How can we benefit from RPA?
Pros and cons we should be aware of
RPA is a form of automation that uses rule-based software to execute business processes at a high-volume, freeing up human resources to prioritize more complex tasks which require human monitoring and reasoning.
Following that principle, it has a snowball effect on business operations and outcomes, delivering measurable business benefits right out of the gate (such as greater productivity, accuracy and cost reduction), while continuing to add value and picking up the momentum of digital transformation spreading across the whole organization.
More specifically:
Fast ROI. By reducing the workload of teams, people can be reallocated towards higher priority/complexity work, leading to increases in productivity and ROI (Return On Investment).
Less or No code. RPA does not require previous programming experience, since it utilizes a drag-and-drop feature in user interfaces, making it easier to onboad non-technical staff.
Higher accuracy. When properly configured, bots follow specific rules and workflows, minimizing human errors, particularly around tasks that require accuracy and compliance. RPA can also provide exception handling and logging mechanisms, making it easier to monitor errors and resolve them more quickly.
Improved customer satisfaction. Bots can work 24/7, without the need to rest. As a result, they can increase scalability and reduce wait times for customers, which leads to a higher rate of customer satisfaction.
Seamless integration with existing legacy systems. Bots do not interfere with the underlying systems that are in place, since they work on the UI (User Interface) layer of the existing applications. Hence, they can collaborate with legacy systems in cases where there is no API (Application Programming Interface) or the resources to develop and deploy deep integrations.
Potential for IA (Intelligent Automation). RPA can be combined with cognitive technologies, such as NLP (Natural Language Processing), ML (Machine Learning), speech recognition, AI (Artificial Intelligence), etc., in order to automate higher-order tasks, which previously required perceptual and judgement capabilities.
Having said that, let’s not forget a couple of cons that limit RPA technology, such as the fact that even small changes deployed to the applications that are used may require some steps of the bots to be reconfigured, as well as that the speed and stability of a bot is dependent on the speed and stability of the applications it automates.
