Robotic process automation (or RPA) is going to transform our businesses and our jobs. Here we are looking at the key ways to prepare for it.

1. Robotic Process
Automation Is Coming:
Here Are 5 Ways
To Prepare For It

2. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
Robotic process automation (or RPA) is going to transform our businesses and our jobs.
Here we are looking at the key ways to prepare for it.
Robotic process automation (or RPA) is technology designed to automate business
processes that are rules-based, structured, and repetitive, thereby freeing up people to
focus on more value-adding business activities. RPA is part of a wider shift towards
automation, amidst a “perfect storm” of technology that encompasses AI, machine
learning, big data, robotics, and the Internet of Things.
Robotic Process Automation Is Coming: Here
Are 5 Ways To Prepare For It

3. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
This move towards greater automation will impact every industry. In fact, analysts at
Gartner have predicted that 85% of large organizations will have deployed some form
of RPA by 2022, and it’s only a matter of time before RPA is routinely deployed in smaller
and mid-sized firms, too. So if you haven’t yet considered the potential impact of RPA
on your business, now is a good time to do so. This article will help you get started.
Robotic Process Automation Is Coming: Here
Are 5 Ways To Prepare For It

4. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
RPA: The one-minute explainer
When we talk about RPA, we’re not talking about the kinds of robots that are common in
manufacturing settings. RPA is all about software robots – or software being deployed to
carry out repetitive digital tasks, such as capturing or inputting data.
RPA is about minimizing the time spent on routine activities that are currently performed
by humans. The idea is to improve productivity, reduce human error rates, and free people
up to do the higher-value work that can’t yet be performed by robots, such as solving
more complex customer queries or developing “big picture” strategies.
RPA shouldn’t really be thought of as new processes; RPA is all about complementing or
improving existing systems and applications. As they generally require little change in
physical infrastructure, RPA procedures can be relatively cheap to implement, and the
benefits of freeing up huge amounts of staff time, and reducing error rates, can quickly
outweigh the expense. This is why RPA is often considered a quick win.

5. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
RPA: The one-minute explainer
But what does RPA look like in practice? We saw the beginnings of RPA in functions such
as the auto-complete used in web forms, but today’s RPA tools have evolved into
customer service chatbots (used to deal with less complex customer queries, of course).
Other applications of RPA include:
• Transferring paper forms to a digital system
• Inputting and processing insurance claims
• Processing credit card applications
• Inputting new customer data into CRM systems
• Scheduling client or patient appointments
• Answering simple and repetitive tech support queries
• Processing transactions
• Retrieving information from other digital systems

6. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Preparing your business for this key technology
trend
As with everything related to technological change, business leaders can often be left
scratching their heads, wondering how the new technology relates to their business and
what practical steps they should take now to prepare. If you’re in the same boat, I
recommend following these five simple steps:
Step 1. Educate yourself
Education is a vital part of preparing for change. Luckily, there are some fantastic RPA-
related resources online that you can use to get up-to-speed. For example, RPA solutions
provider UiPath has created an online academy with a number of free training courses.
These courses are categorized according to the roles that need to be filled in order to
deploy RPA (such as business analyst or implementation manager), with each one
covering a specific step of the journey towards RPA. UiPath has also built a community of
RPA developers and enthusiasts on sharing tools, tips, and strategies. Through it, you can
experiment with free, customizable robots designed to help organizations understand
how RPA works and where it can be useful.

7. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Preparing your business for this key technology
trend
Step 2. Understand what types of processes can and can’t be automated
Typically, the most suitable tasks for RPA relate to “busy work” – meaning any work that
involves a great number of repetitive actions, such as opening and searching records,
transferring data between different digital locations, and repetitive mouse clicks. These
sorts of tasks are prime candidates for automation. At the other end of the scale, jobs that
involve creative thought and human decision making generally are not suitable for
automation.
Step 3. Narrow down to which tasks should be automated
Just because something can be automated doesn't mean it should be. Here, you'll need to
identify which – of all the things it's possible to automate – are your key priorities. I
recommend focusing on those tasks that help your organization achieve its overall aims,
but currently consume a disproportionate amount of employees’ time. It’s usually a good
idea to go for “quick wins” first, as these will help to establish the usefulness of RPA while
winning over minds that may be resistant to the idea of reducing repetitive workloads or
fearful of what it could mean for jobs and organizational culture.

8. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Preparing your business for this key technology
trend
Step 4. Research available solutions and tools
Having decided on the best ways to deploy RPA in your organization, you can begin
researching the technologies that are available and the potential partners you may need
to work with to create a successful deployment. You’ll also need to think about your
existing technology infrastructure at this stage. For example, is it built in a way that will
allow RPA to be deployed on top of it? And what will your existing workforce need in
order to capitalize fully on the time and opportunities that are unlocked for them?
Step 5. Pick your RPA partner
Of all the solutions available, which one best suits your needs? When weighing up
different providers, look for those with a proven track record in your industry, and those
that can help you manage the human element of the incoming change – as this will
undoubtedly be a critical element of the automation process.
Robotic process automation is just one of 25 technology trends that I believe will
transform our society. Read more about these key trends – including plenty of real-world
examples – in my book, Tech Trends in Practice: The 25 Technologies That Are Driving The
4th Industrial Revolution.

9. Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2020 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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