Increasingly, investing in Robotic Process Automation is a valuable way to free up your staff to focus on high-value activities: “The more automation there is, the greater the ability for a company to scale.”
If you have your sights set on rapid and sustainable growth, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) development services are the way to go. Thanks to RPA, many modern business processes can now be fully automated, leaving you and your team to focus your attention on core activities that require your full creative energies.
No wonder the RPA market size is predicted to reach $12 billion by 2025. As newer and better RPA services develop and industries adopt them at increasingly high rates, ignoring their potential means falling behind. Therefore, learning to leverage RPA for your full potential is an absolute must.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect, don’t worry. ParallelStaff can help.
In this article, we will:
- Unpack what Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is and how it can help you scale
- Outline specific ways in which RPA can add value to your business
- Detail what the RPA development process looks like
- Point you to some best practices for leveraging RPA
And when you’re ready to implement your own RPA processes, we can help with custom RPA solutions, too. More on that below.
What Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is an automation solution involving using software bots or artificial intelligence (AI) to increase your efficiency by automating business processes.
However, with the advent of generative AI and machine learning (ML), RPA has moved beyond merely automating simple tasks to performing even higher-level functions.
Intelligent process automation demands more than the simple rule-based systems of RPA. You can think of RPA as “doing” tasks, while AI and ML encompass more of the “thinking” and “learning,” respectively. It trains algorithms using data so that the software can perform tasks in a quicker, more efficient way (IBM).
In simple terms, that means the longer you use RPA, the more effective it can become.
No wonder RPA is being used across industries. It’s an incredibly versatile and cost-effective business move.
Companies currently employ RPA to handle tasks such as
- Data entry. Eliminate repetitive, time-consuming tasks related to data entry through process automation.
- Moving files. Scheduling automated file transfers ensures speed and accuracy while reducing workload and eliminating manual effort.
- Extracting data. Scheduling data extraction and automating subsequent data processing allows you to transform unstructured data and access valuable insights seemingly without effort. Access the information you need exactly when you need it.
- Populating forms. No one likes filling out forms. Fortunately, RPA can automate this task for you, freeing you to invest your time and attention in more exciting pursuits.
- Invoice processing. Automating steps in the invoicing process (or the entire process itself) can save you time and money while also reducing the potential for errors and fraud.
- Initiating first steps in customer service. A well-trained RPA bot can engage customers 24/7, answer simple questions, and filter more complicated requests through the appropriate channels so that you only have to weigh in when it’s absolutely necessary.
Naturally, these are just some of the most common examples of RPA implementation. When partnering with experts in RPA development, you can request RPA services tailored to your current needs and exact specifications.
How RPA Adds Value to Your Business
Investing in RPA development for your business carries measurable benefits.
Reduce Operational Costs
Though there will be costs involved with the initial set-up phases of RPA development, over time, robotic process automation development will reduce your overall operational costs.
Because RPA eliminates manual labor associated with many tasks, you will likely experience a significant drop in labor costs.
Improve Process Efficiency and Productivity
Companies that automate routine tasks and operations will no longer be asking their employees to expend time, energy, and brainpower on tedious, repetitive tasks.
Instead, these tasks seem to take care of themselves, leaving team members to maximize their work hours by focusing on strategic operations.
Minimize Human Error
Unattended RPA solutions remove the potential for user errors, seamlessly carrying out scheduled processes right on time.
Scale Operations Quickly and Easily
The beauty of RPA solutions is that they can easily be adjusted to scale up and down as needed. Unlike a human staff, which must be hired, fired, and managed, robots and software can simply be reconfigured as needed.
Ensure Regulatory Compliance
By automating systems such as permissions, encryption, and data storage and processing, you’re able to ensure that your system is set up to maintain regulatory compliance from start to finish.
In these ways and more, organizations that embrace RPA technology can quickly adapt to changing market dynamics and thereby maintain a competitive advantage.
4 Steps in the RPA Development Process
If getting started with RPA software development sounds overwhelming, it may be helpful to break the process down into incremental steps.
- Step 1: Identify automation opportunities. Not every process can be automated, and even among processes that can, some will offer you a higher ROI than others. In the initial stages, consider meeting with an RPA consultant to narrow down your options.
