Author
Kieran GilmurrayThe Automation Dilemma: Efficiency gains, yes. Budget-busting costs, sometimes.
Automation has become a cornerstone of modern business, streamlining operations, boosting efficiency, and freeing up valuable resources. Yet, creating and keeping RPA and automation programs running can become expensive. CEOs and CTOs face a constant challenge: how do they reap automation’s rewards while controlling costs?
Here are 6 battle-tested strategies to help you supercharge your automation ROI and slash your costs:
1. Negotiate Harder with Vendors Over Longer RPA Automation Contract Periods
Remember, negotiation is a two-way street. Vendors will push for longer deals to help their bottom line, but locking your organization into longer contracts also gives you leverage. Think “price is what you pay, value is what you get” (Warren Buffet). Demand bigger licence discounts for signing longer deals e.g., 2, 3 and 5-year deals.
2. Leverage External Expertise to Reduce Internal Costs
Attempting to navigate the complexities of automation implementation and management without external support can be costly. Outsourcing bot support can be a very cost-effective exercise. Partnering with experienced providers like Acronotics allows you to leverage external expertise and resources while minimizing internal COE staffing and training expenses.
As management guru Peter Drucker famously advised, “Do what you do best and outsource the rest.” You can save a lot of money without losing quality or speed by concentrating on key automation skills and letting external experts handle important, but less crucial tasks.
3. Streamline Operations Orchestration with Radium.ai and a COE
Centralizing control and streamlining operations are essential components of any successful automation program. Using platforms like Radium.ai and establishing a dedicated Center of Excellence (COE) provide a more complete approach for controlling and planning bot deployments. Setting up a robotics control room helps use developer resources better, reduce repeated code, and improve your automation program’s efficiency. Well-run bot operations make it easier to grow and adapt, keeping your automation efforts flexible for changing business demands.
4. Only Greenlight Profitable RPA Automation Programs
Not every automation effort is equally effective. Setting up strong governance for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) automation ensures that only beneficial projects proceed. It’s important to establish specific policies, standards, and governance rules to avoid expensive mistakes and make sure RPA automation aligns with business objectives. Good governance goes beyond control—it’s about maximizing your investment returns. Approach automation like any IT project: assess its value carefully, set clear goals, and monitor its performance to guarantee it meets expectations.
5. Reuse Code Blocks in your RPA and Automation Workflows
Reusing RPA code not only saves time and resources but also promotes teamwork and knowledge exchange in your company. As software engineer Jeff Atwood famously quipped, “The best code is no code at all.” By leveraging existing code snippets and libraries, developers can expedite the development process, reduce the likelihood of errors, and promote consistency across projects.
Code reuse saves time and resources and facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing within your organization. Encourage your bot development teams to adopt a modular approach to coding, emphasizing the creation of reusable components and libraries that can be leveraged across multiple projects. This practice not only accelerates development cycles and cuts the cost of your automation program, but it also fosters innovation and agility.
6. Nip Problems in the Bud: Embrace RCPS and RPA in Automation Code Best Practices
Proactive problem-solving is key to cost control. Regularly address Root Cause Problem Solving (RCPS) issues by implementing code best practices. This prevents recurring issues, reduces maintenance costs, and minimizes downtime. Training your team on code best practices further enhances their productivity and work quality. Remember Richard Branson’s words: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”By prioritizing continuous improvement and fostering a culture of accountability and innovation, you can mitigate risk, optimize bot performance, and enhance the overall effectiveness of your automation initiatives.
Conclusion: The RPA and Automation ROI Revolution Starts Now
Cutting costs and boosting ROI in your RPA automation program doesn’t require magic. It demands a strategic approach, and the above 6 powerful strategies are your roadmap to success. Using negotiation, outsourcing, smart tools, governance, operations orchestration, code reuse, and staff training effectively can greatly enhance the value your RPA automation program brings to your organization. Keep this in focus, and your journey to high return on automation investment can begin now!
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