Process automation is a big topic on everyone’s mind in the face of AI. What jobs will be overtaken by computers? How can companies cut costs by leveraging business process automation tools (BPA)? How can I run with technology instead of away from it?
There are a lot of questions and speculation, but the ultimate question is; are companies putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to integrating AI? Well, research is showing us that of about 2600 companies surveyed globally, more than 94% believe AI is critical to success, almost 80% have begun implementing a variety of AI solutions, and 82% found a boost in job satisfaction from AI tools.
If you’re curious about the direction of AI's future with software, watch this video.
Integrating AI is something companies must do, but how they execute this integration will vary. Of the use cases for process automation, the biggest one we’re seeing is end-to-end visibility, which essentially is what allows companies to track their entire workflow from start to finish. Why would they want to do that? It’s quite simple: by having end-to-end visibility, companies can identify bottlenecks and proactively address them.
Among many reasons for incorporating process automation, efficiency and cost-cutting are two of the most important factors. Let’s use the example of a plastics manufacturing company that uses inventory management, production scheduling, and quality control software as its main time-consuming, repetitive tasks. BPA in this case would automate all of these tasks, and now the staff’s role shifts its focus to oversight, creativity, and decision-making. For most companies today, that is the goal; streamline and optimize operations end-to-end.
In 2023, there are several tools that are most commonly used across industries to make this happen. Here are some to pay attention to:
1) UiPath
UiPath is a robotic process automation (RPA) platform that takes over repetitive tasks (as most of these tools do) at scale. It has a visual drag-and-drop interface for designing automation workflows and integrates with various applications and systems.
For instance, a human resources department can use UiPath to automate the employee onboarding process, where the software automatically generates employee contracts or updates employee records in HR systems, and notifies the relevant stakeholders, reducing manual effort. Now you have a system that can be scaled.
2) Pega
Pega is a platform that combines business process management (BPM) and intelligent automation. Pega is a comprehensive platform that offers a unified view of the entire business process and ideally leads companies to a solution for end-to-end automation. For example, a retail organization can use Pega to automate its order management process. The platform can allocate resources, track inventory levels, and then adjust production schedules based on current demand as well as forecasted demand.
3) Blue Prism
Blue Prism's RPA software can automate rule-based tasks (Data entry, processing invoices, QC, etc) across different departments. For instance, think of a healthcare organization, that’ll use Blue Prism to automate something like claims processing, where the software first validates claims, then checks for errors, and initiates payment processes.
Blue Prism is best utilized for repetitive tasks that ideally can be scaled. For instance, we used examples from healthcare, but email marketing is another common task for companies that would benefit from scalable RPA.
4) Appian
This is a low-code development platform that’s meant for companies to design and automate workflows. Appian connects with data sources and external applications, supporting standard protocols and APIs like REST, SOAP, and JDBC, which makes integration easy. This is what’s going to attract something like a big manufacturing company that would use this to speed up their approval process or integrate it with systems for inventory management.
5) Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere is one of the top RPA platforms that are great for enterprise automation. This is another platform with a drag-and-drop interface (easy to use) and end-to-end process automation. This is one that a FinTech (or other various large-scale entities) could leverage to ultimately reduce manual effort and scale the operation.
The Value In BPA
Think about a 30-year multi-billion dollar business with tens of thousands of employees. How can they leverage process automation across the board? Ultimately, it comes down to recognizing what can be optimized and what’s in the best interest of the product or service's long-term sustainability. An easy one is Amazon— if tomorrow they decided to get rid of warehouse workers and fully leverage RPAs like automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and intelligent warehouse management systems, their inventory management would streamline.
These are the kind of gaps that companies need to be looking for in the coming years. It’s less about what you do and all about how efficiently you do it.
The Takeaway
Finding gaps in your current processes can be difficult without a thorough analysis and understanding of your operations. This is where AI consulting comes in. By leveraging this level of expertise, companies will identify latent pains and receive the most suitable automation solutions for their specific needs. It’s not a cookie cutter; it’s a comprehensive approach tailored to the unique challenges and goals of each business.
Written By Ben Brown
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ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.
Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.
