The global demand for automation has increased substantially in recent years, which has also translated into a massive offering. Today there is a large pool of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation (IA) providers. While having a wide range of options has obvious benefits, it can also present several challenges for organizations looking to adopt a solution that can fit their business needs.
The selected automation solution will either make or break an automation project. As the goals of such projects are often linked to targeted business outcomes like increased efficiency, cost reduction, faster time to market and increased employee satisfaction, the stakes are high.
Automation with digital workers can be deployed in small and medium processes and workflows, but it can also reshape an enterprise’s way of working to the core. Regardless of the scenario, we believe that automation can and should be a huge leap forward for all companies that work with rule-based processes regularly.
Yet as with other game-changing solutions, finding the right fit can be a troubled road. Therefore, we compiled a list of seven aspects organizations should pay close attention to when prospecting for an automation company.
1. End-to-end abilities
Automation doesn’t always have to be a long journey, but it can turn into one. Organizations evolve over time, and so do their needs from automation. As things change, digital workers must be brought up to speed, and taught new workflows and processes. No-code solutions like Atomatik use simplicity to empower human business users to make these changes themselves. However, some automation projects require expert input, highlighting the importance of a reliable connection between customer and provider. The first needs to be able to pull in the latter whenever necessary.
2. A vision for scalability
A competent automation provider should be able to scan and identify potential use cases for automation within the organization. This implies having a holistic view on the potential of the solution and the knowledge to scale to other areas of the organization without the need to start over every time.
3. Solution consistency
Will the automation solution come with high maintenance costs or lower ones? Will it be consistent or buggy and in need of constant support? The automation provider should address these concerns ahead of time, with facts and examples, to clarify everything all the aspects surrounding the robustness of the solution.
4. Industry-specific experience
One of automation’s most powerful assets is its versatility. The potential use cases are almost unlimited, wherever business processes are involved. Yet each industry has specific requirements and regulations that businesses operate under. An ESG automation project will be different from a finance one. Companies should look for automation providers with industry-specific knowledge, especially when operating in highly regulated environments. This will avoid potential obstacles and risks down the line.
5. The right combination of technical expertise and business knowledge
Both RPA and IA are available today from a wide range of providers, from software companies to independent consultancy firms. One indicator of a good automation partner is a fine balance between a strong product and proven consulting experience. A good product is to be desired in all scenarios.
Yet the product alone can only do so much without a dedicated team of experts to back it up. They should be able to identify business processes and help the client optimize them while leveraging effective development skills.
6. A healthy sense of innovation
A company’s ability to innovate should be reflected in its products and services, but for a dependable automation partner, innovation should extend to highlighting new or better ways to enhance an organization’s business processes.
7. A cultural fit
Finally, a good cultural match is oftentimes a predictor of a successful collaboration. Yet it often gets overlooked. It is also the only item on this list that can be exceedingly difficult to influence. A reliable automation partner will ensure a good start to the automation project, going through the established roadmap all the way to the support and maintenance phases. This will breed confidence in the business relationship between the two parties, laying the foundation for a medium- to long-term partnership. Loss of valuable resources could be prevented by tuning into a more subjective side of the business and simply observing if the possibility of working with a provider feels right or not. Hopefully, you will find these guidelines useful in your search for the right automation provider. We at Atomatik firmly believe in all the points mentioned here and do everything in our power to enforce them when working with all our clients.
If you want to learn more about how Atomatik’s Intelligent Automation platform can help your business goals, book a call with our sales team today.