Top 10 benefits of Robotic Process Automation
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a key component of Intelligent Automation (IA). It involves deploying software robots, or ‘RPA bots’, to automate repetitive tasks. RPA is versatile and can be applied across various departments and industries to enhance and transform business processes, particularly those involving pre-defined, rule-based tasks.
RPA is transforming organisational operations. It’s an intuitive software that replicates human actions, saving time and money while freeing employees from monotonous tasks. Here are our top 10 benefits of RPA you should expect when implementing it in your organisation:
Top 10 benefits of RPA
Below, we outline the top ten benefits of RPA systems. These advantages can be further enhanced with IA, which integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Process Management (BPM) to streamline and automate entire workflows.
1. Increased productivity
RPA bots can perform tasks in minutes or seconds, usually significantly faster than human employees. This boost in efficiency allows employees to complete their work more quickly, especially follow on tasks, enhancing overall productivity.
2. Enhanced accuracy
RPA minimises errors in tasks like data entry and form filling, increasing accuracy. With both unattended and attended versions, RPA can include a human-in-the-loop (HITL) for tasks involving sensitive data or customer interactions.
3. Scalability
RPA allows businesses to handle more tasks with higher quality output, facilitating growth and expansion. Proper implementation can optimise business processes, making them scalable across entire workflows and departments. We have seen this especially in processes that have peak periods such as regulatory filing dates or financial year end, when traditionally extra resources would have to be hired and trained to deal with higher workloads. Instead, RPA bots can handle the increased throughput easily and ensure BAU practice can continue.
4. Improved customer satisfaction
High-quality products and timely services enhance customer interactions and loyalty. Accurate and prompt responses increase customer satisfaction, leading to better recommendations and continued business.
5. Boosted employee satisfaction
By automating tedious processes, employees can focus on strategic, high-value tasks. RPA also provides opportunities for employees to learn automation technologies, contributing to career growth and satisfaction.
6. Optimised resource allocation
Automating routine daily tasks frees up resources to focus on strategic and complex issues that need human input and action. By handling everyday tasks, RPA alleviates the burden of routine work, enabling attention to be directed towards business-critical missions. This approach not only future-proofs the business but also ensures that complex tasks are managed thoroughly.
7. Streamlined communication
RPA automates updates and tracking, ensuring quick and accurate business operations. It simplifies data collation from multiple systems, generating insights that aid process integration.
8. Cost savings
Operating 24/7 without breaks, RPA bots efficiently manage repetitive tasks, reducing human errors and speeding up processes. This efficiency leads to significant cost savings and allows employees to focus on value-driven work. Return on investment (ROI) is often seen after an automated process has been running for some time, weeks or months. This means it is essential to choose the right processes – long-term, stable, frequent – for automation, something our team has experience with.
9. Enhanced security
RPA reduces human interaction with sensitive data, minimising security risks and preventing data breaches. It also implements security measures like triggered logouts and two-factor authentication.
10. Improved analytics
Accurate data collection through RPA enhances analytics, providing real-time insights into automated processes. This helps ensure optimal performance and alignment with business goals.
How does RPA integrate with IA?
IA extends task automation by integrating RPA with AI, BPM, and other cognitive tools. This combination enhances process optimization, cost reduction, risk mitigation, customer experience, efficiency, and employee productivity.
What tasks are suitable for RPA and IA?
The best candidates for automation are tasks that are:
- Time-consuming
- Time-critical
- High-volume
- Repetitive
- Use structured data
- Involve multiple applications
- Existing legacy systems
- Cyclical
- Peak periods that cannot be met by current team
- Error-prone
Will RPA replace human workers?
RPA is designed to complement human workers, not replace them. By automating repetitive tasks, RPA allows employees to focus on tasks that require human intelligence and creativity, thereby boosting overall productivity and job satisfaction.