In today’s world, companies seek advanced ways to streamline operations, minimise costs, and increase their return on investment (ROI) rates. Technology has made these more accessible and achievable through automation.

Automation has been around for decades, helping businesses handle tasks efficiently, but it has become more effective with recent advancements like RPA.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that mimics the way humans interact with software to perform high-volume, repeatable tasks, and it has taken automation to another level.

In this blog post, we will explore the meaning of traditional automation and RPA, the differences between them, the benefits of RPA, and how RPA shapes the future of the business world.

Traditional Automation

Traditional automation is a technology that automates tasks by integrating different systems using an application programming interface (API) to minimize human intervention. The API establishes a link for communication between system applications. It uses technology to automate routine and repetitive tasks done by humans. Examples of these tasks are data entry and order fulfilment.

Over the years, businesses in different industries have used traditional automation to navigate their business processes.

Robotic Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a software that uses bots to learn and mimic human actions. It automates rule-based tasks assigned to humans, such as data entry, confirming order placement, payment method, and filling out a form. With a software bot, a company do not always have to reprogram to make occasional changes to the system interface. Instead, it learns from human inputs and makes the necessary corrections. Hence, it increases productivity and saves ample time and resources.

Let’s see below some differences between traditional automation and RPA.

Traditional Automation vs RPA

Though similar, traditional and robotic process automation have many differences.

Traditional automation uses API to integrate different systems, requiring the developer to deeply understand the target system to get the desired result. In contrast, RPA uses software bots which understand user behaviour and follow the steps in performing a project.

For customisation, the traditional automation system cannot integrate with multiple systems due to API limitations, unlike the RPA. The RPA can be modified to meet the need of a particular user, integrating various operations like customer relationship management (CRM), ERP, calendars, and emails, to harmonize data and generate automatic responses.

In addition, the RPA is quick and easy to implement because the software bot can extract information from the system without any manual reprogramming or human supervision. The software is process-driven, which means it focuses on the assigned tasks. On the other hand, traditional automation takes longer to implement since it uses API to integrate systems; thus, feasibility studies and test designing takes time.

Finally, at the initial stage, traditional automation is less expensive, but the cost of maintenance increases in the long run. It requires a programmer to create solutions, costing the company a lot when that person leaves. But this is different from its counterpart. RPA is expensive to acquire but cost-effective in the long run because it is adaptable to changes and not dependent on human intervention.

There are a lot of RPA tools that are available for businesses seeking to automate their tasks and with numerous benefits.

Benefits of the RPA

Robotic Process Automation provides a myriad of benefits across an organisation. These benefits include:

Reduce Operational Costs

Managing business operations such as production, utilities, storage, maintenance, and payroll management takes a lot of financial resources, which, if not correctly handled, can affect business growth.

An RPA minimises cost in terms of handling tasks that would require mass recruitment and increased pay. A software bot works faster than humans and is available at any given time to carry out defined tasks, unlike humans, that can’t work around the clock.

An employee would require time to recuperate or even take a leave of absence or shifts which could hamper the business’s productivity. However, with robotic automation, there is no need for a break or leave to recuperate; the bot is always available to attend to tasks.

Accurate Data

Regarding data management, accuracy is significant for business management. Manual data collection is time-consuming and error-prone since humans are susceptible to mistakes. A financial data presentation mistake can result in wrong decision-making and financial mistakes. Hence, an RPA eliminates the possibility of data collation and distribution errors. A robot has been programmed to tabulate information accurately. Thus, it provides accurate financial data on procurement costs and sales orders to enable you to make informed decisions.

Improved Customer Service

Software robots automate customer services processes to improve customer experience by gathering customer data to enable employees to attend to tasks immediately. It handles customer data like collating new customer information, providing customer feedback, and updating the system.

In addition, you can automate messages and emails to customers and generate responses without constantly monitoring the software bot. While it carries out repetitive tasks, employees can focus on giving the customers the best user experience; as a result, retaining customers becomes easier.

Increased Productivity

Companies leveraging robotic automation tools perform better and faster and achieve strategic growth. Employees might take hours to complete tasks that a robot can perform in minutes. Using it can cost you less time, higher productivity, and employee retention. In manufacturing, a software bot automates and monitors warehouse data with real-time inventory management data, enabling a company to handle production effectively.

Also, it optimises repetitive retail tasks such as invoice processing, analytics on customers’ behaviour or preferences, the demand market, account payables, and marketing strategy. RPA applies to all aspects of a business, as such, implementing it increases workplace productivity and satisfied customers.

Scalability

As a business grows, its processes must change to accommodate current trends to gain traction and remain at the forefront of the industry. This is where an RPA comes in. It can adjust to new trends and be duplicated to fit any slight change in operations, unlike other automation requiring reprogramming from scratch to make changes. What it does is that it learns from human actions and updates the system to the present capacity of the business. Sustaining business and upscaling becomes easier with standardised RPA.

Data Security

Safeguarding data is essential to every organis A company needs to secure the bulk of data in its system to be able to function well. The RPA software bot protects data from hackers and unauthorised persons. It restricts access by generating a security system that can withstand high-level data viruses. Furthermore, it saves your company from data breaches that could cost financial loss, legal suits, and customer distrust.       

RPA: Shaping Future Businesses

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is changing the way businesses operate. It is transforming businesses digitally with its customised features suitable for every business. Companies are beginning to adopt RPA to handle rule-based tasks to increase productivity. The RPA is a futuristic technology that can be applied in different sectors.

Some of which include;

Oil and Gas Industry

The processes involved in oil and gas are complex and challenging; thus, companies need technology to hasten their business processes. RPA bots can automate accounting tasks such as cash flow, balance sheet, and data collation. In addition, it monitors the processing, distribution, and maintenance of inventory. RPA regularly updates companies on logistics processes like monitoring drivers’ behaviours, inventory location, and safety. It reduces errors and expenses a company might accumulate due to human errors.

Finance and Banking

Employees in the banking sector go through repetitive tasks that take a large chunk of their time. RPA has helped financial institutions manage customers’ accounts, send emails, process loans, form filling, and open bank accounts. For complex cases like credit card processing, financial companies can handle their operations effectively with RPA.

Telecommunications

One of the telecommunication industry’s challenges is handling large volumes of data. As a result of which there is a high possibility of human error and data mismanagement. RPA streamlines the processes such as payment orders, data processing and entry, sending mail, monitoring networks, customers’ information, and debt collection.

Healthcare

Healthcare providers handle multiple mundane tasks that can be overwhelming due to the number of patients in their care. RPA bots automate these tasks like scheduling appointment account data, auditing, discharge information, and monitoring new arrivals of medications; this enables the employees to focus on attending to patients.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that robotic process automation is changing the status quo in the business world by enhancing the performance of industries. RockEye offers customized and flexible native RPA to bring your business up to par with the world’s standard.

While our software is custom-built for African businesses in the downstream oil and gas industry, it can be applied to all departments of your business to ensure the free flow of information, increase workplace productivity, eliminate human errors, and reduce operational costs.

Visit our page https://www.rockeye.africa for more information on how we can help you sustain your business.