Optimization is the name of the game. Businesses are constantly on the lookout for advancements in technology that are flexible enough to incorporate. Robotic process automation is one such technology. RPA involves automating rudimentary tasks that do not necessarily require human intervention. With the flexibility of application, businesses need to keep a closer eye on the components. They choose and how they integrate with existing operations. RPA is only as strong as the foundation and is built upon, therefore successful implementation is heavily dependent on research.
Current statistics read at a failure rate of 30-50% when trying to implement RPA without adequate research. While 53% of all organizations have tried to embark on their RPA journey. Only 3% are able to achieve any degree of scalability. It is important to understand there is not a “one size fits all” approach to successful integration. Businesses need to take into account the development of industries at different paces with some industries and organizations not only scaling up but incorporating more complex actions. RPA needs to be configured for operation within the environment to run robust, secure and scalable applications.
Additionally, RPA infrastructure strongly varies based on technology partners and models. It is also important to understand what the “robot” is trying to achieve. If the actions covered are elementary there is minimal need to invest in high value RPA systems. RPA bots come in two primary forms;
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Attended Robots
These robots require human input in order to trigger actions, events or commands within the workflow. Attended work bots are ideal for tasks that are also dependent on the user or are executed only on demand. This includes call center forwarding systems and auto replies.
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Unattended Robots
Offer the strongest return on investment as they minimize the need to execute tasks and interact with applications. They can handle more advanced applications such as UiPath’s Long Running Workflow. Unattended bots are able to schedule and trigger events on their own ensuring work is consistently carried out once indication of the same is given.
While considering what the scale of application is, there are also options around implementing either an on premise or cloud based application. As robots require constant interconnectivity and integration with legacy systems, this decision could either make or break an implementation decision. On premise solutions tend to be more cost saving in the long run and for organizations with sensitive information, this helps minimize security risks. Cloud solutions minimize the strain on IT infrastructure and allow for automation on demand while offering lower costs and less complexity around installation.
The decision to bring in RPA must be accompanied by strong research. A growing number of organizations offer RPA services especially around robotic process automation consulting services. This helps shorten the decision making process while enhancing precision around problem solving. Businesses need to adequately assess where RPA could play a developmental role and enable further optimization rather than just blindly replacing integral components. Businesses need to adequately assess where RPA could play a developmental role and enable further optimization rather than just blindly replacing integral components.
