Till some time back, using an automation software to automate various business tasks was a high-tech concept way beyond the reach of many businesses and even IT firms. But now when you walk into the boardroom of multinationals and ask them how they streamline their business process, the first thing that pops up is process automation.
RPA or Robotic Process Automation is a technology that mimics the human actions that are associated with a multitude of businesses. The ‘robots’ involved in this process aren’t the robots in a physical sense, rather they are the software that are used in computers and works with all business applications. Their chief functions include collecting and comparing data from different systems, adjusting insurance claims, processing orders or doing anything that is predictable and repeatable.
In the order processing industry, RPA offers a lot of benefits by automating the order processing and fixing all the difficulties and loopholes of this industry with the help of various software.
Two of the biggest problems faced by this industry are:
1. Manual processing of purchase orders.
2. Non standard data in order information.
Due to the problems mentioned above, the staff members of an order processing company had to invest a lot of time in determining the instructions, comparing typical orders and shipping addresses so as to process the purchase order. The entire process usually took around 20-30 minutes which is surely an inordinate amount of time. The solution to this and all the other problems related to order processing automation was RPA. The technology can provide many benefits which will completely transform the future of order processing in the following ways:
- SAVES TIME
The RPA robots work behind the scene, verify the orders, pull out data from multiple systems, check the billing and delivery address and every other customer related information within the time span of a few seconds. In addition to this, they also ensure that there aren’t any duplicate orders. And if it is by any chance, the order is further sent to a staff member who resolves the issue manually. This means the entire task which previously took around 20 minutes to solve can now be done within seconds, and with more accuracy and precision.
- HANDLING COMPLEX WORKFLOWS
Earlier when the workload used to be complex or more than usual, the staff used to resort to ‘swivel-seating’ process between multiple systems wherein the staff members would spend an exorbitant amount of time in dealing with orders. Such slow service also negatively impacted the order fulfillment. But with the right blend of RPA tools, the multi-system work can be effectively done in a non intrusive manner due to which handling or accommodating complex workflows becomes easier than ever . A simple user interface also helps in putting the ‘swivel-seating’ process away.
- ROUND THE CLOCK OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY
Since RPA does not require any manual input, the software will make 24*7 operations feasible. Also, the speed of performing tasks of software is many times faster than a human. This will decrease the cycle times and enhance the accuracy and throughput.
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- FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility is an add-on benefit of using RPA for automating the order processing. Once you define the process and lay down the instructions that the robot software can execute, you can schedule the operation any time. Also, any number of robots can be deployed to work upon the project. In addition to this, you can always reassign tasks to a robot in case there is an influx of other important processes. Don’t underestimate the multitasking power of the bots of Robot Processing Automation!
- HIGH RETURNS ON INVESTMENT
RPA offers financial benefits to the company as well. Of course, such software can surely seem expensive but the cost of hiring additional employees to manage the order processing and the costly admin mistakes made due to a human error far surpass the cost of software! This is surely an attractive proposition for the order processing industry or any other kind of business.
According to a report by Deloitte, the operating costs of a robot is much lesser as compared to the cost of maintaining a full time labour force and it also adds to the quality of service being delivered. The technology, therefore, is a part of a much bigger revolution in the future of work and workplaces. There are many other additional benefits that RPA offers which also reinforce the fact that the software is and will continue to transform the future of order processing automation.
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Looking at all the plus points of RPA and its application in the organizations, it is clear that RPA is quietly but effectively transforming the way work is done in the order processing industry. However, a few pointers need to be kept mind. The companies using the automation process should take data protection and cyber security very seriously. In addition to this, companies must ensure that all the aspects of implementation in terms of people, technology and processes are well in place.
There is indeed a bright future ahead for RPA. While today RPA in the order processing industry works in a rule based format, it will very soon push the boundaries and eventually will be adapted to meet diverse needs. It is true that such an automation will lead to loss of a few jobs, but this automation also has the potential to completely transform the way an organization works and many new opportunities are likely to pop up.
To sum up, RPA is definitely the next big transformation in the order processing industry that will add to the efficiency of the company and catering to the regular work of the company in a time efficient manner. Improved order quality, reduced order-fulfillment time and savings in the order rework costs are the primary plus points of using it in the order processing industry. This will drastically change the way work is attended to in all the companies thus making the employees more work focused and positively impacting the sustainable strategy and overall working of the company.
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