Author: admin

Modern society depends on energy, gas, water, and waste management to function. Every household and individual also rely on these services, making Energy & Utilities (E&U) one of the most important industries in the world. Still, consumers expect energy and utility companies to operate efficiently, cost-effectively, and as sustainably as possible. This has led many energy and utility companies to invest in RPA technology.

According to Capgemini’s Research Institute, intelligent automation at scale may save the Energy & Utilities industry between$237 billion and $813 billion in costs. However, only 23% percent of energy and utility firms in the US have implemented sophisticated large-scale automation programs. That leaves significant room for improvement and enormous potential impact on global society.

Here’s a closer look at how RPA can help energy and utility companies catapult into the future.

What is RPA, and how can it help Energy Companies?

RPA, or robotic process automation, is a type of software that helps businesses automate repetitive tasks. Acompany can configure RPA software “bots” to mimic human actions, such as opening and closing applications, filling out forms, and extracting document data. In the energy industry, RPA bots can improve operations by automatically processing transactions, optimizing customer service, and eliminating errors. RPA bots can operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without breaks.

Utility companies that adopt automation notice significantly fewer mistakes. Fewer errors mean happier consumers, which is criticalfor energy and utility firms to gain a competitive edge.United Utilities, for instance, invested in ten high-tech robots to “revolutionize” its service offerings. As a result, the company sped up the customer onboarding process by over 50 percent and improved accuracy using RPA bots to input data into its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Ultimately United Utilities’ customers received water service much quicker and with fewer issues.

In the past, only large companies used RPA because of the high software costs and hefty resource requirements. However, cost and complexity are no longer issues. RPA software today doesn’t require businesses to change their current IT systems or invest in techy programmers to manage the solutions. Thanks to the latest advances, RPA software is more affordable and accessible than ever.

RPA Use Cases in Energy & Utilities

Now is the time for energy businesses of all sizes and budgets to take advantage of RPA’s vast array of uses.

Meter Reading Validation
Energy and utility companies must validate a massive number of meter readings every day before billing a customer for usage. This process is essential, but it is also time-consuming, error-prone, and expensive. Employees typically handle this process manually, often misspelling a client’s name or entering inaccurate usage data. This results in incorrect billing that under or overcharges the customer. Mistakes like this can damage a business’s reputation and leave money on the table.

RPA technologies like DoqumentAI can help by automatically verifying meter readings against various data sources, including previous readings, customer usage patterns, and weather data. Furthermore, when RPA bots discover a deviation, they immediately flag it as a signal that something is wrong, instructing human employees to solve the problem. This process significantly improves accuracy and efficiency while reducing costs.

Billing and Statements
Utility companies issue numerous bills and statements to customers every month. This can be a time-consuming and error-prone process, mainly when done manually. RPA can help automate this process, ensuring that energy companies quickly and accurately issue bills, so their staff can focus on higher-level customer relations. RPA can also automatically flag anomalies, such as incorrect amounts or late payments, helping employees identify and prevent problems early.

EDF Energy, for example, harnessed RPA to optimize billing services across its retail electricity, generation, and nuclear and renewable energy businesses. In the process, it saved 70 hours a month in the pilot stage alone. After the first year, it expected to save 18,000 hours annually. EDF said it earned six times the ROI in time and money by automating eight of its previously manual tasks.

New Account Setup
One of the most time-consuming and tedious tasks for customer service representatives (CSRs) is setting up new accounts. This task generally requires CSRs to input the same information into multiple systems, leading to error and needless duplication of efforts.

RPA can automate account setup by integrating with various back-end systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, etc.) and capturing customer data from forms or emails. Bots can then enter this information into relevant systems without human intervention. RPA can also handle tasks such as password reset and account verification.

This is a win-win for customers and businesses. Customers get their accounts set up faster and with fewer errors, while companies can free up CSRs to do more ROI-focused tasks.

One company that has seen the benefits of RPA is Energy Australia, one of the largest energy retailers in the country. Energy Australia used RPA to automate the process of creating new customer accounts. As a result, the company reduced its account set-up time by 30%.

Managing technical support and improving retention
Energy companies must monitor persistent customer complaints, including account set-up issues, billing difficulties, and service outages. Fortunately, RPA can help by automatically logging, tracking, and resolving many of these standard queries, allowing reps to focus on more complex issues that require human intervention.

RPA can also help energy and utility companies proactively prevent customer churn by identifying patterns that could indicate a risk. Employees can then use this information to enact preventative measures, like offering discounts or reaching out to provide personalized service.

Energy companies can also use RPA with AI technologies for more advanced capabilities. For example, AI-based sentiment analysis can evaluate customer inquiries to determine if the person is asking a question or initiating a complaint. This analysis enables customer service reps to prioritize meaningful support to people who need it most.

Customer Onboarding
RPA technology can help energy companies automate customer onboarding by entering data into the CRM quickly and accurately. Automated bots can check and update the information provided, compare it to the parameters set, and send notifications if any errors occur. This process ensures energy companies make the right first impression on customers, further supporting long-term retention.

Why RPA is Essential for Energy and Utility Companies

Analyze Data Patterns
RPA robots can tell businesses how long it took to process an order, how many outstanding transactions there are, and the procedures that caused exceptions and necessitated human intervention. Additionally, RPA can also analyze the data to help businesses quickly identify process improvements. The best RPA platforms, such as Disqover, have built-in analytics tools, allowing energy companies to turn data into action by:

• Understanding which processes are most time-consuming and resource-intensive
• Identifying process improvements that will have the most significant impact on efficiency
• Benchmarking a company’s performance against industry standards

Streamline Joint Ventures
Corporations frequently establish joint ventures in the oil and gas sectors to minimize risk, meet regulatory standards, optimize supply chains, and share access to technology, capital, and resources. To operate effectively as partners, these organizations must integrate their technological platforms. RPA can quickly and easily do this, helping each company to streamline communications and optimize performance.

Improve Customer Service
RPA can automate tasks such as handling customer inquiries, providing information about outages and billing, and issuing refunds. This frees up employees to provide higher-quality assistance. It allows energy companies to scale up and handle more inquiries with the same or fewer number of employees.

Reduce Operational Costs
Using robots to execute repetitive tasks can result in significant operational savings for energy companies. For example, qBotica recently implemented an Invoice Processing Automation solution at a Global Energy Company. As a result, the company gained 95% time savings and a considerable cost reduction. Additionally, RPA can reduce operating costs by monitoring equipment and scheduling proactive maintenance before machinery breaks down.

Improve Accuracy and Compliance
RPA can also help to improve precision and compliance. For instance, RPA can automate matching invoices to purchase orders and flag any discrepancies to ensure accuracy. In addition, RPA can automatically generate reports on energy usage to help companies identify areas where they can improve efficiency.

