Given today's digital age, office automation systems are obviously a treasure chest of benefits for organizations of every size. Evidently, powerful office automation systems shrink manual effort and store a large amount of data in little space. They not only streamline day-to-day tasks but also accelerate information retrieval. More so, these tools improve process visibility and help businesses spot bottlenecks easily. Simply put, you could be watching data flow around on its own ­ that's automation.

Despite the buzz about robots replacing workers, many automation experts say machines can actually help us be more productive, freeing us of our most mundane and time-consuming tasks so that we can drive more value at work. Ever wondered why employees no longer expect their office to be a place they simply come to work-they expect their office environment to also be a smart place for them to work, driven by office automation. From automated remote access to company servers to augmented and virtual reality, the technology needed to automate offices is already here.

While selecting office automation solutions, you need to create priorities, for example, ease of operation, cost saving, flexibility, scalability, etc. Next, identify the right IT service provider that can deliver solutions tailored to your business needs. Also, you need to ensure that the service provider delivers dedicated support and ensures hassle-free business operations round the clock. Look for managed document services providers who deliver end-to-end solutions through their dedicated datacentres allowing you to build a cost-effective business model free of all IT challenges.

In this edition, we at SI have brought the best of the best in the office automation space. Now more than ever, while businesses race to automate their work culture in entirety, we sincerely hope these vendors do justice to your workflow and change the outlook of your office space for good.

Do let us know what you think.