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Automation has taken the world by storm and made its way into almost every industry. Automation can be found everywhere, from manufacturing to the health and medical industry. One reason automation has become the next big thing is that it can end the need to do repetitive and mundane tasks and make digital transformation easier. Robotics process automation software is a type of automation that builds robots that can emulate human actions while interacting with human actions and software. Bots with the Robotics process automation can interact with machines and other software with 100% reliability and at a fast pace.
RPA: An Overview
As many firms are undergoing digital transformation, RPA plays a critical role in increasing efficiencies and digitalization. As per the data released by Deloitte, approximately 53% [1] of companies are using RPA to help their business. Whereas, as per McKinsey & Company, RPA is projected to grow and create a financial impact of 6.7trillion dollars by 2025. After seeing such brilliant potential, businesses are no longer on the fence about implementing RPA in their business. Instead, they are taking proactive measures to implement RPA in their operations.
By allowing businesses to perform complex tasks consistently, accurately, and non-stop, RPA application can help businesses take transformation to a new level. But it is a well-known fact that even the best technology applied in a vacuum or applied ineffectively can never drive meaningful or sustainable changes. Therefore, a holistic approach is required to address organizational changes in how people, processes, and technology interact. One important thing to note about RPA is that it enables different processes and data sources to be collected, analyzed, and accurately adjudicated. In order to fully realize the benefits of automation, C-level leaders [2], IT leaders, and business unit managers should familiarize themselves with this innovative and disruptive technology.
Another way an RPA software functions is by accessing information through legacy systems and interacting well with other applications through front-end integrations. This way, RPA software can perform routine tasks such as logging in, copying and pasting from different systems. As per Forrester, an RPA must have the following performing abilities:
- The ability to create low code automation scripts.
- Have the ability to integrate with enterprise applications.
- Ability to administer, including configuration and security.
Three Imperatives for RPA
The much-needed imperatives for successfully executing RPA software in business should not be considered separately but as part of the RPA mandate. As we look ahead, leaders can look out for these crucial imperatives for RPA:
Focus on People and Innovate New Ways of Working
Instead of looking at automation as a means of replacing manual labor, companies should look at automation as a way to enhance human productivity. One example of this could be using bots in contact centers which will allow employees to start automated data retrieval from various systems, thereby allowing the workers to create relationships with the customers. But to do that, employees should first be taught how to work effectively with automation technology.
Focus on The Process That Needs Automation
When thinking about automation, corporations should identify the processes that could use automation. Leaders should automate processes that, if automated, could support their business strategy. Businesses can benefit from assessing the areas where automation is required rather than focusing on solutions to specific pain joints.
Focus on Cross-Functional Collaboration
Implementing RPA requires expertise in different processes. These areas could be customer experience, digitization, analytics, and organizational design. All these capabilities exist in different parts of an organization. For example, IT, finance, etc. Therefore, it becomes crucial for companies to adopt a model which brings together processes from across the organization. Overcoming these barriers calls for cross-functional collaboration between leaders of various processes. Once a company successfully creates a feasible collaboration, it can only collaborate with third-party service providers and vendors as needed to reinvent critical operations with robotics process automation.
Benefits of Robotics Process Automation
As it may be clear by now, robotics process automation has many benefits because of its utility in businesses. It can help streamline workflows, increasing a company’s profit margin and making the firm more flexible and responsive. RPA can also benefit employee satisfaction and productivity since it can remove mundane and repetitive tasks. Moreover, Robotic process automation is non-invasive and can be proactively implemented to increase digital transformation. A more detailed look at some of these benefits are:
Accelerates Digital Transformation
Robotic process automation can assist businesses in their digital transformation by automating most of their operations. By removing the need for employees to spend most of their workday on mundane tasks, RPA can bring a huge spike in their productivity. It also helps businesses since the employees can now focus on more critical aspects of their operations.
Accuracy with Reliable Consistency
Robotic process automation in businesses can help bring down the error rate considerably. One factor that leads to unplanned business costs is errors in accounts payable. But if RPA is employed, your business can reduce these costs by avoiding errors caused by incorrect invoices. Automating processes can bring down errors and achieve 100% error-free data accuracy.
Existing Operations Remain Intact
Robotic process automation software does not have any devastating effect on underlying systems because bots operate on the presentation layer of existing applications. Therefore, firms can implement bots in systems where they don’t have an application programming interface (API) or the resources to develop deep integrations.
The Transition Towards Automation with Schneider Electric
Robotic process automation in business is just one step forward in this increasingly automated world. A successful transition towards automation starts with small, measurably successful projects, which can later be scaled and optimized for various other parts of a business. At Schneider Electric, we are committed to creating the best-in-class automation solutions to enhance process automation. As one of the leading brands of industrial software, we provide effective solutions that deliver industrial automation architecture to achieve operational excellence. EcoStruxure by Schneider Electric enables operations of connected systems with best-in-class cybersecurity. With EcoStruxure, you can turn industrial automation into the profit engine of your business, driving measurable operational profitability.