Scalable and Adaptable to the needs of each Utility
Deployment of RPA is possible at any stage of a company’s digital transformation journey, from automating basic tasks to driving complex business processes. RPA is highly scalable and adaptable, making it an ideal solution for energy and utility companies looking to improve their operations.

The Future of RPA for Utilities

RPA is not a silver bullet, but it is a valuable tool to help energy and utility companies overcome many challenges and significantly improve ROI. Organizations that invest in RPA technology will be well-positioned to compete now and in the future.

Schedule a discovery call with us today to learn more about how RPA can streamline your business. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Automation can help your business in many ways, from document creation to customer service to email communication and invoicing. Business automation, including robotic process automation (RPA), AI, and machine learning, allows you to increase efficiency and accuracy across nearly every function of your organization.

However, deploying such tools can seem complicated, especially when you’ve been operating on legacy systems for years. So, where do you begin?

Here we discuss how to choose the right automation partner and solution that seamlessly integrates with your business and scales as you grow.

Determine Your Company’s Automation Needs

First and foremost, you must determine which automation tasks would most benefit your company. To identify your automation needs, start by looking at your business processes.

Ask yourself, what are my most time-consuming and repetitive tasks? Do they include data entry, email communication, customer service, order processing, document management, or invoice approval? Automation can help with that.

For example, if you’re an e-commerce retailer, you can use automation software to optimize the order process. So, once a customer places an order through your website, automation can notify your warehouse or supplier, track the order and update your inventory accordingly.

But what if you’re not sure exactly where automation fits into your organization?

Intelligent process discovery solutions like Disqover can help you identify opportunities to increase efficiency and improve quality. The great thing about automation software is that the right service provider can support you in the discovery process and tailor a solution to your needs.

Look for User-friendly Experience and Design

No one wants to use software that is difficult to navigate. On the other hand, when automation software is easy to use, your employees will be more likely to adopt it and find ways to incorporate it into their workflows.

The user interface should be intuitive and straightforward, without too many bells and whistles. Additionally, the automation software design should be visually appealing, so users don’t get discouraged. Intuitive, browser-based control panels that don’t require coding experience are ideal.

A good automation software provider will offer a seamless experience and easy design for your team to adopt. So, ask your automation service providers about the user interface and look for customer reviews that verify their claims.

Speed and Scalability

Another factor to consider when selecting your business automation solution is speed and scalability. Traditional robotic process automation (RPA) platforms required significant licensing investments, expensive infrastructure, specialized technical expertise, and substantial implementation time. But that model doesn’t work for most modern-day organizations.

Your business needs a solution that can be implemented quickly. You also need automation software that meets your business needs today and grows alongside you over time, without complicated resource requirements.

Fortunately, Automation-as-a-Service (Aaas) providers offer modern solutions for businesses like yours. The right provider can set up your automation within a day or two, seamlessly integrating the software into your current systems.

Providers may also offer continued support to help your employees adopt the technology and answer questions along the way. Then, as your business grows, AaaS providers will scale the technology to meet your changing needs without costly replacements or new infrastructure.

A Robust Set of Integrations

The ability to easily integrate automation solutions with your current applications is crucial to your success. Therefore, the solution you select should have a robust set of integrations that allow it to connect with the tools you’re already using.

High-quality Aaas providers like our qBotica team offer integrations with popular CRMs, accounting software, and ERPs, making it simple to get started with automation. For example, we recently implemented RPA solutions into a Fortune 500 company’s ERP, computer systems, and software applications, helping them process one million+ invoices each year.

Ideally, the best automation platform should connect all your systems, including email, marketing, sales databases, and project management apps. This way, you can maintain the infrastructure you’ve already built while simultaneously optimizing it with the aid of automation.

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

You may only need robotic process automation (RPA) solutions at first. But when you’re looking for an automation provider, it is essential to find one with experience in AI and ML. The best providers will have a team of experts that can help you take full advantage of these technologies if and when you’re ready to deploy them.

AI uses cognitive science to learn and make decisions independently of human intervention. This is done by making a computer system “see,” “hear,” and “read” as humans do. ML takes what AI learns and makes predictions based on data sets. It also detects patterns so automation can act accordingly. Together, AI and ML create automation that truly thinks for itself.

qBotica’s document processing solution uses RPA and AI frameworks that automatically learn from each document, getting smarter and faster with each use.

Customer Support

When selecting an automation service provider, you need a partner that delivers stellar customer service. Even though some of the most popular marketing automation systems are simple to use and highly reliable, minor issues or inconsistencies may occur from time to time. That is why you need an Aaas provider that delivers reliable and high-quality assistance.

So before you choose an automation company, make sure to ask about their support services. For example, do they have a help desk? What hours do they operate? Are there any special features or services they offer (such as unlimited phone support, online chat, etc.)?

When you work with an automation provider that’s there for you around the clock, you can feel confident that the results will be well worth the investment.

Get the Right Automation-as-a-Service Partner

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of adding automation software, you’re not alone. Many companies feel this way when they first start exploring automation capabilities. However, when you work with a service provider that understands your needs and guides you through the process, you can integrate automation rapidly and efficiently.

Schedule a discovery call today, and let us show you how we can help make your business run smoother, faster, and more effectively than ever.

Automation is more critical for insurers than ever before. Nearly two years into the pandemic, insurers are managing historical volumes of claims and customer calls while struggling to meet modern demands for speed and accuracy. Customers today expect insurers to conduct business digitally, and they’ll walk away from providers that don’t deliver. In a PWC survey, fifteen percent of consumers said they felt frustrated with their insurers’ capabilities, and 41% said they’d switch providers as a result.

Insurers who want to remain competitive must consider automating customer relations and claims processing to meet the market where it’sat today–and prepare for the future.

Benefits of Intelligent Automation in the Insurance Industry

Intelligent automation can radically optimize insurance operations in the following areas:

Claims Processing

Claims processing is critical to insurance companies’success, yet it’stime-consuming, highly manual andfrustrating forpolicyholders. Claim processing can take several days as insurance agents carefullyextract document data and verify the information from multiple sources, including police reports, medical reports, licenses, photographs, etc.

However, by implementing automation, insurers can optimize claims processing workflows, including claims intake, assessment, and settlements, minimizing frustration with minimal efforts.

Let’s look at paper claims intake, for example. Paper intake is an outdated and unnecessarily error-prone process. In a paper claims scenario, insurance agents must receive, scan and manually enter the information they receive. Then they must double-check for mistakes such as spelling, dates, and duplicate data before beginning the investigative phase. This simply won’t cut it for today’s claims load. Insurers need another way to reduce manual work and process twice the claims with the same number of employees.

qBotica’s DoqumentAI can help by automatically scanning paper claims, classifying them into types, extracting key data points, and pushing the data into the core claims systems. With this data capture software, insurers can reduce processing time from days to hours or even minutes while preventing mistakes and improving customer satisfaction.

Underwriting

Underwriting, or assessing whether to provide coverage, is another critical insurance operation that involves copious data crunching and analysis. When determining coverage eligibility, insurers must consider multiple risk factors, including.

