But what exactly are these technologies, and how do they work together?

Jump To:

1. What is a CRM?
2. Who Uses a CRM?
3. How Can RPA improve CRM?
4. Global Brands Using RPA and CRM
5. Are CRMs Only for Global Businesses?
6. Sector-Specific Examples of RPA & CRM

What is a CRM?

Customer relationship management, or CRM, refers to the tools, strategies and processes that a business uses to manage interactions with its customers.

This includes capturing customer data to better understand their preferences and behaviours, as well as streamlining customer-facing processes such as sales, marketing and customer service.

CRM systems are typically designed to help businesses improve customer engagement and drive growth by providing a comprehensive view of the customer journey.

Who Uses a CRM?

CRM systems are used by a variety of businesses across different industries, including retail, finance, healthcare and more.

They are especially valuable for businesses that have high volumes of customer interactions or complex sales cycles.

For example, a large e-commerce platform may use a CRM to consolidate customer data from various channels (e.g. website, social media, chatbots) to optimise their marketing campaigns and provide personalised recommendations to customers.

How Can RPA improve CRM?

Robotic process automation, or RPA, is a technology that automates routine, repetitive tasks, such as data entry or form filling.

By applying RPA to CRM processes, businesses can reduce the time and effort required to manage customer data and transactions. This not only frees up time for customer-facing employees to focus on more strategic tasks but also reduces the risk of errors and improves data accuracy.

Examples of Existing Global Brands Using RPA and CRM Together

Many global brands have already embraced RPA as a way to enhance their CRM capabilities.

Coca-Cola

For instance, Coca-Cola implemented RPA to automate its order processing, resulting in faster turnaround times and increased accuracy.

Vodafone

Similarly, Vodafone has used RPA for purchase orders.

Before the switch, Vodafone were completing 73% of POs accurately on the first attempt.

However, after implementing RPA in the process, that figure rose to 85% within six months.

Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank, a leading financial institution, leveraged RPA to automate their regular compliance checks, significantly reducing processing time and increasing accuracy.

Walmart

In retail, Walmart used RPA for its invoice processing, reducing discrepancies and ensuring timely payments.

Expedia

In the travel industry, Expedia has harnessed the power of RPA and CRM to unify employee journeys and streamline its customer service operations.

With the application of RPA, routine tasks such as booking confirmations and cancellations are handled swiftly and accurately, enhancing the customer experience.

Orange

In the telecommunications sector, Orange, a leading telecom company, implemented RPA in their CRM to automate the process of validating contracts and activating services for new customers.

This has not only reduced manual work and errors but also improved the speed of service activation, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

Toyota

In the manufacturing industry, Toyota has paired RPA with their CRM to handle high volume, low complexity tasks, such as managing parts inventory and tracking shipments. This has allowed Toyota to deliver products faster and more accurately, fostering greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

These examples highlight the versatile applications of RPA in different sectors, reinforcing its potential to drive significant improvements in CRM performance.

Are CRMs Only for Global Businesses?

Not at all. While the use of CRM systems is prevalent among global businesses, they are by no means exclusive to them.

In fact, small businesses can greatly benefit from implementing a CRM system. CRM tools can help small businesses manage customer data, track leads and analyse customer behaviour, all of which are crucial for growth.

Many CRM systems are scalable, meaning they can grow alongside your business, making them a smart investment for businesses of any size.

From a local bakery maintaining a loyal customer base to a start-up tech company aiming to expand, the strategic use of CRM can catalyse business growth and customer satisfaction across the board.

Sector-Specific Examples of RPA and CRM Working in Tandem

RPA can also be applied to specific industries to improve CRM outcomes.

For example, the healthcare industry can benefit from RPA in areas such as appointment scheduling and claims processing.

In finance, RPA can automate processes such as account opening and loan processing. By automating these tasks, businesses can improve efficiency and accuracy, leading to better customer satisfaction and retention.

In the logistics sector, RPA integrated with CRM can streamline inventory management and order tracking.

For instance, a logistics company can use RPA to automate the updating of stock quantities in real time, reducing discrepancies and ensuring accurate information is relayed to customers. This enhances customer experience by providing reliable and timely information about their orders.

