There are several science fiction films that have pitted humans against machines, from “Blade Runner” in 1982, to the famous “Terminator” in 1984 and more recently “I, Robot” in 2004.
Something that is almost common in any of these science fiction stories is that at some point in history, the robots that were created to help humanity turned against us and due to an autonomy that perhaps in those stories did not have a defined name, but that today we could call it “Artificial Intelligence” (#AI), they sought not only to control us but also to annihilate us. And I would like to believe that thanks to these stories, the idea has spread that at some point, somehow, this can happen with any Robot or #Bot in real life, although it may seem funny, you would be surprised to know that it is a real fear today.
In this process of digital transformation where we have been promoters of the automation of repetitive manual processes, on more than one occasion I have encountered the fears that this implies and I frequently hear expressions such as: It's going to take my job! Or What happens if suddenly the Bot starts doing things on its own!
So, what is important to know to carry out successful automation?
In the following lines I will try to share, from our experience in the automation of manual repetitive processes, some key concepts to carry out an effective process, from the operational and financial point of view.
First of all, it must be clear that a Bot or automation will seek to make people's work more efficient by carrying out those repetitive processes that may be: tedious, require one-on-one iterations, exchange of information between one system and another, recurring copy and paste actions, data comparison, etc. In this way, we will allow our human team to focus on those tasks that require judgment and in which we can really enhance their talents.
Second, automation through #RPA (Robotic Process Automation) does not mean that I can directly replace a person with a bot. In fact, the bot will perform specific and punctual tasks, not more than those for which it was programmed. Unlike a person who usually performs multiple tasks.
Third, for automation through RPA to make sense within an organization, it must reduce time, which translates into increasing productivity. To do this, it is important to carry out a discovery phase within each company's processes, identifying those processes that consume considerable time but do not require human criteria to be executed. Once these candidate processes have been identified, their criticality within the day-to-day must be evaluated in order to determine if it is an activity that would be worth automating. And for this to make sense, from a financial point of view, the ROI of said automation must be considerably fast. The cost of automation must be less than the cost of man-hours to carry out said activity over time.
Fourth, automation will give us another great advantage that is often overlooked. Bots can run 24/7, 365 days a year without human supervision or interaction. That is, taking advantage of non-working hours or out of office hours to execute or continue executing these tasks. Taking advantage of nights and weekends to perform processes that our team of collaborators or clients will already have available first thing when they arrive at their work stations is an added value that automation processes provide.
Finally, automation in companies should not be seen as a threat to people's job stability, but rather as an opportunity to evolve towards more strategic and higher value-added roles. While it is true that automation can replace repetitive and routine tasks, this frees up workers to focus on activities that require more complex and creative skills. Employees can devote their time and energy to tasks that involve decision-making, problem-solving and creativity, areas in which human intelligence remains irreplaceable. In addition, automation can boost efficiency and productivity, which in turn can generate economic growth that could result in the creation of new jobs in emerging areas and the expansion of companies.
And after these points, it is important to be honest about the risk of automating or implementing bots through RPA. The biggest risk we will be exposed to once we achieve successful automation within our organization is that we will become fanatics about productivity and efficiency and will increasingly adopt the automation of those repetitive processes that take away valuable time from our suppliers, clients and collaborators.
Throughout numerous projects in which WAU has participated, we have witnessed the transformative role that Bots play in the digital transformation landscape. From automating repetitive tasks to improving customer experience, Bots have proven to be powerful tools that drive operational efficiency and innovation. Our experience in different industries and countries in Latin America has taught us that the intelligent implementation of bots can not only optimize internal processes, but also enrich customer interactions, offering fast and personalized responses.
As we continue to advance on this digital transformation journey, we are committed to continuing to leverage the potential of bots to drive growth and success for our customers, continually adapting to a constantly evolving world.
If you would like to discuss the challenges you face in process automation as part of your #digitaltransformation, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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