a holistic approach to organisational security.

2. Secure endpoints (including printers)

Multiple studies have found that 70% of data breaches originate from endpoints, which cyber criminals use as a backdoor to your company network and data. In other words, the devices that connect to your business network, such as laptops, mobiles and printers, are your biggest risk. And with the rise of hybrid working, there are more of these devices than ever.

Consequently, endpoint security has to be an integral part of a robust cybersecurity strategy. Here are some tips for getting started:

• Keep security software updated: ensure all devices accessing your network have the latest security software installed and regularly updated. This includes antivirus, anti-malware and firewall solutions to protect against evolving threats.
• Define device usage policies: establish clear guidelines on which devices employees can use to access company networks and data. Enforce compliance with security standards and consider implementing measures like device encryption and remote data wiping for added protection.
• Provide cybersecurity training: conduct regular training sessions to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices. Focus on topics such as identifying phishing attempts, safe browsing habits and recognising security threats to foster a culture of security awareness within the organisation.

Companies place a lot of focus on enhancing security for mobiles, laptops and other similar devices. However, printers are often overlooked, even though they have the same vulnerabilities as other endpoints. If it’s been a while since you reviewed your print network security, then be sure to make it a priority. Here are some tactics to plug security gaps and address common print security threats:

• Ensure all print devices have up-to-date firmware and are configured to adhere to your company’s security policies
• Implement ‘follow me’ printing with the user properly identified through a secure ID card or code
• Implement network authentication, data encryption and password access to all company printers
• Conduct printer audits and regularly monitor print usage to identify any threats or breaches
• Centralise print management so the correct security settings can be applied to every device
• Document and communicate your print security policies to all staff

3. Enhance data security in the cloud

It is estimated that around 328.77 million terabytes of data are created each day. That’s a lot of data that we are generating, sharing, collecting and storing across various platforms, channels and devices.

For businesses, it’s a constant challenge to track, organise and protect these huge volumes of data. This is especially the case in the age of growing data privacy concerns and tightening government regulations.

As much of this digital information is stored in cloud applications, platforms and servers, it’s essential that you regularly review and improve your cloud data security, including: 

Data backup

Storing data is one thing, but what happens if it gets lost – through human error, system failure or even a cybersecurity breach? Automatic data backups ensure that your business can easily recover and restore all information with minimal downtime or disruption in the event of data loss.

4. Create a security culture in your organisation

Very often, the success and resilience of your security posture hinges on your organisation’s security culture. That is, the norms, beliefs and values that support a strong security focus across an organisation. With a distributed workforce, it’s more important than ever for all employees who work across different locations, to be sensitive to cybersecurity risks as they arise.

Proper education and training are needed to develop a security culture. Leaders need to clearly document and communicate cybersecurity processes, policies and incident response procedures. This enables employees to not only be more conscious about their actions across platforms and devices, but also to identify and report any suspicious activity or potential security threats.

While paper is still a part of the business world, investing in an environmentally friendly printer is key to improving sustainability and reducing your company’s carbon footprint. To help you choose the right printer, here are some things you need to consider at each stage of your device’s lifecycle.

• Design and manufacturing: Choose a printer that is manufactured using sustainable practices that consume less water and energy, including the use of renewable energy sources in their factories. Also, consider how the printer is made to ensure that it consists of durable and recyclable materials.
• Print consumables: Print cartridges including toner and drums may need to be regularly replaced based on usage. This can create more waste around the office and become an environmental issue. So, look for a printer that uses recyclable print cartridges or other innovations to avoid waste and costly replacements. For instance, Kyocera’s multifunctional devices (MFDs) with unique long-life technology and separate toner and drum components were designed specifically to extend the lifespan of parts and reduce waste. This also results in significantly lower maintenance and ongoing costs. 
• Energy consumption: Make sure you invest in energy-efficient printers with excellent energy compliance ratings, as well as standby and sleep mode to reduce power consumption.
• End of life: Consider a printer with materials that can be repurposed or recycled, and make sure to dispose of your device wisely through certified recycling drop-off points. Some manufacturers even provide end of life disposal as a service to ensure that as much of your printer is recycled as possible.

Our ECOSYS printers create less waste and have the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) against comparable devices. In our manufacturing process, some of our efforts include using recycled materials in our devices, purified water in our factories and rooftop solar panels to reduce energy consumption.

Our passion and commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the way we work with our customers to help them achieve their CSR goals. One of our customers, Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), is one of Australia’s largest community service organisations focusing specifically on the wellbeing of disadvantaged and at-risk youth. We helped YSAS consolidate their entire print fleet to be more cost-effective, efficient and environmentally friendly, such as by providing recyclable print consumables and energy-efficient devices.

“We wanted to partner with a company who actually cared about the environment and who was playing an active role in combatting climate change…Having a primary print partner like Kyocera means that everything is handled and we know we have someone we can trust.” 

- Chris Chen, IT Manager, Advocacy and Communication, YSAS