For many, robots are primarily associated with sci-fi literature and films. However, the future the latter envisioned has already come (at least, in a way). That is, as a business, you can already employ robots to help you with various operations. Of course, these won’t be humanoid robots we’ve seen in movies. Rather, these will be robotic solutions designed to help with particular tasks.
What Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
RPA is the use of software robots or “bots” that mimic human actions within digital systems. These interact with software, websites, databases, and other tools to execute routine tasks faster and more accurately than a human worker could.
Businesses willingly turn to robotic process automation services because they provide solutions that:
- can operate 24/7
- don’t make errors from fatigue or distraction
- can be scaled up quickly.
6 Cool Ways RPA Helps Businesses
1. Processing Documents
Document processing is a headache in industries like finance, healthcare, and legal services. That’s why it’s best to use RPA bots whenever possible. A few examples of what they can do without human intervention include
- document scanning
- data extraction
- validation
- document storage.
Benefits:
- speed (e.g., document processing time can be cut up to 80%).
- accuracy (bots don’t make typing or data-entry mistakes).
For example, a healthcare provider can use RPA to automatically extract patient information from medical forms. Then, it’ll input it into the electronic health record (EHR) system and file the documents. All this will take seconds.
2. Handling Reports
Handling reports is basically part of document processing we discussed above. It’s a very time-consuming task that can be entirely automated by RPA bots. The latter can
- pull data from various sources
- format it according to your needs
- deliver comprehensive reports.
They can even provide visual insights through dashboards.
Benefits:
- efficiency (your daily, weekly, or monthly reports will be prepared in minutes)
- consistency (all reports will be standardized and correct).
That is, a retail business can set up RPA to automatically generate sales reports across multiple channels. The latter will include in-store and online sales. Every morning, department heads will get an accurate relevant report.
3. Planning
Planning is a bit more complicated than document processing but here, too, RPA can help. More specifically, it can automate the data collection and aggregation. This, in turn, should be useful for
- effective forecasting
- inventory management
- resource allocation.
Bots can scan historical data, compile it in real time, and update planning models. They don’t need ANY human control for that.
Benefits:
- informed decision-making (you’ll only use accurate, up-to-date data)
- lower costs (you cut the time and labor costs associated with planning by 30-40%).
A manufacturing company, for instance, could use RPA to monitor inventory levels and sales trends. It’ll use these insights to optimize stock levels and avoid overproduction (or stockouts).
4. Automating Workflow
This is particularly relevant for business processes where multiple departments or systems collaborate. That is, RPA can automate the workflows between different teams so that the tasks move along the pipeline as efficiently as possible. This can be useful for
- sales orders moving from the sales team to the finance department
- customer support tickets moving through multiple systems.
Benefits:
- improved collaboration (at least, there should be fewer delays caused by manual processes)
- scalability (because bots handle more tasks without fatigue).
Thus, in a digital marketing agency, RPA could automate the workflow of a campaign. It’ll see to it that necessary approvals, budget checks, and scheduling tasks are completed on time.
5. Transferring (Entering) Data
This is a simple routine task that is super tedious to most people. RPA bots can replace them here as they can handle large volumes of data transfer between systems. For example, they can help with
- moving customer data from one CRM to another
- updating financial records
- migrating product listings across platforms.
Benefits:
- error-free data entry (it’s much the same as with document processing)
- time savings (what human employees do in hours, bots do in minutes or seconds).
A logistics company could use RPA to transfer shipping data from multiple systems into a centralized dashboard. That should allow them to track deliveries and update customers timely.
6. Handling Customer Service
Of course, bots cannot handle all of it but if we take routine inquiries, that’s 100% doable. RPA can mainly handle high-volume, low-complexity tasks. This should free up staff to focus on more demanding customer needs (or just let a business hire fewer people).
Benefits:
- lower costs (one bot does many jobs)
- faster response times (and happier customers, as a result).
For example, a telecom company could implement RPA to automatically resolve issues such as billing disputes or service outages. Customers would then be notified of the resolution via email or text.
As you can see, robots can complete quite a lot of tasks for your business. Most importantly, they can do it fast and accurately. As with any tech, you just need to know how to use them right but that’s where RPA services can help.
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