- Step 2: Design the RPA solution. If you don’t have an RPA developer in house, hire a developer—or a team of developers, depending on the scope of your project—to conduct the actual software development.
- Step 3: Develop and test the bots. Don’t rush the process. Intelligent automation requires a period of testing and training to reach its full potential.
- Step 4: Deploy and maintain your RPA. Once all the kinks have been worked out, you get to sit back and let your RPA software do the heavy lifting for you.
Of course, this isn’t a process anyone can take care of on their own. Successful RPA application development will always involve healthy collaboration between business analysts, developers, and business users.
Best Practices to Leverage RPA
Naturally, implementing RPA can come with challenges. In order to make the transition as seamless as possible, implement these eight best practices for leveraging RPA.
8 effective strategies for effective RPA implementation:
- Target suitable processes for automation. Rather than simply asking which business process would be easiest to automate, focus on which processes would have the biggest business impact if automated. Again, meeting with an RPA consultant at this stage can prove quite helpful, as they can ask the right questions and offer unique insights.
- Involve stakeholders. Whoever is affected by the RPA project should be informed and involved in the discussion at some level. They may have insights that help with decision-making and implementation.
- Assemble a skilled RPA developer team. Depending on your industry, this may not be something you can do in-house. The good news is that an established RPA development company like ParallelStaff can help you connect with teams of skilled RPA developers ready to take on your project.
- Start with simple processes. Starting small allows you and your team to enjoy some quick wins and give you the confidence to start scaling to bigger processes down the road.
- Ensure compliance and security. Pivots to AI models often come with compliance concerns and security vulnerabilities. Planning compliance and security checks prior to implementation is key.
- Provide employee training. Prior to rollout, employees likely need training in how RPA models work; and depending on their roles, some may even need technical training to maintain and troubleshoot the software.
- Manage change effectively. Involving bots and AI can significantly change how your business operates, and a smooth transition won’t happen by accident. Ensuring that the new process will be embraced by the team will involve intentional RPA training, communication, and support.
- Monitor and optimize continuously. Implementing RPA isn’t a one-and-done procedure. Like any system or process, RPA maintenance is essential to its success. Be sure to factor this into your plan when choosing an RPA implementation service.
ParallelStaff for RPA Development Services
If you’re ready to get started unlocking your own RPA potential, ParallelStaff is here to help.
As a top nearshore software development solution provider, we’re in the perfect position to help you find and form your own RPA development team.
When partnering with ParallelStaff, you will enjoy three unique advantages.
Advantage 1: Cost Savings
As the authority in nearshore software development and RPA experts, ParallelStaff works with top developers in Latin America (LATAM). Due to cost-of-living differences, these highly skilled developers work at lower rates than Stateside developers, leading to a lower bottom-line cost.
Advantage 2: Access to Top-tier Talent in Latin America
There’s a reason why US companies looking for top-tier developers are looking to Latin America (LATAM):
In addition to having over one million talented software developers, LATAM is a nearshore outsourcing location offering workday overlap with North America. In addition, developers here are known for their top technical skills, English proficiency, and budget-friendly costs (about 50% less compared to the U.S.).
When partnering with LATAM software engineers, your RPA development could not be in safer or more skilled hands.
Advantage 3: Seamless Onboarding
Because ParallelStaff does the legwork on your behalf—sourcing developers, assembling teams, and connecting you to the best candidates—you get to skip the queue in terms of training and onboarding.
No more involving the hiring manager, posting positions online, sorting resumes, interviewing candidates, and so on. Just tell us what you need done and your ideal timeline, and we’ll take it from there. We’ll do the legwork to assemble a team and then introduce you when the time comes––which means you get RPA consulting services and continuous RPA support all in one.
As you can imagine, working with ParallelStaff can save you time and energy, speeding you toward your desired outcome and allowing for seamless onboarding.
To learn more about how we operate and discuss your unique RPA development needs, get in touch with ParallelStaff today.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a tool that can greatly reduce your staff’s daily workload, freeing your employees to focus on the uniquely human aspects of their work.
With routine and time-consuming tasks handed over to pre-designed RPA processes, you’re in a better position to boost productivity while still cutting costs—two factors that greatly improve your company’s chance at scalability.
To explore ParallelStaff’s services and unlock your organization’s full potential, be sure to schedule a call with us today. We look forward to hearing from you!
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