With the rapid advancement of automation technology, some are worried that new solutions might supersede the process automation that RPA offers. However, it is not a case of new technology superseding, but rather, complementing and working together with existing RPA capabilities.
RPA is a fantastic toolset to automate transactional, rule-based work, and that work is very prolific across service centers and companies worldwide. Successfully automating that type of work opens the door to the opportunity of complementing RPA with other intelligent automation tools, which might help address the more judgement-based activities.
The trend is now going to be more about enhancing customer and user experience. Combining RPA with AI and cognitive tools, data analytics, as well as other commercial models such as as-a-service delivery, will enable organizations to bring new propositions to the market, which would compete with existing BPO services that are available today.
We work with many customers, both the end organizations themselves, as well as BPO service firms, and the advice to both is to be very realistic about realized benefits and the effort it will require to achieve those results.
Some people see RPA as a ‘silver bullet’. They believe it’s very quick to implement and will be the answer to increasing revenue and increasing margins within firms. Whereas realistically, it’s a cheaper, more effective way of delivering services that builds a digital foundation. I think firms need to take a very considered approach as to how they build out their capability, both in terms of what technology they choose and also in terms of the processes that are right for the service. Symphony’s part, working with these clients, is very much about establishing that capability and ensuring successful pilots which then lead on to be larger implementations.
