Robotic Process Automation?
Is Robotic Process Automation the future of streamlining everyday business processes that no one really wants to do?
Robotic Process Automation otherwise referred to as RPA fundamentally refers to a software robot that can be easily programmed to ‘mimic’ and complete simple tasks across multiple applications just as your general employees would. Think of this as your automated digital workforce.
RPA is essentially designed to reduce the burden of those boring, repetitive tasks that your employees probably don’t enjoy doing. The software can be programmed to learn a workflow with multiple steps and applications – e.g. executing transactions, manipulating data or communicating with other digital systems within the specific domain. It’s a much simpler product than those more complex technologies such as artificial intelligence or enterprise software that collects and analyses data.
So what are the advantages to a business?
Increased Employee Productivity: RPA frees up your employee’s time of those simple repetitive tasks allowing them to refocus their attention and skill set in other more crucial areas of the business such as client and customer interaction, managing relationships and essentially increasing workflow. This generally leads to increased employee morale – no one really enjoys those basic repetitive tasks.
Cost Effective: Having robots take over a chunk of the manually intensive work will only result in visible gains for the business as robots are able to operate 24/7. This could cut operational costs by as much as 50% depending on your industry of operation.
Time Management: It’s faster! Yes, bots can execute work in a relatively much shorter time frame compared to your employees.
Improved analytics: Access to error-free, accurate data from robotics which generally leads to better decision making and process execution.
Employee Training: Training new employees could take months but PRA software’s are 100% compliant to its programmed process with changes being implemented instantly without dedicating time to training.
Who should be Using RPA software?
Typically, any business with basic digital admin related tasks can benefit from RPA in one way or another but it tends to lie with medium to larger businesses, as small businesses are used to making do with what they have. Those businesses who have manual, high-volume repetitive tasks are the ones that will benefit most from investing in an RPA software solution.
It’s those forward-thinking business leaders who understand the new business formula.
Human Workforce + Digital Workforce = Future Workforce
Robotic Process Automation has been around for awhile now but continues to grow as the landscape of automation technologies rapidly matures. I wonder what’s next.