• Health risks: Height, weight, age, and health conditions.
• Driving records: Accidents and speeding tickets.
• Housing risks: Location of the house, age of the house, and claims history.
• Occupation risks: Profession and work environment.

By automating this weeks-long process, insurers can significantly speed up data collection, internal system updates, loss run analysis, customer claims history review and other critical activities. Bots, for example, can instantly read relevant emails, categorize and extract the required information, cross-reference external data enrichment sources for additional data, and validate the application for completeness using custom business rules.

Regulatory Compliance

Staying current with ever-changing regulatory requirements is one of the most challenging issues facing insurance companies today. And failure to remain compliant with the latest rules can lead to enormous financial and operational losses.

In the health sector, US insurance companies must adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s(HIPAA) strict privacy rules when handling people’s personal healthcare information. While necessary to protect patients, HIPPA present a significant complexity for insurance companies to manage. Intelligent automation can help by streamlining the process of identifying and classifying private information and automatically encrypting and securing it. This ensures compliance while freeing employees’ time to focus on higher-level risk prevention measures.

Improving Customer Interaction

Post-pandemic, customers have become even more impatient with insurance companies. In 2019, 12% of callers disconnected before getting routed to another agent. In 2020, that number increased to 15%. Another survey found that some people won’t even wait seconds to speak to an agent, let alone the time it takes to resolve their inquiry.

Fortunately, advanced automation software reduces the average call duration without impairing communication quality. Advanced software allows insurance companies to leverage chatbots, virtual assistants, and voice recognition technologies to dramatically raise service levels. Automated bots can either solve customer issues independently or immediately route the caller to an agent for personalized support.

Automation software can also optimize workflows and decrease response times in other ways. By extracting data from multiple systems into one platform, automation saves employees time going back and forth between portals to collect customer data.

Is your Organization Ready for Automation?

With very little technical expertise, you can begin implementing advanced data capture software today. However, to completely automate workflows, you must first understand your current processes and goals before implementing a strategy. You’ll also need to consider your roadmap to automation, the processes you can enhance, and your team’s capabilities to support such technology. Then, once you understand your current state automation goals, it’s time to choose a service provider to support your team and ensure smooth implementation.

At qBotica, we have extensive experience helping organizations with Intelligent Automation. We can help you assess your readiness, formulate a plan, and implement Intelligent Automation in your organization. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you transform your customer relations through Intelligent Automation.

In the Web 3.0 digital world, paper documentation management is extraordinarily costly and error-prone. Such manual procedures are also antiquated, keeping modern organizations stuck in the past. But most businesses want to move into the future. They want to automate time-consuming operations. They just need the technology to get started.

Fortunately, optical character recognition (OCR)technology makes it simple to convert printed or handwritten text and images into digital, machine-encoded formats. And that’s just the beginning. When businesses combine OCR technology with robotic process automation(RPA) software and artificial intelligence (AI), they can experience even more significant benefits.

So, what is optical character recognition, and how can businesses get the most value from this technology to automate operations?

What is optical character recognition (OCR)?

OCR converts text from scanned documents, PDFs, and images into editable documents. For example, thisfascinating computer process can take the image of a word, such as “pier,” and separate the letters into four distinct parts—P, I, E, and R–as if you were typing them on a keyboard. The system then allows you to edit those letters, such as rearranging them or deleting them, without affecting the rest of the document, just as you might while editing an email or any other document in electronic form.

Businesses in any sector, from banking and finance to healthcare, legal, and more, can use OCR to scan almost any document or image, including:

• Paper invoices
• Tax documents
• Payroll information
• Contracts and complex legal documents
• Handwritten contact information
• Business cards
• Text inside charts and images

Today’s OCR solutions can recognize and capture data from machine-printed documents and even decipher handwritten text with high levels of speed and accuracy, saving workers hours of valuable time so they can focus on more pertinent tasks.

How does OCR benefit business operations?

OCR has numerous benefits, and businesses can use it to:

• Automate data entry and minimize errors: Even in today’s digital world, the average office worker still goes through almost 10,000 pieces of paper a year, wasting significant resources. OCR digitizes paperwork while minimizing human interaction, saving time, reducing transcription mistakes, and increasing data integrity.
• Edit documents: Traditional scanners can only export documents, forms, and invoices as images or PDFs that are not in an editable format. However, OCR makes it possible to scan a contract and export the text to an editing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
• Organize and easily access documents: OCR can automatically sort through various piles of papersand organize them according to specific rules, such as by type or vendor. It also makes files instantly accessible and usable for all authorized users.
• Increase storage space: Offices running out of storage space or drowning in paper files can eliminate space-hogging file cabinets and expensive leases on rented storage facilities by going fully digital.
• Understand text over interfaces: Using OCR technology, isolated teams can easily collaborate, making it faster and easier to process data over remote interfaces, such as cloud servers.

What are some limitations of OCR?

While optical character recognition is a powerful tool, it does have a few limitations when used as a standalone technology:

• Understanding data: OCR digitizes text from documents and makes it machine-readable, but it can’t understand or interpret that data without complementary programming.
• Putting words in context: An OCR system doesn’t have AI intelligence built-in, so it might transcribe a word incorrectly, such as “bail” when the actualword is “ball.” While highly efficient, OCR by itself lacks the cognitive ability to incorporate the sentence’s context to determine the correct word with 100% accuracy.
• Separating documents: OCR can export data from documents, but it has issues breaking down groups of files into separate documents or separating the information into categories based on the standard form fields. For that, OCRneeds help from robotic process automation (RPA) software.

Combining RPA and OCR for Better Results

Robotic process automation (RPA)softwarecaptures data and manipulates applications with precision.In fact,90% of large organizationshave already adopted RPA, and document managementis one of the key reasons.

RPA software can automatically process invoices, onboard new employees, file insurance information, and manage order forms, to name a few. But towork,RPA needs support from optical character recognition technology(OCR).

Simply put: OCR can digitize documents. RPA software can process them. Both do essentialjobs, but they rely on each other for the best business results.

OCR digitizes data so RPA technology can analyze it

RPA can only process documents if they contain structured data, where the information is already digitized, and the layout is consistent and easily searchable. Unfortunately, most business data today is unstructured—or non-digital—in places like printed documents, audio files, images, PDFs, and logs. Fortunately, businesses can use OCR to extract data from various sources and instantaneously turn them into structured digital formats, allowing RPA systems to efficiently analyze information and automate tasks.

OCR enables more complex automation capabilities.

Once the OCR engine digitizesdocuments into readable data, RPA can process and perform actions based on its content, such as scanning sales figures or completing tax forms. Once OCR digitizes the content, an RPA bot can read the information, recognize its context, and send it to the corresponding department or manager for review. It can even flag suspicious details, such as potential fraud or names on forms that don’t match the submitted ID.