In the hospitality industry, RPA can assist with tasks such as room booking and customer feedback collection. When integrated with a CRM system, this allows for a more personalised service to each guest.

For example, remembering a guest’s room preferences for future bookings or addressing specific concerns raised in feedback can improve guest satisfaction and loyalty.

In the education sector, universities and colleges can use RPA to automate processes like student registration and course enrolment, significantly reducing administrative workload.

When combined with a CRM system, educational institutions can track a student’s journey more comprehensively, ensuring the right support and resources are provided at each stage.

In the manufacturing industry, RPA can assist with tasks such as production scheduling and quality control.

By integrating these automated processes with a CRM system, companies can better manage customer expectations about product availability and quality, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction.

RPA can be a game-changer for businesses looking to improve their CRM capabilities. By automating routine tasks, businesses can free up time for more strategic work, reduce errors and improve the overall customer experience.

As more industries adopt RPA, we can expect to see even greater benefits in terms of operational efficiency, cost savings and customer satisfaction.

If you want to know more, or get started with implementing RPA with CRM, contact us today. Our RPA experts would be more than happy to discuss all of the options available.

You can also use the “Book a Demo” button and we’ll get back to you.

The post The Benefits of Using RPA in CRM appeared first on Robocloud.

Jump to:

1. Defining Software Bots
2. What Is a Digital Worker?
3. Types of Digital Workers
4. The Role of Digital Workers in Different Industries
5. Advantages of Digital Workers
6. Challenges and Limitations of Digital Workers
7. The Future of Digital Workers

Defining Software Bots

A software bot is a computer program that operates autonomously to carry out specific tasks. These bots are created to complete simple, repetitive tasks, leaving more complex jobs to human employees.

They can be programmed in numerous ways, depending on the type of task they are required to complete. They can interact with software, browse the web, input data and extract information, all of which save time and effort.

Their autonomy means that they don’t require breaks, don’t make mistakes and don’t take holidays.

What Is a Digital Worker?

In the past, when the question “what is a digital worker” was asked, it would’ve generally described somebody with digital skills.

Now, however, when we talk about digital workers, we are referring to software bots that have been designed to act and work like a human.

As previously mentioned, they’re programmed to understand intent, recognise natural language and perform a range of tasks that require perception, reasoning and decision-making.

In other words, they’re designed to mimic human behaviour. Digital workers can perform a range of tasks, from customer service to finance and accounting, and even healthcare.

Types of Digital Workers

There are several types of digital workers, including chatbots, AI assistants and robotic process automation (RPA).

Chatbots are becoming more popular in the customer service industry and have been known to interact with customers, answer questions and resolve issues. Many companies are now using them across a range of lead generation platforms, such as their own websites and social media messaging.

AI assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, are becoming more advanced with voice recognition and natural language processing. There are even rumours that Apple is looking at making Siri even smarter by implementing a ChatGPT style AI feature.

RPA bots are designed to automate processes that are time-consuming and repetitive, such as invoicing and data entry.

These different technologies can also work together to bolster outputs.

The Role of Digital Workers in Different Industries

Digital workers have the potential to transform any business, regardless of its industry.

With that being said, some industries have already begun to utilise digital workers to a high degree.

For example, in healthcare RPA settings, digital workers can reduce administrative tasks so that medical professionals can spend more time focused on patient care.

In banking and financial services, RPA bots can automate tasks such as account reconciliations and regulatory compliance.

With regards to the construction industry, digital workers play a critical role in enhancing efficiency and accuracy. For instance, AI-powered bots are employed for tasks like project estimation and risk assessment, while drones provide real-time project monitoring and site inspection.

When it comes to health and safety, AI-driven digital workers are being used to automate the process of hazard identification and risk assessment. They can review vast amounts of safety data, identify patterns and provide actionable insights to prevent workplace accidents.

The pharmaceutical sector, on the other hand, understands that digital workers are revolutionising the way in which research is conducted. They can screen vast libraries of compounds for potential therapeutic effects, significantly accelerating the drug discovery process. On top of this, RPA bots are employed to manage complex regulatory compliance tasks, reducing the potential for human error.

