Democratization and the Future of Manufacturing

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Kerrie Jordan expertly navigate the latest breakthroughs in business automation and AI. Kerrie shares invaluable insights into innovative business solutions, the role of user-friendly tools like Epicor's Automation Studio, and the potential impact of generative AI. Emphasizing the importance of industry-specific solutions, Kerrie reveals the benefits of democratizing access to automation across organizations. Kerrie advises on developing industry-specific AI applications that go beyond generic automation, focusing on delivering tailored solutions that add significant value to each unique industry.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:04) What is Epicor?

*(06:13) Automation's impact on manufacturing and common challenges

*(09:51) Workato's impact and alternatives in Epicor's Automation Studio

*(13:48) Balancing customization and user-friendly integration

*(17:01) Evolution of inclusive integration and democratization of automation

*(21:08) Importance of automation in the manufacturing

*(24:47) Seamless integration and orchestration of end-to-end data processes

*(26:31) Consultants' perspectives on new automation possibilities in the Epicor world

*(31:06) Generative AI and its impact at Epicor

*(40:26) Untapped potential of Generative AI

*(44:18) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

• The importance of user-friendly automation tools: In the hustle of today’s business world, having user-friendly automation tools is a game-changer as a company undergoes digital transformation. They simplify tasks, keep operations running smoothly, and supercharge efficiency.

• The disruptive potential of Generative AI: Generative AI can completely revolutionize the way we work. With endless possibilities, it could lead to substantial increases in productivity across organizations.

• Tailored automation for your industry: Forget one-size-fits-all automation. It should be about crafting solutions that fit your industry like a glove. We're talking about value-driven solutions created through collaboration with customers—because who knows your industry better than you?

• Fostering 'citizen integrators' for agile operations: Meet the 'citizen integrator'— Kerrie defines them as anyone in the office, regardless of their role, who can step up and build integrations. It's all about letting everyone pitch in to create automated workflows, making the whole business run smoother and faster.

Guest Quote

“We've come to call our users citizen integrators. And that's because it's really open to anybody…So, by enabling our citizen integrators, we're enabling the entire organization, the business leaders, not just IT, to be able to build those integrations, to manage the flow of data, to create really strong and compelling competitive advantages that they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do so. So, when we enable those citizen integrators, those that really have a keen understanding for how data is leveraged across the organization and how, better yet, it could be leveraged. Then, we're really taking our solutions to the next level for these industries.”

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