JULY 2019CIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM 19f you hail any new technology as the answer to all your problems, without aligning it to a business strategy, it will inevitably disappoint. We saw this 20 years ago when enterprise software was going to be the magic wand for business efficiency, and we're seeing it now with Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Unless you know why you're doing it, you won't see a clear return on investment. Start with the Problem, Not the Solution The key to success is starting with the business problem, not the solution. You'd be amazed at how many businesses think `we need an automation strategy' rather than `this is the problem I need to solve, could automation be part of the solution?'. Your objective might be, how do I double revenue without adding employees? How can I lead in customer experience? Or how can I release capacity in my team to focus on higher-value tasks? Automation creates capacity, and capacity spots opportunity. What could you achieve with greater capacity? Bring People with You The biggest barrier to success is, unsurprisingly, people. Implementing RPA takes a shift in mindset. It should be seen as a change programme. This isn't like outsourcing, where you're giving the same work to a different group of people. You're introducing something that didn't exist before, that means people will fundamentally change what they do. In order for it to succeed, employees have to welcome that change. In a media environment where all the coverage of automation focuses on whether our jobs are going to be taken over by robots, you can see why not everyone welcomes it with open arms. But the truth is, very few businesses automate in cXoinsightsWhy Automation Projects Fail--and How to Stop ThemKERI SMITH, DIRECTOR & HEAD OF AUTOMATION PRACTICE, EMEA, INFORMATION SERVICES GROUPI
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