OCR, RPA, and AI: The future of advanced document processing

OCR combined with RPA effectively digitizes and analyzes documents using rule-based tasks. But some businesses seek even more functionality by integrating machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) into the fold.

AI and ML are dynamic technologies that almost mimic the human brain to learn and adapt to new information over time. As such, they can handle more complex assignments with speed and precision. For example, when combined with RPA bots and optical character recognition, AI-powered intelligent document processing (IDP) software can read unstructured data, capture information, and convert it into formats for government, banking, insurance, orders, invoices, and loan processing. Critically, it can also learn from each document it processes to optimize speed and efficiency continually.

OCR is an essentialtoolto help move businesses into the paperless future, reducing and often eliminating the manual labor required for many office tasks. When combined with RPA and AI, OCRalso delivers high-quality structured data that enables bots to automate more tasks, saving time and money while freeing workers to take on more important responsibilities.

At qBotica, we specialize in improving business workflows through advanced automation tools. If your company wants to learn how to get started in intelligent document automation or would like to expand its current system, schedule a discovery call today to speak with an automation expert.

Robotic process automation (RPA) has transformed nearly every industry by freeing employees from repetitive tasks so they can focus on high-value ventures. Moving tedious work out of human hands is especially critical for organizations that process enormous document loads.

Enter finance and accounting – two of the most numbers-laden and detail-oriented sectors in existence.

Here we’ll review how Robotic Process Automation can revolutionize finance and accounting departments. We’ll also present factors to consider before implementation and specific processes where automation can have the most impact.

ERP vs. RPA: Old Enhances New

Most organizations utilize enterprise resource planning (ERP) software such as Oracle and SAP. But ERPs and application programming interfaces (APIs) require significant resources to program, code, and maintain. This is one of the most significant setbacks finance companies face in their pursuit to update legacy systems.

Fortunately, RPA software provides a seamless path to ERP enhancement. RPA is an intuitive software that works by mimicking a person’s actions and applying them to existing ERP systems, even automatically transferring information to other applications or departments, such as auditing a financial document and forwarding it on for review. As a result, Robotic Process Automation is a game-changer because it allows finance companies to easily automate tasks and make significant operational changes without re-engineering their entire ERP software.

Advantages of Using RPA for Finance and Accounting

1. Manual entry and human errors

Most finance and accounting professionals still spend countless hours entering information, staring at spreadsheets, and creating reports despite advances in technology. In the process, human errors are inevitable and one of the most common causes of unnecessary business loss. For example, Citigroup’s credit department famously checked the wrong box on a digital payment form that sent almost $1 billion to the wrong account.

RPA software bots eliminate that risk by seamlessly moving data across applications and mimicking activities such as clicking, typing, and opening and closing windows. These programmed operations dramatically reduce the number of manual entries and opportunities for human error.

2. Increase employee productivity and value

The term “work smarter, not harder” has never been more accurate than when it comes to using RPA in finance and accounting. RPA supplements the human workforce, allowing finance and accounting teams to achieve more work in less time, with fewer resources. For instance, Gartner predicts that RPA can save finance departments 25,000 hours of avoidable paperwork annually. As a result, accounting professionals can move away from data gathering, data entry, and bookkeeping and instead take on more advisory roles that put their judgment and consulting skills to use.

3. Get set for the future

Advanced cognitive technologies like RPA software are the perfect steppingstone for financial companies to dip their toes in the pool of futuristic developments. When paired with Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) systems, RPA software works even better through added features and abilities. For instance, while EPA systems such as Oracle can automate cash applications up to 50%, RPA combined with AI and ML can minimize human effort in cash processes up to 90%. By getting started with RPA software today, businesses can lay the framework to grow their automation footprint and futureproof operations as new technologies develop.

Business considerations before getting started with RPA

If you’re assessing RPA for finance and accounting tasks, consider starting with the most straightforward processes to get the most immediate and meaningful results. From our experience, finance and accounting businesses typically start by automating:

• • Invoice data entry
  • Cash applications
  • Billing and invoicing
  • Customer and vendor setups

Once you’ve established the need, look for an RPA provider that delivers ready-to-use software and hands-on support. qBotica’s DoqumentAI is simple to customize, integrates easily with existing data repositories, and doesn’t require a labor-intensive setup. Once implemented, DocumentAI can:

• • Accurately capture up to 98% of data from any document layout
  • Automatically learn from each document it processes
  • Capture data up to 10 times faster than manual entry
  • Integrate via RPA or API in an entirely adaptable environment
  • Offer secure, cloud-based management

With DoqumentAI, you can also control how your RPA bots will function based on the task at hand. For instance, you might choose attended RPA bots to help your staff efficiently manage their front-end work. Attended bots act as virtual assistants, collaborating with your team to boost productivity on individual tasks. Unattended RPA bots, on the other hand, work on their own without any human intervention. You’ll want to utilize these independent bots to manage back-office processes at scale.

Common uses for RPA in finance and accounting

Now let’s explore the areas where RPA can save the most time and have the most significant long-term impact. Configuring a robot with data capture tools that can scan documents for critical information, move between computer programs, generate reports, and set up approval requests is effective for complex functions like:

• • Improved financial reporting
  • Purchase order and invoice processing
  • Accounts reconciliation
  • Data aggregation for reports
  • Customer data management
  • Tax returns preparation and payments filing
  • Revenue audits

These complicated processes require strict attention to detail and are typically the most error-prone. When businesses don’t notice mistakes right away, such errors can be costly while leaving organizations vulnerable to legal consequences. Because RPA is rule-based, it is an excellent tool for detecting violations and catching when financial data doesn’t align as expected. These functions help with:

• • Exception flagging
  • Risk assessment
  • Dispute verification and resolution
  • Credit risk management

Time to make automation a priority

Incorporating advanced software tools like RPA is the first step for modern organizations to compete in this ever-changing digital world. The significant time savings and streamlining opportunities are reason enough for every financial and accounting department to invest in automation.

But that’s just the beginning. RPA allows finance departments to remain flexible and serves as the base layer for adding more intuitive and complex technologies, even ones that don’t yet exist. As a result, those in the finance industry that prioritize automation now will gain a competitive edge and position themselves for future AI success.

Businesses worldwide have experienced significant ROI and savings thanks to automating redundant tasks through robotic process automation (RPA). Industry experts predict that RPA could shed another $2 trillion in workforce costs in the coming years. In an increasingly digital economy, experts predict that using RPA and artificial intelligence (AI) on a larger scale will add as much as $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

As exciting and game changing as robotic process automation is, the word “robot” instantly conjures foreboding images of a dystopian future. But automation doesn’t mean people go away. Yes, automated processes can work faster and more efficiently than people, but they rely on humans to guide them. When bots and people seamlessly align, businesses can experience exponential growth.

