What the C-Suite Needs To Know About Digital Workflow & RPA (Robotic Process Automaton) – If Planned For Correctly It Can Improve Your Processes From 25% to 10x. This blog discusses, from CRE8 Independent Consultants’ point of view, why this technology is important, who provides the technology, and three important steps to support enterprise-wide planning, process improvement, and development of user-based requirements to select the right vendor and establish accountability.
As independent consultants, we at CRE8 have helped hundreds of CEOs and C-Suite executives fix organizational problems and improve operations. So what is the game-changer for 2021 that executives must know about? Digital Workflow and RPA (Robotic Process Automation).
What is this technology? Digital Workflow automates the capture of requests (customer and internal) and significantly automates the routing and completion of the work. RPA can automate high-volume redundant tasks to further increase efficiency and reduce errors.
Why is this important? With so many employees, customers, and vendors working remotely and interacting through websites, handheld devices, email, collaboration platforms, and different data systems, there are tremendous opportunities for Digital Workflow and RPA to radically reduce process timelines, cost, and errors, between people and systems.
What is the return on investment? After helping hundreds of organizations, ranging in size from 25 to 250,000 employees, we at CRE8 Independent Consultants find that if properly planned for Digital Workflow and RPA can produce a 25% to 10x ROI.
Who provides these products? Example vendors include FileNet/IBM, OpenText, Servicenow, M365 Power Automate, Hyland On-Base, Oracle, Kofax, LaserFiche, Appian, Blue Prism, Uipath, Pega, Treva, and others.
How to plan for these technologies? As independent consultants, we recommend three significant steps.
First, develop a well-thought-out enterprise plan to identify and rank the processes that will benefit most from Digital Workflow and RPA. Why? Without a plan, the deployment will stall out, be dependent upon the initiatives of individual groups, and not focus on high-value departments and cross-functional processes. A well-developed enterprise plan will gain the support of executives, users, and customers; develop a return on investment assessment; help fund projects, and articulate a sustainable multi-year roadmap.
Second, map out and improve workflow processes before automating. Why? If you automate a mess, you will get a faster mess. Avoid this by improving the quality of a process, before automation, through improving communication, reducing errors, and eliminating non-value-added tasks. Develop a change action plan to ensure rollout and accountability.
Third, develop a well-defined user requirements document before vendor selection/deployment. Why? Without detailed user-based requirements, it is difficult to select the right vendor(s), obtain required benefits, establish accountability, avoid change orders, and create a system that users and customers will want to use.
How can you learn more about how to understand and plan for Digital Workflow and RPA? Contact us at CRE8 Independent Consultants for a free consultation/discussion at https://www.cre8inc.com/contact-us.php
