Robotic process automation is reworking supply chains
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a powerful set of digital tools that is poised to have a dramatic effect on the services industry, particularly the business process industry. RPA tools automate well-understood processes currently being done by hand and that have been outsourced. But from our findings in my employer Everest Group’s Pinnacle Model research on enterprises that undertake digital journeys, we believe companies will inevitably apply RPA to work that is not currently outsourced. This will radically change the supply chain of services over the next five years.
Why RPA is so attractive to enterprises
Well over a third – and in many cases – perhaps as much as 80 perc of currently outsourced business process work – can and will be automated using tools such as RPA. These tools are basically software sitting on a virtual server, which can be spun up at time and shut down when the work is finished. RPA software performs SOP (standard operating procedures) work that has been previously outsourced to low-cost human labor (“human robots” tightly conformed to the SOPs). Automation changes service delivery methods and allows companies to recruit, train and incentivize people for problem-solving work, rather than robotic work.
RPA adds two important components to the emerging digital platforms companies are developing. It’s an important part of a great data ingestion engine. It also acts as a core technology to the core systems integration layer that must be put in place for digital operations.
Read more in my CIO blog: https://www.cio.com/article/3269217/supply-chain-management/robotic-process-automation-is-reworking-supply-chains.html