Machine vs. human: A tale of two types of intelligence

RPA refers to computer software that mimics repeatable business tasks usually handled by humans. It can incorporate AI and machine learning to continually expand its skillset and make better decisions based on new information it receives. This imitating ability gives automation two huge advantages over humans:

1. Robotic Process Automation can automatically identify informational patterns, allowing it to see and optimize trends or recognize mistakes that humans might overlook. For instance, a software bot can scan customer purchases over several years and immediately report on areas with the best future sales opportunities.
2. Software bots never get physically tired and can keep working 24/7, automatically boosting productivity. On top of that, they can work faster and with almost 100% accuracy, eliminating human errors and saving time and money.

These qualities make RPA and AI software ideal for handling lower-level, repetitive tasks in a closed management system, such as an assembly-line environment where speed and accuracy are essential. For example, Amazon recently implemented algorithms in its warehouses that allow automated bots to supervisors human workers, with the ability to adjust schedules to improve productivity and even fire employees who consistently miss quotas.

Robots’ infinite data-crunching abilities are valuable for various practices, but they can’t replace humans. For example, only humans can anticipate unexpected changing situations. Human intelligence is still the best tool for handling open management systems where teams must deal with unpredictable outside influences and respond to external input, such as business meetings with clients and strategy planning sessions. So, enduring business success still requires human assistance to think critically, create visions for the future, and continually adapt bots to handle complex challenges.

Why do robots need human assistance?

Coding updates

Robots need humans to write codes that instruct them to handle various situations and outcomes. Once programmed, machine-learning software is excellent at finding patterns from the information it already understands, but it still lacks the agility of human intelligence to react to new situations.

It’s almost impossible to develop resilient bots that can automatically course-correct the first time something comes up, even for the best data-science programmers.

However, once an Robotic Process Automation bot recognizes an issue it has come across before, its computing power can communicate faster and more accurately than a human could, such as through automated phone systems that can quickly locate banking balances or verify travel itineraries.

Structured vs. unstructured data

RPA software also relies on humans for structured data, or pre-defined and easily searchable information, to begin executing workflows. That may require humans to turn unstructured data—such as audio, video, PowerPoint presentations, email, and social media postings—into structured data that robots can process to optimize back-end office automation.

Unattended vs. attended: Two RPA options

When dealing with RPA processes, businesses have two categories to work with:

• • Unattended RPA is fully automated with no human interaction. This option works well for situations that deal almost entirely with structured information, which is already in a form that RPA bots can easily search and understand. Examples could be calculations for financial reports and spreadsheets or scanning documents and sending them to the correct department.
  • Attended RPA is where humans have some level of supervision over RPA bots, such as reviewing and defining unstructured data that might be challenging for a robot to understand. It also works for situations where humans need to verify data for quality control or put data into context.

For instance, attended RPA software needs humans to:

• • Define a smudged or blurry letter
  • Distinguish a shape or item, such as a sweater, from a vest
  • Identify data in contexts, such as a beginning balance, an ending balance, a withdrawal, or a credit
  • Systematically check for accuracy

Attended RPA workflows create a collaborative relationship, where bots manage monotonous tasks so humans can focus on high-level decision-making. For example, RPA bots can take on the tedious job of scanning and flagging suspicious legal documents so that humans can examine them further for potential fraud. By eliminating such time-consuming work, automated bots allow workers to focus on higher-level tasks, increasing workforce engagement and job satisfaction.

The ultimate goal: Augmented intelligence

Automation processes should supplement human intelligence in ways that allow the average worker to achieve more in less time. This combined power of automation with human intelligence is called augmented intelligence. One example occurred in 2005 when Playchess.com hosted a “freestyle” chess tournament where anyone could compete in teams with either other players or computers. Several grandmasters entered the competition with a supercomputer as their teammate, so everyone predicted they would dominate and win. However, what happened was entirely unexpected. A pair of amateur chess players using three regular PCs won the competition. They effectively used early automation techniques to teach the computers to speak to each other and recognize complicated patterns. This augmented intelligence partnership ultimately gave them the edge over the grandmasters.

The chess example illustrates how average humans can do amazing things when using computers to amplify their potential. Automation software is just that—a powerful tool that human workers can incorporate into their workflows to recognize patterns and repeat tasks, which can lead to meaningful changes in productivity and future innovation. Like amateur chess players, human workers can use their unique intelligence to augment the computing power of RPA bots, which will drive faster and more comprehensive automation.

In the future, we’ll see companies make adjustments to their structure and workflows to better harness this augmented intelligence:

1. Teams will gradually diversify their workforces, with humans and bots working together.
2. In the AI era, teams will call for leaders who are skilled in bringing different parties together. Creating inclusive teams that align man and machine will be an essential skill that companies will look for in their managers.
3. Companies will always need humans in leadership roles to manage and update software-bot programming as organizational needs change.

“Human-in-the-loop” technologies have the power to unlock the automation possibilities that RPA offers. Companies that streamline the process of data capture, analysis, and verification using process automation and employ their human workforce in synergy with their automated systems will enjoy a broader deployment of RPA into their workflows and the corresponding cost-saving benefits.

………………….

The next generation of the digital enterprise isn’t a scary place full of machines and devoid of human interaction. When we look at the incredible opportunities for greater productivity and the automation of routine work, the rise of the robot worker is a boon, not a threat. Companies will continue to rely on good old-fashioned human intelligence to remain efficient and competitive throughout the foreseeable future. The biggest technology challenge businesses face is not about replacing humans with bots. It’s about how to synergize their strengths most effectively.

At qBotica, we offer innovative solutions to help businesses transform their workflows through software collaboration. Schedule a discovery call with one of our experts to get started today.

By end of year, experts predict the RPA industry will nearly double in size from 2020. And that’s just the beginning for this new and rapidly growing $2.9B industry. In 2022, an astounding 80% of businesses say they plan to ramp up automation efforts–specifically in areas that support revenue growth like AI and robotic process automation (RPA). As a result, market leaders anticipate at least 33% growth annually through 2028. Yes, career in Robotic Process Automation is bright: Enduring demand for RPA products is unequivocal, and by default, the need for RPA jobs is at an all-time high.

If you’re considering a shift in your career in Robotic Process Automation, now is the time to learn more about RPA technology and what you need to get started in the field. Here we review what RPA means and why this technology is critical for businesses as we explore RPA jobs, salaries, and certifications.

Let’s get started.

What is RPA?

Robotic process automation (RPA) is a software technology that automates time-consuming, error-prone, and tedious digital tasks using robots that mimic human behavior. RPA “bots” can interact with any application the way humans do, operating nonstop, with precision and accuracy.

RPA Benefits for Business

Robotic process automation bots drastically optimize business functions, reduce time spent on monotonous tasks, improve efficiency, and free up administrative resources for businesses to focus on innovation and value-added roles. Key areas that see the most benefit are human resources, finance, accounting, inventory management, payroll, and customer support.