The education industry is also not left behind. AI-powered chatbots are increasingly being used to provide 24/7 student support, answering queries and offering personalised learning resources. AI-based grading bots are emerging, reducing the workload of educators and providing students with immediate feedback on their assignments.

Advantages of Digital Workers

There are numerous advantages of using digital workers in a business setting, including, but not limited to, the following:

• They’re efficient, reliable and can work 24/7
• They save businesses money on salaries and employee benefits
• They can automate repetitive, mundane tasks, leaving employees to focus on more complex, strategic issues
• By automating repetitive tasks, it frees up employees to work on more fulfilling tasks and projects

Challenges and Limitations of Digital Workers

Despite their many advantages, digital workers are not without limitations and challenges.

One of the biggest challenges is technical issues. Bots can malfunction, and it can be challenging to diagnose and repair these issues.

Bots are also limited in their understanding of complex tasks, which means humans will always be essential for strategic decision-making and advanced problem-solving.

That said, the right balance of human and RPA input has helped a huge number of companies reimagine their processes and kick on to the next level.

The Future of Digital Workers

The future of digital workers looks bright.

The predicted trends indicate that the market for digital workers will continue to grow, with more industries adopting automation.

As technology improves, so too will the functionality and capabilities of digital workers. They will become more sophisticated, better equipped to handle complex tasks and capable of learning from problem-solving situations.

Ultimately, this will lead to a more productive and efficient workforce.

There’s no better time than now to start considering how these digital workers can streamline processes, boost efficiency and free your human employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

Take the first step towards a more innovative and productive future for your business by investigating the possibilities that digital workers offer.

Get in touch with the team at Robocloud today to discover how we can help your business get started with digital workers.

The post What Is a Digital Worker? Understanding Software Bots appeared first on Robocloud.

There are a number of differences between RPA and AI, but these technologies can be used together. There are, however, numerous challenges businesses face when implementing RPA and AI getting started with these technologies.

Jump to:

1. What is RPA?
2. How does RPA work?
3. How is RPA Different from AI?
4. How are RPA and AI used together?
5. Industries that Can Benefit from RPA and AI
6. Real World Examples of Global Companies Using RPA and AI
7. Challenges to Implementing RPA and AI
8. How to Get Started with RPA and AI

What is RPA?

RPA is a technology that automates repetitive, rule-based tasks. This can range from copying and pasting data into spreadsheets to filling out forms. RPA is typically used for back-office operations, such as in finance and accounting, human resources and supply chain management.

These tasks can be as simple as copy-pasting data from one spreadsheet to another, or as complex as processing transactions, dealing with data manipulation, triggering responses and communicating with other digital systems. In essence, if there’s a high-volume, business-rules-driven, repeatable process performed by humans, it can probably be automated by RPA.

How does RPA work?

RPA automates processes by using said bots that can complete tasks in the same way a human would. This means that the bots can interact with different systems and applications to complete a task. RPA uses “scripts,” which are sets of instructions that tell the bots what to do. These scripts can either be created by the user or generated by the RPA software.

They can also be programmed to learn how to perform tasks more efficiently over time. Akin to a virtual worker, they interact with systems and applications by using the user interface in the same way a human would. Some RPA systems also use machine learning algorithms to enable bots to learn and improve over time.

These bots can autonomously learn how to perform tasks more efficiently by analysing the results of their previous actions and refining their approaches. They can also adapt to changing circumstances without the need for human intervention, making them a valuable tool for continuous process improvement.

One of the most powerful features of RPA is its ability to integrate with various applications and systems. Regardless of the underlying technology, RPA bots can work across several applications simultaneously, just like a human user would be able to.

This ability to work in parallel across multiple systems, coupled with their 24/7 operational capacity, allows them to process vast volumes of data and tasks at an unprecedented speed and accuracy, thereby boosting productivity and reducing operational costs.

However, it’s important to understand that while RPA can automate tasks that are rule-based and repetitive, it lacks the cognitive capabilities to understand context or make decisions, unlike its AI counterparts. But when combined with AI, RPA can unlock even greater potential, creating a synergy where RPA handles repetitive tasks and AI provides decision-making capabilities.

