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There's quite a buzz around automation in business these days. Recent advances in AI technology and software have meant that automated systems can now handle processes without human intervention. RPA, or Robotic Process Automation, is a subset of AI programming involving the handling of routine tasks by independently acting software systems, robots, or just 'bots'. Unlike conventional automation, RPA works at the user level, modelling its processes on human behaviour. 

RPA is just one component in the software arsenal available to business owners, but it has many benefits in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and time savings across a range of applications. Any business that wants to improve operational efficiency and streamline costs cannot afford to ignore these developments, so it's worth surveying the key benefits of RPA in business. 

 

Put simply, RPA gets more done, quicker. Many administrative tasks traditionally performed by human agents are routine, repetitive and, time-consuming. Transferring data from emails or websites to other systems, processing transactions in ERPs and CRMs, and other day-to-day admin tasks can tie up staff time that could be used on more value-focused tasks. Such jobs provide ideal territory for automation, speeding up processing times, improving accuracy, and allowing staff to get on with more interesting and productive work. 

 

The fact that routine tasks soon get tedious is one of the main reasons humans make mistakes. Attention wanders, consistency drops and productivity falls as people revert to ‘autopilot’. Software bots, on the other hand, thrive on routine tasks. Following a fast-teaching process, an RPA application will not deviate from its established processes for a given context and can be relied upon for quick and accurate data processing. 

 

Labour costs are one of the biggest sources of expenditure for a business. But if human staff are spending long hours on repetitive data-handling work, this may not be the most efficient use of resources. However, robots can now take on many of these tasks, operating 24/7, with no need for breaks or holidays. The benefits of RPA automation's speed and accuracy are ultimately measured in cost savings and, typically, RPA can cut operational costs by up to 25-50%. 

 

Relieved of the burden of repetitive form-filling or data processing, skilled employees are free to do what they do best - the interactive and creative work that really drives business. While robots handle data administration work, humans can take on new clients and projects and help to grow the business. 

 

Concerns over hacking, data breaches and systemic failures are warranted with the prevalence of digital technology in today's business environments. Unfortunately, one of the main sources of security breaches in computing is human error. Loss of USB sticks, insecure passwords, careless authorisation standards, and susceptibility to scams are all problems that RPA doesn't face. And because RPA only operates within strictly defined parameters, there's little risk of data leaks. 

 

While RPA's business benefits are extensive, it does not solve every problem. RPA is designed to learn about standardised systems and take over routine processing. However, in contexts requiring dynamic human judgement, it is often preferable to retain a human element. RPA is not written out of such scenarios though. In fact, the best use of RPA is to handle the routine elements so that better decisions can be made where human insight is necessary. 

 

To find out more about our robotic process automation solutions and how we can help streamline your business processes, please contact one of our RPA specialists today.