Quality and efficiency: No matter how simple, every human-driven task is subject to errors that cost time and money to fix later. Invoicing mistakes, for example, cause late payments and disrupt cash flow. By implementing RPA, businesses can eliminate errors and improve reliability.

Improved customer satisfaction: With improved accuracy and faster results, bots can help businesses improve client satisfaction. For example, integrating RPA with existing customer chatbots allows the bots to route customers to a quicker resolution effectively.

Cost savings: By automating human-driven tasks, businesses can reduce overhead costs and accomplish more with less, which is increasingly valuable at a time of labor shortages across industries.

Real World RPA Examples for Businesses

RPA technology has a vast trove of business use cases, which makes RPA jobs extraordinarily valuable across industries. RPA connects to system APIs, integrating various application software and services. It also follows if-then decision rules, scrapes data from documents, makes complex calculations, and learns how to mimic human-based processes, to name a few. RPA delivers real-world benefits that save companies time and money when adequately integrated by automation professionals. RPA technology:

• • Integrates with chatbots to improve performance
  • Opens mail and attachments
  • Manages inventory statuses and levels
  • Operates payroll tasks such as time entry validations
  • Onboards new employees, clients, and patients
  • Processes invoices, deliveries, and purchase orders
  • Completes forms and move files and folders (i.e. insurance claims and tax information)

Jobs in RPA

Robotic process automation has become a popular and lasting trend across enterprises worldwide. In fact, a basic LinkedIn job search for “RPA developers” results in nearly 70,000 openings in the US alone. And that just scratches the surface of all RPA developer and non-developer roles, which include:

• • Intern to Senior-level RPA developers
  • Automation consultants
  • Process architects
  • Project managers
  • Analysts
  • Software engineers
  • Marketing managers
  • Sales and business development executives

What is RPA Developer?

RPA developers are not necessarily coders, although programming skills are a plus and may be required in some positions. Instead, RPA developers refer to a broad range of roles that help create, design, develop, implement and maintain RPA systems.

Regardless of the job title, RPA developers must work collaboratively with analysts to enhance various business processes–from HR to accounting–using software robots. But before they can set RPA technology at an organization, RPA developers must spend significant time and effort creating workflow diagrams and documenting processes (like a company’s typical onboarding procedure) to ensure they’re providing the most appropriate, tailored solution. Developers may also be required to test and repair bugs as part of an ongoing product maintenance plan.

RPA Job Skills & Requirements

RPA professionals should be able to navigate various RPA technologies on the market, such as UIPath or DoqumentAI, and understand how these products solve business challenges across industries. RPA professionals don’t typically create the automation scripts themselves, but they must have the skills to take scripts from products like UI path and implement them within client organizations.

Other RPA professional skills include:

Analysis and critical thinking: RPA developers should be able to analyze business processes and recommend automated improvements to enhance the organizations’ operations. After identifying the correct RPA solutions, developers must have the skills to map effective workflows and set clear goals for RPA implementation (i.e., reduce customer service complaints by 20%). Developers’ ability to analyze insights before implementation is key to the program’s success.

Coding: Many RPA developers and non-developers, like project managers and sales executives, do not need coding skills. But developers who create automation scripts, or diagnose and fix system bugs must have a programming background in Java, C, C++, or .NET, for example.

AI and ML Knowledge: RPA developers should understand how AI and Machine Learning (ML) relate to and integrate with RPA technology. Developers will need to utilize programming language and execute such integrations for higher-level roles.

How to Launch an RPA Career

Wondering where to start to launch your career in robotic process automation? Regardless of the role you seek, you’ll want to dive deeper into learning the basics of what RPA is and how it transforms business processes today.

Then you’ll want to take it a step further by gaining certification from one of the top RPA leaders in the industry. For example, UI Path offers certificates for all RPA roles to help people of across backgrounds build expertise using its platform. UiPath allows you to choose between a General Track for foundational technical stills or the RPA Developer Track for deeper-level knowledge in designing and developing complex solutions.

Why Start Now

From banking and finance to retail and healthcare, nearly every industry has realized that automation can rapidly boost efficiency and prepare them for an increasingly digital world. Now businesses need skilled professionals like you to help make RPA’s promise a reality.

When you’re ready to dive into the world of automation, check out job openings from top-growing RPA companies like qBotica. We hope to hear from you soon.

At qBotica, we have a wonderful team of talented people. Each member of our team brings their own uniqueness and flavor to the company. This week, we met with Mr. Ezhil Arasan Babaraj, CTO at qBotica and a veteran in the Automation Industry with 22 years of experience, and picked his brain about automation, its future and a host of related topics. Here are some excerpts.

Q. What is the value of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) for businesses?

Ezhil: Automation is not a very new concept. The IT industry itself was able to grow on the very fundamentals of automation. For any task that is performed by humans and has a high error rate or requires more hands-on-the-job, automation in some form is the best solution. Many industries have applied automation in different forms throughout history. The IT industry caught up to it relatively later.

From an automation standpoint, businesses get value out of it from the very early stages. There are several advantages automating their process to drive efficiencies and reduce costs. For example, simple tasks like, voice processing, payroll processing, purchase orders etc are repetitive tasks that can be automated. Across verticals in a business, from operations, marketing to finance, some level of automation always helps.

The common thread connecting all the problem areas of a business is the same. Be it optimisation or growth, automation is a key area that needs to be considered as a strategy for any business. No matter the size.

Q. Who needs RPA – small businesses or large enterprises?

Ezhil: The problems for a large and small business are very unique. They cannot be compared. For example, in a large business, maybe the problems are dealt with by a ten-member team. The same problem is dealt by only one person in a small business. Due to this key difference, automation becomes a key factor for driving efficiency in small businesses, due to the lack of affordability and availability of human resources. Now, in the case of a large business, RPA can be used to optimise the enterprise’s current spending to create room for higher margins.

Let’s look at it from a growth standpoint. For example, there is a back office with a 1000+ team members. This team brings in a turnover of $200 million. With the same team strength, they can apply automation and grow that number by a 100% to reach $400-500 million.

And so, RPA has unique and successful applications in big, medium and small businesses from an optimization and a growth standpoint.

Q. How do you build a successful RPA program?

Ezhil: When it comes to automation, business leaders will buy into the premise very easily, because it is the shiny new tool in their arsenal. When automation is implemented, the expectation is that it will run 24×7 and will provide unlimited resources etc. However, the reality is very different.

For any RPA program to be successful, it needs a clear objective. Before implementing automation, there are several questions that the leaders must ask:

1. Where can the solution benefit the most?
2. Is the goal to reduce costs or resources?
3. Is the goal to drive growth?

The areas of benefit need to be understood fully and goals must be set in place.

The leadership needs to narrow down the areas that need help from automation rather than making sweeping changes across all processes in the organization.

Once the area of operation is identified, where RPA can fit in easily and enhance the process, the company also needs to figure out the specific use cases.