Robocloud are leading providers of Robotic Process Automation services – get in touch with us today for more

How is RPA different from AI?

While RPA focuses on automating tasks, AI is designed to mimic human intelligence. AI-based systems can learn and adapt based on the data they are given. For instance, AI can be used to recognise patterns in data to make predictions or decisions.

Strictly speaking, RPA cannot perform such tasks since it is limited to automating tasks based on rules. While RPA and AI are both used for automation, they are designed to perform different types of tasks.

RPA and AI, despite often being used in conjunction with one another, are not interchangeable and serve unique purposes in the realm of automation technologies. RPA is primarily designed to automate routine, rule-based tasks that require no decision-making or cognitive abilities.

Its main function is to mimic the actions of a human user, following a predefined sequence of steps to perform tasks such as data entry, form filling and file moving. The strength of RPA lies in its ability to perform these tasks quickly, accurately and tirelessly, thereby enhancing productivity and reducing the risk of human error.

On the other hand, AI is a broader concept that encompasses the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines. Unlike RPA, AI is designed to learn, adapt and even make decisions based on the data it processes. This involves complex capabilities, such as natural language processing, speech recognition and machine learning.

For instance, AI can analyse patterns in large volumes of data, draw insights from them and make predictive or prescriptive decisions. It can also understand and respond to natural language queries, or even recognise images and objects. These are tasks far beyond the scope of RPA.

In essence, while RPA is excellent for automating repetitive tasks, AI is geared towards tasks that require understanding, learning and decision-making. Both have their unique strengths and roles in the automation landscape and, when used together, they can drive significant efficiencies and innovation in business operations.

How are RPA and AI used together?

As already touched upon, RPA and AI can be used together to create a more efficient and effective automation system. For example, an RPA bot could be used to extract data from a source, while an AI system could be used to analyse the data. This would allow businesses to gain insights quickly and accurately. Combining RPA and AI also allows businesses to automate more complex tasks that require both processing streams.

Industries that can benefit from RPA and AI

RPA and AI have applications across many industries. There isn’t really a sector or industry that the two can’t be applied to. There are some sectors which are using the technologies to great potential.

Banking and Finance

In the banking and financial services industry, for example, RPA is used for tasks such as loan processing, account opening and anti-money laundering checks. AI is used for fraud detection, credit assessment and investment analysis.

In finance, both RPA and AI have emerged as game-changers, driving efficiency, accuracy and cost-effectiveness. RPA, with its ability to automate repetitive tasks, plays a crucial role in streamlining processes like loan processing and account opening.

It can swiftly carry out tasks such as data entry, document verification and compliance checks, reducing processing time and eliminating human errors. For example, an RPA bot can be programmed to gather necessary documents, verify the information and process a loan application.

This significantly reduces the time taken to complete the process, thereby improving customer experience. Similarly, RPA bots can automate the account opening process by verifying customer documents, inputting data into systems and even communicating with the customer for additional information if required.

On top of this, RPA is immensely useful in carrying out anti-money laundering checks. Given the large volumes of transactions, it’s humanly impossible to manually screen each one for suspicious activity. RPA bots can swiftly sift through these transactions, matching them against various risk parameters and flagging any potential issues for further investigation.

On the other hand, AI, with its cognitive capabilities, plays a pivotal role in areas like fraud detection, credit assessment and investment analysis. AI algorithms can analyse patterns in vast data sets to identify potential fraudulent activities. For instance, unusual patterns of transactions, such as high-value transactions at odd hours, can be flagged by AI systems for further investigation.

AI is also transforming credit assessment processes. By analysing a wide range of data points, including credit history, transaction patterns and even social media behaviour, AI can provide a more accurate assessment of a borrower’s creditworthiness. This not only speeds up the credit decision-making process, but it also helps in reducing the risk of defaults.

In the area of investment analysis, AI’s predictive capabilities are being harnessed for generating investment signals. By analysing historical data and market trends, AI can predict potential price movements, thereby aiding investment decisions. In summary, RPA and AI together are reshaping the banking and financial services industry, making it more efficient, customer-friendly and resilient to risks.

