Robots, in this meaning, are computer programs that are given data and clear rules on how to work with it. You have probably already heard about virtual assistants, or even communicated with a company via chat with a virtual customer service agent.
Companies' awareness about robotics is relatively high. According to a 2017 Deloitte survey entitled The robots are ready. Are you?, which involved more than 400 respondents from around the world, those who have started using RPA on a larger scale - in particular, shared services centers and other mainly administrative organizations - have encountered significant benefits.
An organization-wide opportunity
Fifty-three percent of the survey respondents have already implemented an RPA solution, and another 19% are planning to use it in the next two years. The implementation of RPA has an attractive payback period of less than 12 months. If the pace of RPA adoption doesn't change, it will be almost adopted universally over the next five years.
For 64% of the respondents, RPA represents a strategic or organization-wide initiative. Just 12 months ago, however, only 15% of respondents rated RPA as part of a broader business initiative. Robots are expected to replace a significant portion of the existing workforce.
It is assumed that robots could cover 20% of full-time employee (FTE) capacity on average. However, companies that have already implemented RPA on a larger scale have even more ambitious expectations based on their positive experience. They believe that robots could replace up to 52% of employee capacity.
When performing the survey, Deloitte also compiled the so-called Robotics to-do list, the following list of steps to implement RPA.
1. Start with ambitious goals
- Think big - consider implementing robotics throughout the entire organization to maximize its benefits.
- Think about everyone - use it fully in all relevant departments.
- Think of the benefits - look beyond merely reducing the number of workers and strive for a wider impact.
- Think of those at the top - get your executive leaders on board and make them your supporters.
2. Build solid foundations
- Focus on the process - complex processes require, in principle, even more complex robots.
- Get IT support - get support from your IT department right from the start.
- Engage your own people - build automation for and with employees.
- Use robotics for transformation - implement robotics in order to transform, not just experiment.
3. Make a high-speed change
- Get lean - plan your digital workforce to be fast.
- Build an RPA friendly organization - build support across the business.
- Set up the right way of management and governance - focus on decision-making as well as flexibility.
- Be agile - agile work maximizes the impact of robotics.
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