7 pitfalls to avoid in your Robotic Process Automation journey

Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA) the magic wand that can fix all your business problems? It’s a bit more complex than that.

From the runway to the kitchen, from the hospital to the bank, and from the warehouse to your doorstep, automation has revolutionized every industry. And as with everything that is new and shiny, expectations are high. Here’s a reality check: While businesses continue to adopt automation to transform, many of them are slow to realize the benefits of RPA. A recent study found that 70% of companies struggle with performance and scalability when it comes to RPA technology, and 69% have difficulties in managing the rules that guide bot behavior due to a shortage of skills and expertise.

So is RPA the problem? Not really. By streamlining operations, eliminating errors, and increasing efficiency, RPA continues to deliver on its promise. The issue lies with companies that treat RPA as an experiment and jump headfirst into implementation without truly understanding the nature of automation. These organizations often tend to face barriers like IT issues, process complexity and unrealistic expectations. The good news is that with the right prep, businesses can avoid these pitfalls. In this blog post, we explore some of the common mistakes that organizations make when automating processes, and how to avoid them.

Automation is a formidable force in the domains of technology and business. Automation, in its simplicity, offers a starting point for optimizing processes, and AI can help enhance its capabilities further down the road. It’s clear that when it comes to AI and automation, they are indeed ‘better together’. This potent combination offers organizations the flexibility to choose the right tool for their specific needs, ultimately empowering them to achieve greater efficiency and productivity. But before jumping into implementing RPA, companies must lay out a clear strategic RPA roadmap that is aligned with the overall business goals.

Attempting to roll out RPA without a well-thought-out plan could result in failure because of pitfalls such as misaligned expectations, skill gaps, poor technology fit, and other issues. For example, some processes will benefit more from a new approach to an old workflow, as opposed to a patchwork of RPA robots automating the outdated, redundant process.

As you put in place a multi-faceted RPA approach, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• First, your company needs to clearly outline the expected outcomes of your RPA efforts with well-defined goals; be it cost reduction, increased efficiency or an improved customer experience.
• Next, processes for RPA need to be targeted strategically. A suitable team of both tech and business representatives should oversee operations, and it is vital that a center of excellence (CoE) be created to ensure a holistic approach.
• Changes should be effectively communicated to your personnel as they adapt to the automation process. It is also important to implement change management programs to adjust job roles and upskill employees as needed.

High-volume tasks that require around-the-clock operations are ideal for RPA automation, along with those that are well-defined and rule-based. Tasks that involve complex thinking, decision-making and ethical decisions are beyond the capabilities of RPA – at least for now. However, RPA enhanced with AI, which is termed Intelligent Automation, can help you go beyond these rules-based limitations of RPA.

When you select RPA candidates, keep in mind that ‘broken’ processes should not be automated, but instead, redesigned. When selecting a process candidate:

• Ensure that the process is already optimized before automating.
• Make sure to map the end-to-end value stream of the process in a holistic way and focus on long-term gains rather than quick wins.

To sum up, automation is not a magical, fix-it-all solution, and processes need to be optimized before they can be automated.

Automation can leave a sour taste in the mouth of many employees, and it is clear to see why with headlines consistently warning us of the loss of many a job to come. Nonetheless, a clear and carefully balanced approach to communicating the RPA process to employees would prove to be of immense benefit.

This would start with a deployment approach consisting of a well-defined communication and advocacy plan involving senior leadership support. Next, employee engagement should be driven forward with the advocacy plan. This involves communicating RPA benefits to all employee levels to dispel any misconceptions.

Some elements of an effective advocacy and communication plan could include the following:

• A dedicated platform for employees to engage with the RPA implementation.
• Stakeholder meetings to address concerns and track progress.
• Training programs and e-learning modules for employee education.
• Milestone celebrations to engage employees and foster support for RPA.