by Raphaël Rockus
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been around for several years, but myths about how easy it is to implement this technology are still abundant. If you believe all the marketing messages, it takes a few minutes to get any bot up and running. Any business user can make these bots after a training of a few hours. And a few months after you decide to adopt RPA, money will start falling from the sky.
However, it is fair to remind ourselves that RPA, just like other IT related fields, is no piece of cake.
And here are some of the reasons why:
- Complexity of Processes
RPA implementation involves analyzing, redesigning, and automating complex business processes. Such processes are typically interconnected and can involve multiple departments, legacy systems, and multiple applications.
Automating such processes requires a good understanding of how they work and what steps need to be taken to automate them. This level of expertise cannot be achieved overnight and requires experienced professionals to guide the process.
- Integration
RPA is a solution of choice to integrate multiple subsystems together. Since we can use the User Interface to interact with an application as well as using traditional integration solutions, there is, in practice, no system that a robot can’t deal with.
However, integration is still a potent problem in computer science. Even with current AI technologies, the challenge is sometimes to make them present data in a way that is understandable for other processes down the line.
That’s where expertise makes a difference.
Because it is not realistic to upgrade every legacy programs in the world, some systems are bound to remain “unsmart”.
- RPA Tool Selection
Selecting the right RPA tool for the job is critical to the success of the implementation. There are many RPA tools available in the market, and each has its strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding the specific needs of the organization and selecting the right tool can make a huge difference not only in terms of costs but also in terms of ease of implementation.
- Maintenance and Support
Once implemented, RPA systems require regular maintenance and support.
In addition, as your organization grows and changes, RPA solutions need to adapt to those changes. Professional help can ensure that they remain up-to-date and effective.
At the end of the day, doing RPA is not just about automating processes but about unlocking human potential. By automating mundane, repetitive tasks, employees can focus on higher-value activities that require creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. RPA implementation, with professional help, can then give you a more productive and engaged workforce.
In short, it’s essential to remember that the sure path to automation success is best found in the expertise and experience of skilled professionals. You can’t have your cake and eat it too, unless you work with robonext.
