Micro Automation

Micro-Automation

Traditional approaches to automation require scale (and time) to achieve benefit. Technology change is costly, requires expert resource, takes time and involves careful management – The IT Barrier. As a result, approaches like deploying new software applications or making changes to existing applications typically focus on process automation at the ‘macro’ level.

New technologies like Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and No / Low-code development tools can be deployed faster, at lower cost and using non-invasive methods.

Our approach and our delivery model for deployment allows us to target steps within processes and tackle the tedious, repetitive tasks that constrain manpower, consume time and hold back productivity.

Micro-Automation is a Smarter way to release Productivity Lock and tackle the costs of Person-o-Matic tasks within back-office processes. Delivery methods such as Micro-Outsourcing do not require up-front investment and deliver predictable benefits in weeks. It creates capacity for iterative, scalable change – overcoming the IT Barrier and avoiding Transformation Stalemate.

Robotic Process Automation - A Fresh Approach

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses a software robot – we call ours Jo – to carry out repetitive, rule-based tasks in existing IT systems in the same way as a human user.

It is an extremely effective way of freeing up humans for higher value work, reducing cost and increasing capacity and flexibility.

A Fresh Approach implies there’s an old approach. The traditional approach is one taken by many big corporates – to great effect.

The traditional approach is to licence software, develop it and implement an RPA platform. It works really well where there’s budget and time available – i.e. a big benefits case and you can afford to wait 12 months plus to achieve a net benefit. Whilst a software licence may be as little as £10k, by the time developers, business analysts, infrastructure, support and coordination is taken into account it can be a significant investment to implement an RPA platform.

The Fresh Approach delivers the benefits of capacity, speed, cost-saving – but without the wait times and up-front investment.

Our Fresh Approach is to train and deploy the robot and only charge for the work the robot completes. It’s ‘robot-as-a-service’ or ‘process-as-a-service’. Think of it as micro-outsourcing repetitive manual tasks that tie down expensive human resource – with the benefit of retaining control.

It’s fast to deliver, and because you only pat for the work done – if there’s a benefit to be had it’s realised immediately.

What can a Fresh Approach to RPA achieve?

A Fresh Approach to RPA delivers the benefits of releasing humans for higher value activities, reducing costs and increasing flexibility / capacity – without the wait times and up-front investment associated with the traditional approach.

Because you’re only paying for the work the robot does (we call ours Jo), if there’s a benefit to be had, it’s realised immediately

For smaller organisations, or for organisations where budget and resource is thinly spread, this can have a massive impact

Capturing inbound emails in a small call centre – creating a 3-4 FTE increase in capacity for the investment of less than 1. Smarter Processes in Action: Managing inbound service requests
Another similar example that’s creating capacity in a sales setting: Smarter Processes in Action: gathering and consolidating pricing information for client quotes
Cutting the cost and increasing the speed of invoice processing

The Fresh Approach can deliver these benefits in days / weeks – no up-front investment. Just pay for the work the robot (Jo) does and deliver the benefit immediately

Creating the capacity for business improvement makes transformation possible by degrees. Transformation by small steps is lower risk and easier to get started.

Why take a Fresh Approach to RPA?

The benefits of RPA are well documented – but the traditional delivery model involves significant investment, takes time to deploy – meaning that it might be over 12 months before a net pay-back is achieved.

Being able to release humans from manual tasks in days / weeks – and to achieve immediate pay-back creates new opportunities.

For organisations who would like to transform systems and processes but budget and resource is thinly spread – it creates the capacity for change
Organisations who feel hamstrung by legacy systems can find the approach particularly effective – as we discuss in more detail in this article
For organisations who have invested in transforming systems it frees up the staff who have to pick up the residual or consequential tasks – typically higher skilled people who could be doing something more valuable
For organisations in the midst of transformation, it frees up the time to make a smooth transition – making the launch of new systems / processes a less painful experience

Deploying a software robot – in our case, Jo – without up-front investment and only paying for the work that Jo does creates flexibility, agility and reduces costs.