Four common intelligent automation myths you need to stop believing

Intelligent automation (IA) enables organizations across industries to automate routine, repetitive tasks that once consumed countless human work hours. Despite its proven track record of success, misconceptions around intelligent automation continue to circulate. Digital workers powered by IA create barriers to adoption and prevent businesses from fully utilizing their potential benefits and range from concerns about workforce displacement to questions about implementation complexity and scalability.

Intelligent automation technology is evolving and becoming more sophisticated, accessible and integrated with complementary technologies like robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). By debunking the common misconceptions, organizations can make more informed decisions about how to incorporate intelligent automation into their digital transformation strategies.

Myth: Intelligent automation is only for large enterprises

Fact: There is a common misconception that IA is only viable for large corporations with big budgets. The fact is automation can benefit organizations of all sizes. Many IA vendors offer scalable pricing models and cloud-based options have made the technology more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. The return on investment (ROI) of IA is often most dramatic in large organizations which traditionally have higher transaction volumes but both small and medium sized organization can usually find use cases with significant enough ROI to warrant deploying a digital workforce to take on repetitive tasks. Even automating a single process like invoice processing, customer onboarding or data validation, can deliver time and cost savings for smaller enterprises. Small and mid-sized businesses often have less complex legacy systems and more agile decision-making processes, which actually accelerate RPA adoption.

Myth: RPA will replace human workers

Fact: One of the most persistent myths about automation is that it aims to replace human employees. In reality, RPA is designed to augment human capabilities, not replace them. Automation excels at handling repetitive, rule-based tasks and lacks the creativity, emotional intelligence and critical thinking that humans bring to the workplace.

Organizations implementing RPA usually deploy their workforce to lead more strategic and value-adding tasks. Additionally, employees who worked on repetitive and manual data entry or reconciliation processes can focus on customer engagement, problem-solving and innovation. Research indicates that while automation may displace certain tasks, it also creates roles that require unique human skills like creativity and complex problem-solving. The most successful automation strategies focus on task automation rather than job elimination. This, in turn, creates collaborative environments where humans and digital workers complement each other’s strengths.

Myth: RPA only works for simple processes

Fact: A persistent myth is that RPA only handles simple, straightforward processes. Modern RPA technology solutions can manage complex workflows and decision-based processes. With advancements in cognitive capabilities and integration with AI technologies, RPA can now handle tasks that require judgment and decision-making.

Integrated with artificial intelligence and machine learning, today’s intelligent automation tools can recognize patterns, process unstructured data and even learn from human interactions. For example, RPA combined with natural language processing (NLP) can analyze customer emails, determine intent and route accordingly. Similarly, the evolution of attended and unattended bots working in tandem has also expanded RPA’s capabilities for handling complex processes. This “human in the loop” approach allows bots to manage routine aspects of complex processes while handing off exceptions to human workers, creating a hybrid workflow that maximizes efficiency while maintaining compliance in intricate business processes.

Myth: RPA implementation costs are prohibitively high

Fact: There is a perception that automation implementation requires huge upfront investment with uncertain returns. Whereas the cost structure of RPA solutions has evolved, making it accessible to organizations with varied budgets and needs. Most organizations achieve positive ROI within 12 months of implementation, with some seeing payback periods as short as three to six months for targeted processes.

The cost-benefit equation becomes favorable when considering the total value of automation beyond direct labor savings. This includes improved accuracy (reducing costly errors and rework), faster processing times (enhancing customer satisfaction), improved compliance (reducing regulatory penalties) and data capture for analytics (enabling better decision-making).

Unlock the true potential of RPA with Baker Tilly

Baker Tilly can help you cut through the noise and misconceptions surrounding RPA to harness its real value. When paired with ERP solutions like Deltek Costpoint, RPA becomes even more useful for enterprises. Our team of RPA and Deltek experienced professionals work closely with you to assess your business needs, design automation strategies and implement automation solutions that align with your organization’s goals. From seamless integration with your existing systems to advanced analytics and reporting, our RPA solutions drive efficiency across your organization.

Are you a Deltek Costpoint user interested in utilizing intelligent automation within your solution? Check out our webinar to learn more about how you can improve efficiency.