23 Apr, 2020 | Blogs
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a game-changing technology that has been implemented across organizations in various industries. Companies who have deployed RPA will tell you about its numerous benefits such as cost saving, higher operational efficiency, lower human error and better compliance. But one thing no one will tell you is that RPA implementation can also go wrong if it deployed in haste and unsystematically. Whether you are thinking of scaling RPA or are considering to embrace it, there are certain RPA pitfalls that you need to keep in mind to make the most out of your automation efforts. Presenting you a list of the 7 most common RPA mistakes based on our review of myriad projects we’ve delivered.
1. Unclear strategy
Yes, RPA is the buzz word that has caught the attention of companies across the industry. But not setting clear goals and strategies can backfire and be a huge cost to your company. Companies need to identify the right process, RPA’s role in it, and the desired outcome. The results should then be analyzed to measure the success of automation and if it makes sense to scale up. You should also brainstorm the best RPA platform provider for your organization. Clearly defined objectives help in facilitating a seamless transition of rote work from humans to RPA bots.
Also read: Workflow automation
2. Overcome the fear of digital workers
The concern that bots will replace human jobs isn’t new. That is why many organizations face resistance to automation. It is, therefore, important to make people understand that the bots will be deployed to assist people in their day-to-day tasks. Digital workers are only used to automate repetitive tasks while tasks involving more strategic work, creativity, and decision making still needs human attention. People need to understand that bots are only there to help them up-skill and gain expertise in their respective fields.
3. Unrealistic expectations on cost reductions
One of the most popular reasons why companies are pivoting towards RPA is the massive amount of cost savings. However, that can only be achieved if the businesses look at this technology with a holistic, longer-term perspective. Successful implementation and scaling of RPA require a combination of right RPA tools, human intervention, and process engineering. Organizations need to have a top-down approach and a long-term business case that is agile to accommodate any changes during its RPA journey.
4. Looking beyond proof-of-concept (POC)
A POC is perhaps the most important step towards implementing RPA. However, expecting that automation can be easily scaled after a successful POC is a little unfair. After all, POC works in a sandbox environment to allow enterprises to gain valuable insights and optimize bots without any risks. Therefore, the biggest RPA mistake is to assume that a successful POC is all it takes to scale up automation across the entire company.
A simple way to circumvent this mistake is by creating a center of excellence that provides a comprehensive vision of the entire automation journey. Start with well-thought processes and then patiently move on to other processes to ensure sustainable RPA.
Here’s how to make a case for POC to start RPA in your organization
5. Lack of coordination with the IT team
Wishful thinking that you can implement RPA by yourself is among one of the most notorious RPA mistakes. RPA implementation and scaling works best when the team works alongside the IT to avoid business-critical matters like fault tolerance, scalability, and security. For a successful RPA implementation, both the process team and the IT must traverse the long and winding road and leverage each other’s expertise on the go.
6. Insufficient process testing
The phrase “haste is waste” truly describes one of the many RPA mistakes that organizations can make while implementing the technology. After spending time, money, and resources in RPA, you don’t want to hastily deploy the bots thinking you’ve got all the solutions to your problems. Testing processes in production is critical before going live to ensure there are no discrepancies between Dev and Production.
7. Define roles and responsibilities
Humans and bots need to work together to successfully deploy RPA, A common RPA mistake overlooked by many businesses is the assumption that bots can take care of everything. While robots are designed to automate tasks and free up time, it is equally important to ensure that the right person is available for maintenance tasks and troubleshoot problems should the need arise. Since RPA is relatively new, likely, companies don’t have a flowchart that specifies roles and responsibilities to achieve new business goals with automation.
Conclusion
We hope that these simple yet seldom overlooked RPA mistakes will help you enhance business results, lower costs, and improve employee satisfaction. It is, therefore, important to take a proactive approach and select the right RPA service provider to be the guiding light through your RPA journey.
To know how Nuummite Consulting can help companies across the region implement RPA, then contact us today!
If you’d like to read more about RPA and its trends, then click here.