Automation, RPA, and AI just might be the most popular buzzwords in any business right now. But with that popularity comes misunderstanding and the spread of further misinformation.

So what really is automation and how important is it for modern businesses? Do we need to fear ‘the robots’? Are they coming for our jobs? Or can they actually help us?

Let’s see.

Fear of the Unknown

Robots have long been the stuff of science fiction. But, over time their capabilities have slowly crept into reality as their technology has evolved. However, while ‘robots’ in their physical sense are, for the most part, machines in factory environments; in their software form they are really making an impact.

Pop culture aside, what really we need to understand is that bots are just machines performing prescribed jobs. When we talk about RPA (Robotic Process Automation) today, what we’re typically referring to is software designed to carry out a task. It’s really that simple.

Even when we speak about AI, what we’re really referring to are highly complex machines that can come to conclusions and improve their own processes through more data ingestion. It’s not true intelligence and certainly doesn’t resemble Terminator’s ‘Skynet’ or signal end times.

The Reality

In business we all encounter repetitive, menial tasks which have a time cost associated with them. These can be simple things like writing emails and processing orders.

Basic bots can already take care of many of these types of tasks and can be implemented into a business with relative ease. They are a great way to free up the time of employees so that they can focus on the jobs which actually add value.

People now have begun to worry that an increase in robots might spell the downfall of many jobs and signal waves of mass unemployment.

Thankfully, the purpose of robots is to assist us – not take over. They can act as a way of alleviating pressure on staff so that they can use their own skills and experience to make better decisions.

Using car factories as an example, robots for the most part don’t take care of car assembly; they simply help workers move heavy and cumbersome parts around to make assembly easier.

We are also seeing the use of bots in customer support environments – chatbots. These simple tools offer a great way to thin incoming traffic into a call centre by answering basic questions immediately – saving time for the operators and allowing them to deal with more complex customer issues.

Robots will continue to develop and offer more support to human operators. They will help us become more fulfilled in the work we do – as it will comprise more of the meaningful and less of the menial.

They aren’t going to take over your job or the world – and unless your name is John or Sarah Connor you don’t have any reason to worry about them (!).

PAteam is a global Automation services company focussing on technologies like RPA (Robotic Process Automation), RDA (Robotic Desktop Automation), Intelligent Automation and Hyper Automation in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. We have worked with brands such as Ikea and FedEx and are not afraid of taking on big projects.

We are driven by the desire to help businesses change the way employees carry out repetitive and tedious tasks. We automate these tasks and, by doing so, free up time for teams – so that they can spend more time with the customer.

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People Should Be People

A big reason for us championing Automation is to help employees everywhere fulfil their true potential, not just carrying out labour-intensive tasks. Essentially, by freeing up people’s time, we aim to help businesses increase staff productivity and, in turn, boost profitability.

We take great pride in our transparent and pragmatic approach to Automation honed over the years of experience we have at scale. We know where Automation will bring the most value and take pride in working with our customers to implement it only when it adds value.

Although Automation has enormous ROI when done correctly, it is not plug and play as it often is pitched. We come across many companies who have got stuck on scaling up during their automation journey and are not sure how to.

With our knowledge of Automation, we introduce businesses to the idea of augmentation at first – rather than full Automation. This helps clients genuinely get to grips with the real issues at hand and see first hand how and if the technology will add value from the get-go.

Over time, augmentation can be developed into more Automation. Introducing clients to Automation this way helps engage business leaders early on, ultimately helping to fuel development in the future.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to the future, we see ourselves continuing to work with a growing network of clients, big and small, towards a modern workplace environment where businesses are firing on all cylinders.

We are committed to growth – both our clients and our own – in fact, we are rapidly expanding our footprint. We are also continuing to innovate – not only with the technology we have in place but also by seeking new tools to create compelling customer solutions.

Coupled with our tried and tested model of delivering honest, effective solutions to clients who need our help, we aim to help businesses get more from their teams and to help teams get more from their time – by applying their human skills in a way that machines just can not do.

Interested in implementing RPA or want to find out more to do with the technology? Contact the PAteam today!