Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a game-changing technology that has the potential to create a rapid return on investment and save businesses hundreds of hours across thousands of transactions. This groundbreaking technology is helping business enterprises streamline workflows and automate processes.
However, as is the case with any technology with transformative potential, the rollout strategy is key. However, history demonstrates that deploying intelligently and with discipline is easier said than done. A sizable portion of RPA projects fails at the start. Therefore, the question is what are the setbacks, bottlenecks, and malfunctions that prevent organizations from quickly standing up an RPA solution?
Before rushing ahead with RPA deployment, it is critical to be aware of the possible RPA setbacks. Let's take a look at the common pitfalls enterprises should be mindful of before implementing RPA.
Automating The Wrong Processes
One of the significant setbacks companies face during RPA deployment is when they choose the wrong processes to automate. Using RPA to automate the processes that are not suitable for automation will only waste time and resources. Companies must analyze all the processes carefully and choose only those which require automation. Companies should execute a process mining tool to determine which processes are the best fit for automation. A good rule of thumb when deciding on which process to automate is to avoid:
- Processes that change frequently
- Error-prone, complex processes
- Processes with existing customizations
Lack of Communication with Employees
It is vital to communicate with your employees before deploying RPA for automating processes. Many companies fail to involve their employees in the overall RPA automation process. Most of the employees won’t be familiar with what RPA is, and their lack of knowledge can lead to misconceptions about their role.
Changing Employee Roles
It is essential to focus on the existing employees who are present during the RPA deployment process. The employees in charge of the automation process can understand the software better than someone who isn’t working on the same technology. Companies should refrain from removing the existing
employees or assigning the project to the employees who don’t have historic knowledge of the implementation or process. It costs company time, which is spent on training the new employees.
Organizational Issues
When an organization is adapting automation, it is important to maintain proper management at the organizational level.
- Lack of time commitment from internal teams
- Lack of leadership and involvement
- The absence of IT and department support
Implementation Failures
There are a few common issues that occur during the implementation phase.
- Choosing in-house implementation
- Lack of knowledge about RPA bots
- Not hiring the right consultants
- Complex programming is a technical pitfall
- Not using RPA marketplaces and available tools
- Choosing solutions without scalability
Post-Implementation Risks
Even after the implementation, issues might appear which may reduce the success of the RPA solution and reduce the ROI.
- Failure to support scalability
- Ignoring maintenance needs
- Security issues and failure to secure credentials.
