The New Normal: Cooking is a Business Process Too!
Kiara Walker • June 25, 2020
In spending the last few months working from home and adjusting to the new normal, this newfound time has granted us the ability to pick up on projects and fine-tune skills more than ever. As someone who usually reaches for her phone to order out lunch or dinner, I decided to challenge myself to do the exact opposite and invest time and effort into home cooked meals. But, as our ‘chief everything officer,' Nicole Laurier phrased in it in her original version of this blog post nearly a decade ago- cooking is a business process too!
One of the first things needed to carry out this process is to set down a plan your attack. I’d often look toward online recipes and cooking shows for ideas that best suit what myself or my guest are craving or just aim to try something new altogether.
After compiling my grocery list, it’s time to head to my favorite store and pick out all the ingredients I’ll need. As a Florida native, Publix will always be my go-to spot and thankfully I know the store like the back of my hand, so this process doesn’t take too long. Whatever Publix doesn’t have I can stop at Bravo or Sedano’s to substitute.
Upon returning home, I lay out all the ingredients I plan on using to prepare my desired dish as well as get out all the pots and utensils needed too. Unless it’s a dish I’ve made before, I usually have the recipe and directions pulled up on my phone or tablet nearby for quick reference and then - I begin cooking.
Once the food is finished and the table is set, the only thing left to do is enjoy the meal I’ve made with family and friends.
So how exactly does the process of cooking play into the intricacies of business? Well, our CEO Nicole explained it best in four simple steps:
- Well the first step of cooking was deciding what to cook or in business what process you wish to automate.
- The second step was gathering all the ingredients needed through visiting various stores for different items. Many businesses have disparate systems, Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Marketing and Email Automation systems, Websites, etc., so in many cases all of these disparate systems need to be connected together to completely automate your business process forcing you to go to more than one place to get the information to build the process.
- The third cooking step was preparation, for business process management that would be using the tools to build the process which you have defined in the earlier steps, just like in cooking using the ingredients to create the meal.
- The final step of cooking is sitting back and waiting for your guests to arrive. With an automated business process, your task is built, tested, and put into production so that you can forget about what is happening in the background. The automated process will be doing the heavy lifting for you!
Do you know what process you want to automate? Do you know how to define that process? Do you know once you have defined your process how to find the information in your systems? Do you know what you want to automate? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then Fisher Technology has the tools available to resolve the problem. All that’s left to ask yourself is- what do you want to automate?
Software is supposed to make tasks more efficient, but far too often businesses are burdened by the inefficiencies of systems that do not talk to each other. Schedule a consultation today with the Fisher Technology Team!
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Organizations struggle with a fundamental challenge: their critical business data lives in two worlds. Essential systems remain on-premise for security and compliance reasons, while new cloud applications promise enhanced functionality and scalability. The result is often data silos, manual processes, and frustrated users who can't access the information they need when they need it. BPA Platform recognizes this reality and delivers what organizations actually need: a single integration and automation platform that works seamlessly across Cloud, On-Premises, or Hybrid environments without forcing businesses to choose just one deployment model. How BPA Platform Addresses Hybrid Integration Challenges Modern enterprises operate in a complex ecosystem where legacy on-premise systems must work harmoniously with cloud-based applications. This hybrid environment presents unique challenges including data synchronization, security concerns, varying communication protocols, and the need for real-time connectivity. Organizations require solutions that can maintain data integrity while enabling seamless workflows across both environments. BPA Platform addresses these challenges through: Tasks & Steps Framework - BPA platform provides the ability to build flexible automation processes with logical building blocks using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Comprehensive Tool Library - BPA platform includes tools used to create steps within a task, providing functional building blocks that interface with common technologies, systems, and applications across cloud and on-premise environments. Secure Integration - BPA Platform integrates cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid hosted business systems using end-to-end AES 256 security with double encryption to protect business data and transactions. This security-first approach ensures that sensitive data remains protected regardless of where it travels. Flexible System Architecture - BPA platform can be deployed on-premises or as an iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service). It uses client software to design tasks, a server for connectivity and processing, and a data store for data and tasks. Multi-Protocol and Format Support - BPA Platform empowers you to bring all your data workflows together, supporting a wide variety of file formats and protocols including XML, CSV, JSON, HTTP, SMTP, OAuth, and more to drive your business forward seamlessly across different systems and applications. This comprehensive protocol support ensures that virtually any system can be integrated without requiring costly custom development. 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It seems like everywhere you turn—from coffee shop conversations to boardroom meetings—artificial intelligence dominates the discussion. As someone who's spent years in the technology industry, I've watched this wave of Ai enthusiasm with both excitement and a healthy dose of realism. The AI Conversation Everyone's Having There's no denying that Ai has captured our collective imagination. Social media feeds are flooded with ChatGPT screenshots, businesses are scrambling to integrate AI solutions, and investors are throwing money at anything with "Ai-powered" in the pitch deck. The enthusiasm is infectious, and frankly, some of it is well-deserved. Working in technology, I've been hearing countless questions from colleagues and partners about how they can leverage Ai to transform their operations. The questions range from the practical "Can Ai help us automate our customer service?" to the almost magical "Can Ai solve all our efficiency problems?". This spectrum of expectations tells a story about where we are in the Ai adoption curve—somewhere between realistic optimism and unrealistic expectations. Ai's Real Role in Technology Here's the thing about Ai that I wish more people understood: it's incredibly powerful, but it's not omnipotent. In the technology industry, Ai serves as an amplifier of human capabilities, not a replacement for human judgment and creativity. The most successful Ai implementations I've observed across the industry have been those where Ai addresses specific, well-defined problems. For example, companies are using machine learning to optimize supply chain logistics, reducing waste and improving delivery times. Others are leveraging it to automate quality control processes, catching defects that might slip past human inspection. Many businesses are also deploying Ai-powered phone systems to handle initial customer inquiries and schedule meetings, eliminating the need for expensive answering services while freeing up employees to focus on higher-value client interactions. A Powerful Assistant, Not the Whole Team This brings me to my main point—Ai is an assistant. It’s sophisticated, intelligent, and powerful, but not a standalone solution. Too often, I see businesses approaching Ai as if it's the missing puzzle piece that will magically solve all their operational challenges. The reality is messier and more nuanced. Successful Ai implementation requires the same fundamentals as any other technology project: clear objectives, quality data, proper infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance. You need to understand your current processes before you can improve them with Ai. Most importantly, you need humans who understand both the technology and the business context to make Ai work effectively. Looking Forward Realistically As we continue to navigate this Ai revolution, I encourage business leaders to maintain a balanced perspective. Embrace the possibilities that Ai offers, but approach them with realistic expectations and solid planning. At Fisher Technology, we're excited about the future of Ai and its potential to drive innovation across industries. But we're equally committed to helping our clients understand that Ai's greatest value lies not in replacing human judgment, but in augmenting it. The conversation about Ai will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and that's a good thing. As the technology matures and our understanding deepens, we'll find even more creative and effective ways to harness its power. Just remember: Ai is a powerful tool in our technological toolkit, but like any tool, its value lies in how skillfully and thoughtfully we use it.