This will be followed by a trial period during which the team will need to experience the difference the automation brings about, learn from that and determine the final value of the proposition.

The other question to ask is, “how to create a program that works for your organization?” Understanding the organizational culture is a key factor in successful implementation of RPA. The automation process has to be tailor-made to fit the specific needs of the organization. For that to work, the leadership also needs to address the culture of the organization. The automation process will be more effective if based in the culture. The lower the resistance to the system, the better the adoption and chance of success. Once all of this is done, and RPA has been implemented, the success of a RPA can be measured with continuous usage and acceptance in the workforce.

Q. What are some trends that we should watch out for in the world of Automation over the next 5 years?

Ezhil: In the last decade, around 2010, UIPath came up with the RPA software. After them, many players came into the automation space. Initially it was not even considered a market, but as of today, it is valued at over $1 billion dollars. In this period, the automation processes have evolved from just tackling repetitive tasks to becoming intelligent processes. At qBotica, we have our own IDP or Intelligent Document Processing solution, called DoqumentAI. What this means is that many level-1 and level-2, human-based tasks are now being undertaken by AI. This will only grow and improve over the years.

There are many other areas of interest where research is ongoing. For example, there is a study being conducted to understand the way that a human learns technology: What is a browser? What is a system? How it can be accessed? etc. Eventually, a bot could potentially understand and learn all this. And with that knowledge it could create its own automation software in the future. This will be a world where bots will create bots. When this threshold is reached, the cost of automation will dramatically reduce. And as soon as that happens, small and medium businesses will gain access to this technology. Once it appeals to smaller businesses, it will become much more ubiquitous in the future.

Q. What are a few key things all CTO/CIOs should keep in mind when developing their automation capabilities?

Ezhil: Any new system or automation, apart from the technology side of it, is basically human centric. So, any CXO looking to implement automation should definitely think of the company culture first. This helps to prepare the organization for successful automation implementation. The leader must have knowledge of technology as well as business. They need to consider strengths and weaknesses of their teams. And once identified, prepare the team for any upscaling or RPA integration.

For the RPA integration and running, one can partner with external teams but eventually an in-house team will be required. The reason being that automation heavily depends on in-house systems. Along with updates to in-house systems, automation also needs ongoing maintenance updates, which an internal team can provide. This is where an Automation Center of Excellence plays a pivotal role in the long-term success of RPA integreation.

The other watchout with automation is financial management. With the implementation of any RPA, at the very start it looks good because the anticipated savings are high. However, the business must be prepared for some degree of uncertainty and flexible enough to bear any unforeseen costs.

And lastly, the organization needs to choose the right technology partner. It is important to look at partnering with someone who wants to grow along with the organization and not just sell a solution and disappear. A lot of providers try to license out a decided number of bots. Now, that might not even be necessary for the specific organization. Avoid bulk licensing and choose a flexible and adaptable partner, who will work with you in your RPA journey. Reach out to our team at qBotica today to see how you can implement RPA in your ecosystem.

Q. Any parting thoughts/learnings from your experience with automation?

Ezhil: Automation is looked at in two different aspects. There are a set of people who do not believe in RPA. They feel that it is putting together something by stitching and that it is not a true solution. The other set of people believe in it because it works for them.

On the other hand, there are many low quote platforms that are emerging quickly. We have enterprise services, integration platforms etc entering the industrty as well. There is a lot of talk about micro-services that enable a business to be agile and efficient as well.

My thoughts here are that the business shouldn’t get carried away by the jargon. Understand what the automation process is and only choose that which is required for your organization. Sometimes, people or organizations want automation, even when they can really function without it. They can manage with a custom solution to help their business.

At qBotica, we are very honest with our customers and tell them that RPA is different from a custom software solution and give them a fair recommendation on what best suits their needs. Once people have this knowledge, they can make better informed decisions for their businesses.

During the pandemic, in-person restrictions forced consumers to interact with companies through remote channels in record numbers. Thankfully, automation in contact centers technology has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. As a result, confusing phone menus and agonizing hold music are officially outdated, evolving into AI-enhanced chatbots that comprehend complete sentences.

From banking and finance to travel and healthcare, many industries have realized automation can rapidly increase call-center efficiency and reduce hold times. But the latest automation technology can do even more, improving everything from quality assurance to employee training.

At qBotica, we aim to uncover innovative intelligent automation solutions to help your business grow. So today, let’s look at how contact centers can take your customer and employee experiences to new heights.

What does automation do for contact centers?

Automation refers to processes where software bots handle tasks previously performed by humans. Contact centers increasingly use automation to improve efficiency and help customers resolve issues through self-service methods.

Here are a few key automation features that can transform your contact center.

• • Interactive voice response (IVR) systems are automated phone-answering systems that route calls and allow customers to interact with a computer before connecting to a representative. IVR gives customers an opportunity to self-serve and find the correct department or even solve their issue, which reduces the average handle time (AHT)—a vital metric in customer satisfaction.
  • Natural language processing (NLP) refers to the ability of computer software to understand human language as it is spoken and written, allowing customers to state their demands in plain language without using a touch-tone menu.
  • Automatic speech recognition (ASR) and speech-enabled IVR use natural language processing (NLP) to transform the way customers interact with IVR systems, enabling a more personal experience similar to asking Siri to add an event to your phone’s calendar.
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) uses computer chatbots to assist customers directly with their issues. AI-powered bots can also help contact center agents by suggesting solutions and recommending responses as the agents interact with customers via the phone or chat.

How do contact centers benefit from automation?

Automated contact centers help customer service agents work more efficiently to improve the client experience and help more people throughout the day.

1.Improves customer and employee satisfaction

Nobody likes to wait on the phone to talk with customer service. However, 90% of people still prefer to speak with live agents rather than navigate phone menus or wait for an email response. As a result, contact center agents take up to 50 calls a day, many with issues that require follow-ups. This call volume challenges reps to manage their open cases efficiently and provide timely updates.

Using automation technology like IVR and AI, research shows businesses can reduce average handle time (AHT) by 25% by 2022 and up to 40% by 2027. Shorter wait times and faster solutions make customers happy and relieve pressure from employees who can work smarter and deliver better outcomes. In a Harvard Business Review survey, 90% of consumers said that a good experience with a contact center strengthens their brand loyalty.

2. Collects more data to assist with quality assurance

As call volumes increase, quality assurance (QA) representatives have more to do in a limited time. Automation and AI tools mitigate that challenge by collecting an astounding amount of customer data through voice-analytics technology.

This AI tool quickly picks up and sorts customer call data that human QA analysts might have missed. On top of that, such AI-powered automation technology can analyze a call for context and sentiment, allowing businesses to customize the experience for different customer types. For example, a multinational service provider that used these tactics prevented a whopping $6 million in lost sales by recognizing clients who showed signs of leaving and giving employees the chance to retain their business.

