Everyone wants an amazing sidekick. A good sidekick knows the preferences and routines of the main character, chips in with useful information whenever they need it, and is always ready for a challenging task. Well, what if I told you that digital assistants could be your business sidekick?
It’s true, managing and executing tasks has never been easier since we started using AI assistants like Siri and Alexa. These digital assistants can do a little bit of everything- they help the finance guys in data entry, help HR improve communication, and help CEOs get continuous updates on what is happening at work.
A report by Statista (2023) predicts that the use of virtual assistants will steadily increase between 2022 to 2026. In this article, we will look at these indispensable allies in the workplace, and how they optimise workflows. Finally, we will look at digital assistants that cater to the needs of people in different fields.
Benefits of a digital assistant
Cut the clutter with automation
All those repetitive tasks that your personal assistants have to do, like scheduling appointments, giving reminders, sending emails, entering numbers in a spreadsheet, etc., are very crucial for you to have a smooth work day. These tasks are mind-numbingly monotonous.
Nobody wants to spend that much energy on small repetitive tasks, which is why many people hire personal assistants. Digital assistants have an advantage over human assistants in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. Moreover, some of these tools are free to use! That will leave you with more time and resources for complex decisions.
Faster information retrieval
Scrolling through spreadsheets, and leafing through heavy files for finding contact numbers, registration codes, etc. can be a tedious task. Imagine how much time might be used everyday just to pull out the information needed to start a task! With AI assistants, you can rely on fast information processing, with all the answers on your fingertips.
Easier coordination among teams
Every office functions on a certain sequence of tasks, e.g. say a marketing team is trying to launch a new product campaign in a multinational firm.
Someone from the social media team designs the campaign, content creators work on those templates, someone from PR makes sure the posts reach the target audience, and a data analysis team then evaluates how the program is unfolding.
These people could be scattered across various locations. A digital assistant can help leaders assign tasks to the entire team and send updates as they get completed. A specialised assistant could even create basic templates of posts and videos, and keep them ready for the designers.
Moreover, it could schedule posts and report the engagement, thus reducing the work load of social media and data analytics team. All the members get the information on their screens, all they have to do is process it and plan their next steps!
AI assistants across industries
Healthcare
The healthcare industry has traditionally employed many people for administrative, technical and communication-related jobs. Unfortunately, when funds are scarce, medical professionals like doctors and nurses themselves have to take care of these tasks.
Virtual assistants can take up some of the work, like setting up appointments, sending automated emails for confirmation, reminders, and feedback, renewing prescriptions, answering FAQs, etc. That frees up more time for healthcare professionals to give individual attention to patients and provide emotional support.
These services are already available on the market. For example, Buoy Health, is a platform where people can enter their symptoms and get references for consultation in their area. Ginger Desk is designed to do administrative tasks for professionals who run their private practice.
Finance
Handling financial transactions is a crucial aspect of any business. Tasks in this department have to be delegated to a trustworthy and reliable agent. Virtual assistants, with their high accuracy, reliability, and efficiency, are perfect for this job.
AI assistants can issue invoices, track daily expenses, remind you about unpaid balances, prepare paperwork for taxes, and so on. Some advanced tools also generate periodic reports of spending, thus helping you practice financial discipline.
For example, Honeybook provides virtual assistant services that cover a comprehensive list of tasks, ranging from legal to branding and marketing. They also automate tasks like reviewing contracts and making online payments.
Graphic design
AI assistants have many use cases in graphic design, but perhaps the most interesting one is how they inspire creativity among designers when they are feeling stuck. When designers feel confused about where to start, AI assistants can give helpful prompts by generating random content and images.
Moreover, when someone needs small changes to be made to a design, e.g. adding a logo or water mark, correcting a spelling error, etc., these tasks can be directed toward the AI assistant, so that the designer doesn’t have to concern themselves with these small requirements.
For example, Uizard is an AI assistant that offers templates for designing apps and websites. Designers can also enjoy features like text to image generator, digital touch-ups of sketches and screenshots, etc.
Downsides of AI assistants
Leave it to the machines: Laziness and procrastination
As digital assistants take up more tasks, they become so essential for our day-to-day functioning, that we feel paralysed without them. Server shutdowns and power cuts can bring your entire business to a halt. Also, the more we depend on AI assistants, the less proactive we become.
If you are an entrepreneur or manager in need of an assistant, we hope this article gave you an idea of how AI assistants work across different professions, how they can optimize your work flow, and lastly, the things you need to be careful about while using them.
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