How IT Automation Can Benefit Oil & Gas Companies
We’ve all been there, and it’s never fun. You have all the right components and software to address the needs of your departments and services. Yet, you arrived at work one morning only to learn that your technology had let you down. Batches were missed, data was corrupted, and the programs stopped working together.
That scenario, among several others, is why many companies should invest in IT automation. Specifically, there are five critical indications that we see in companies that require such services:
- You need better data
- Your technology needs better workflows
- Your people need more predictable processes
- You want to lower costs
- You need scalable infrastructure and architecture
What is IT Automation?
IT automation provides a comprehensive solution that combines all of the repeatable processes and instructions performed by your software, hardware, and methodologies into a seamless package. It handles the data accumulation and sorting tasks so humans can complete more analytical tasks that require more energy and thought.
As the name implies, it entails helping all the elements of your information technology work together automatically. The goal is to maximize the benefits of your IT stack by increasing efficiency, saving money, and ultimately contributing to the company’s overall success.
But it’s more than just creating systems and rules so that work gets done without people paying attention to every step. Effective IT process automation involves integrating your entire system to account for every contingency, no matter the situation. Thus, another goal is to ensure your business completes the right work and receives the best information so you can make confident, informed decisions that lead to success.
1. You Need Better Data
Having accurate data has never been more essential in the oil and gas industry. It’s why your company spent considerable time and effort picking the right software and hardware for your business needs. But all of those capabilities are wasted if the data being crunched are outdated, corrupted, or incomplete.
Automation ensures you avoid such complications by:
- Completing batches
- Analyzing increasing loads of data
- Sharing results with multiple stakeholders
- Reporting across multiple projects/departments
2. Your IT Stack Needs Better Workflows
Every company works with several products, devices, services, and software, and each has individual duties. This collection of technology is collectively known as your “IT stack,” and it operates best when everything communicates effectively. Proper workflows focus on core tasks, remove unnecessary steps, and do so without regular human involvement.
Like any piece of technology, your systems can only do what you ask of them. Yes, machine learning and artificial intelligence can help heighten the quality of the work, but you still must control how it gets done.
Thus, we recommend taking the following steps to integrate workflows from across those multiple tools to ensure they work together to achieve your business objectives:
- Assess the capabilities of the software
- Review your goals
- Calculate the best intersections
- Develop clear directives and actions
3. Your People Need More Predictable Processes
Yes, automation is about technology, but you see the real benefits in how they help your employees. Effective processes clearly outline the relationship between the work the IT stack does and what your people should accomplish.
As stated earlier, productive automation removes humans from repetitive, tactical data-related tasks prone to errors, which means your people have clear guidelines of their responsibilities. By streamlining your platforms and processes, you position your people for success.
Thus, When your teams have a deeper understanding of how things work and why, they will experience several improvements to their work, such as:
- More accurate data entry
- Enhanced data visualization
- Improved business operations
4. You Want to Lower Costs
Software is fundamentally designed to save you money. However, those individual programs could lead to headaches and unnecessary expenses if left to their own devices. When your systems can gather and sort data with increasing efficiency, that frees up time for the human analysis that differentiates your business.
Effective IT automation involves combining your resources so that you prevent overlap, gaps in your processes, and complications between data sets. It reduces your expenses with day-to-day work and addresses large-scale issues.
5. You Need Scalable Infrastructure and Architecture
In IT, one size does not fit all, and you can even outgrow the most custom solution if the proper systems and software aren’t in place. Your DevOps team must implement business processes and software that can scale with your oil and gas company. Automating daily and big-picture tasks will lead to smooth scaling, which sets up your company for success.
IT Automation is Crucial for Effective Digital Transformation
When it comes to implementing new technology, oil and gas companies often fall behind other industries. However, in an era where your business must pursue every possible advantage so it can thrive, investing in high-quality IT automation could be the difference-maker you need.
That’s where EAG Inc. enters the picture. With our team of experienced IT experts on your side, your company will be able to determine how to optimize its IT stack for better automation. We can help you improve the quality of your data, implement industry best practices, and provide top-tier customer service.