3. Helps managers provide better coaching and training

Contact centers often analyze customer feedback surveys to understand why some interactions leave callers dissatisfied. The managers must then manually coordinate review and training sessions with agents to improve their performance. However, managing hundreds of employees this way is highly cumbersome.

Managers can spend more time coaching and less time on administrative tasks by using automated software robots to search, schedule, and perform most of the necessary keystrokes. Beyond saving time, these software bots have evolved to analyze calls and make training suggestions. This additional feedback can have a broader impact on the entire customer experience, helping businesses turn each call into an opportunity to build lasting relationships.

What are some of the top trends in contact center automation?

Automation technology keeps expanding every day, and there are numerous developments your business can implement right now.

Here are five trends to keep on your radar:

1. Low-code automation software

Many contact center organizations see the value of automation technology, but barriers such as budget constraints and IT staffing requirements hold them back. Fortunately, contact center automation software can help businesses implement this technology with minimal investment.

For example, qBotica’s DoqumentAI software is ready to use out of the box. It extracts and processes complex data from all documents—even ones it has never seen before—without necessary coding or IT development. This automation eliminates mundane and repetitive work hours in contact centers, saving valuable time while providing unique business insights. DoqumentAI software can also collect caller data, analyze detailed customer profiles, and help employees connect with customers in more personalized ways.

2. Conversational AI replacing phone menus

A survey two years ago showed that 97% of Americans have become frustrated with phone menus, especially when they have to repeat themselves. Fortunately, phone menus have come a long way from presenting callers with a series of options that keep them stuck in a loop before routing them to the correct department. Today, interactive voice response (IVR) systems better understand human language, providing quick and clear options before connecting callers with a live agent.

Major tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM, and Microsoft have invested heavily in natural language generation to automate computer bot conversations and make them sound more natural. Common examples of conversational AI technology include chatbots on websites to ask FAQs and virtual phone or home assistants like Alexa and Siri. The rise of conversational AI has consumers expecting even more from IVR systems.

3. RPA integrating with chatbots

Robotic process automation (RPA) teaches computer software to perform repetitive, everyday tasks, such as opening customer tickets, checking order statuses, and updating records. Integrating RPA with existing chatbots allows the bots to understand higher levels of customer needs and effectively route them to a solution. Adding conversational AI technology to the mix can further enhance RPA workflows, driving exponential improvements in productivity and customer experiences.

4. Proactive digital customer service

In contact centers today, customer service agents often file queries as “tickets” because they can’t resolve the issue over the call. That means they must spend significant time afterward following up. However, with automated software technology, customers can often answer their own questions without ever needing to speak to a representative. For example, bots can proactively alert customers about outages, refer them to a knowledge base section of a website, or answer frequently asked questions. Netflix uses proactive digital service bots to release statements when streaming issues occur and automatically credits user accounts to compensate for the lost time.

5. Agent assistants and real-time guidance

RPA processes can act as contact center agents’ digital assistants by automatically creating a schedule of their daily tasks and then queuing up necessary programs. This desktop automation blends disparate applications into one user-friendly workflow, empowering agents to focus on customer service instead of wasting time with system navigation and data entry. On top of that, real-time guidance through AI technology can recommend the best actions to agents and tee up workflows and scripts.

Contact centers have made great strides in improving the customer experience as automation technology evolves. Taking chatbots to the next level of human interaction with conversational AI, creating employee-friendly workflows with RPA, and easily implementing low-code automation software are just a few new developments businesses must consider today.

If you’re ready to craft your company’s future and start “thinking inside the bots,” contact our automation specialists at qBotica to schedule a discovery call.

We are living in a cultural moment of unparalleled technological adaptation and advancement. At the beginning of the pandemic, companies were required to adopt digital tools and power of technology to stay ahead of the curve, and many saw great success in implementing these technologies into their everyday operations. But one area has seen burgeoning success in recent years — artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence, otherwise known as AI, simply describes a computer’s ability to do tasks. It is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machine or computer. This can include a variety of functions, but the predominant categories are learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception and language understanding.

The earliest success with AI goes back as far as the 1950s, but AI was first introduced to the marketplace on a broader scale in the late 1900s. As AI expanded and computers were able to store and process more information, the possibilities grew. But in tandem with this growth, many began to associate AI with a loss of jobs for human beings.

So what is the incentive for businesses to begin adopting AI? Well, the list is long. It’s not about taking jobs from people but rather about freeing up time so workers can focus on the things only humans can accomplish. While people focus on relationship-building and high-touch customer service, innovations in AI have the possibility and potential to take on more rudimentary tasks and time-consuming responsibilities. AI presents significant possibilities for the workforce, and those who adopt this technology now will see significant dividends in the future, both in their time and their finances.

Closing the Knowledge Gap on AI

Businesses theoretically understand the importance of being a good corporate citizen, but few understand how this can apply to artificial intelligence. Problems arise when companies misunderstand the benefits of a product or service, or when they use that product or service to the detriment of their employees and customers. Corporate responsibility includes the fundamental pillars of community, environment, marketplace and workplace. If AI and emerging technologies can assist in any of these four key areas, their implementation is worth serious consideration. Closing this knowledge gap is a vital next step toward understanding how AI can impact day-to-day business.

How AI Can Help Businesses Thrive

One key way AI can help businesses of all sizes is through robotic process automation (RPA). RPA software eliminates repetitive, mundane tasks and lessens the likelihood of common mistakes. This software focuses on repetitive tasks that are more quickly accomplished through the power of AI.

RPA is changing the way work is accomplished. These software robots are solely focused on what is normally considered “lower-value work,” like moving around files and folders, inserting data, sifting through forms, and completing analyses and reports. More advanced robotics systems can even interpret text and help companies interpret data with learnings applicable to their business.

When RPA is utilized to complete more repetitive, high-volume tasks, it frees people to focus their brains on what matters. Harnessing the power of RPA makes businesses more competitive. By automating certain tasks, businesses are taking the grunt work off their employees as well as their leadership, so they have time to focus on the big picture.

The possibilities that AI can bring businesses are essentially endless. There is no time to be afraid of the future — it’s already here. Everyone can harness the power of emerging technologies like AI to create a better business environment.

Mahesh Vinayagam is CEO of Phoenix-based qBotica, an innovative intelligent automation-as-a-service provider building an automation ecosystem for its customers via robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent document processing (IDP). As the leading provider of intelligent document processing and robotic process automation as a service solution, qBotica has secured several Fortune 500 clients and provided rapid insights into inefficiencies plaguing their business to much success. Their best-in-class automation services and solutions are easily integrated with leading automation products (such as UiPath, Abbyy, and Microsoft Azure AI platforms).

Did you Know: qBotica recently secured $1 million of seed funding from Peacock Ventures and plans to use the funds to expand its technology in order to better assist B2B businesses with document processing and robotic process automation (RPA) requirements.

Article by Mahesh Vinayagam, CEO of qBotica. Published by InBusiness Magazine in their January 2022 Edition.