Explaining Robotic Process Automation

With this edition of the Mecca Minute I’d like to talk a little robotic process automation or RPA. RPA is hyperautomation that takes automating processes to the next level. Like many other subjects I’ve shared in the past, this concept is not new. But the big reason that it has evolved from a dream to reality is the power of the cloud, or more specifically virtualization.

We are all familiar with Internet BOTS. They are both beneficial and malicious in that they can automate PC fixes or replace service desk calls but they can also make you susceptible to unwanted ads or unintentionally sharing personal info. Then there’s Super Bots like Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant and Siri. All are programmed by humans to point at some source and simplify searches or to enable home automation. But this is not the same thing as RPA. Enterprises can deploy intelligent robots to automate repetitive processes in accounting, production, HR, plant maintenance and much more.

But be careful, enterprises should fix their bad processes before they automate them. If you automate a “crap” process you’ll just end up with a “crap” result, only faster. Also, from a change management perspective, people resist enterprise RPA as risky, and workers revolt as they fear bots will take away their jobs. But I happen to be one of those who disagrees.

In fact RPA will maximize their workloads, stave off increased costs and skyrocket productivity which is job security. And this only gets better in time as this space is evolving utilizing artificial intelligence and whatever the future holds. Fix the process, invest in RPA and remain a player. This has been Marketscale’s Mecca Minute.