Healthcare

In the healthcare sector, RPA and AI technologies offer a myriad of benefits. RPA can be utilised to automate administrative tasks, such as patient scheduling, billing (in relevant cases) and record maintenance, which traditionally consume significant time and resources. This automation not only enhances efficiency, but it also reduces the potential for human errors, ensuring accurate and reliable data management.

AI, meanwhile, is revolutionising healthcare with capabilities, such as predictive diagnostics and personalised treatment plans. By analysing vast datasets, AI can detect patterns and make predictions that assist medical professionals in early diagnosis and intervention. It can also tailor treatment plans to individual patients based on their unique genetic makeup and medical history, thereby enhancing the efficacy of treatments and improving patient outcomes.

Retail

In the retail industry, both RPA and AI are transforming operations and customer experiences. RPA can streamline processes, such as inventory management, order processing and customer service, reducing operational costs and improving efficiency.

AI, on the other hand, is enhancing customer experiences through personalised recommendations based on past purchases and browsing behaviours. It can also predict future trends, enabling retailers to make informed decisions regarding stock management and marketing strategies.

RPA and AI have significant potential across a diverse array of industries, from banking and financial services to healthcare and retail. By automating routine tasks and providing intelligent insights, these technologies are driving operational efficiencies, improving customer experiences and shaping the future of business operations.

Education

The integration of AI and RPA in the education sector can automate administrative tasks, such as student enrolment and grade recording. For instance, RPA bots can extract student information from enrolment applications and enter this data into the institution’s database. Meanwhile, AI can analyse student performance data to predict future performance and identify students who may need extra support.

Manufacturing

RPA and AI can revolutionise the manufacturing process. RPA can automate important tasks, such as order processing and inventory management, saving time and reducing errors. Meanwhile, AI can enable predictive maintenance by analysing data from machinery to predict potential breakdowns before they occur, drastically reducing downtime.

Travel and Hospitality

The combination of AI and RPA for travel and tourism can enhance customer experience and streamline operational processes. For instance, RPA can automate processes, such as booking confirmations, cancellations and refund processing. Concurrently, AI can be used to provide personalised travel recommendations to customers based on their preferences and past behaviour. There is more or less no end to the abilities of RPA and AI for processes involved.

Real World Examples of Global Companies Using RPA and AI

A whole host of globally recognised businesses are using RPA and AI in their everyday operations. Across a number of sectors and industries, some of the biggest brands in the world are taking advantage.

IBM

IBM, a globally recognised technology company, extensively uses RPA and AI together, especially in their Watson platform. Watson pairs AI and RPA to automate and optimise processes, delivering efficiencies that can be scaled across the business.

For instance, IBM Watson Assistant, an AI product, is used to automate the customer service experience, capable of handling common customer inquiries without human interaction. When paired with RPA, Watson Assistant can not only interact with customers but also complete tasks such as updating customer information in backend systems.

Amazon

Another example is Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce platform. Amazon leverages AI and RPA in its operations to enhance the customer shopping experience and optimise its supply chain. Amazon’s AI algorithms provide personalised product recommendations based on customers’ browsing and purchasing history. At the same time, RPA is used in inventory management, automatically updating stock levels and triggering reorders when necessary.

JPMorgan Chase

In the financial sector, JPMorgan Chase, a leading global financial services firm, has innovatively used RPA and AI in its COIN (Contract Intelligence) system. The COIN system uses AI to interpret commercial-loan agreements, which earlier consumed thousands of hours of work each year by lawyers and loan officers. RPA technology is also used for regulatory and compliance checks, which are critical yet time-consuming tasks.

Google

Another compelling example of RPA and AI integration can be seen in the operations of Google, a global technology giant. Google uses a powerful blend of AI and RPA to enhance its search engine capabilities and automate complex data analysis tasks.

Google’s AI algorithms, such as RankBrain, use machine learning to understand the context and user intent behind search queries, therefore delivering more accurate and useful search results. At the same time, RPA is used to scrape, compile and analyse large volumes of data from various sources, automating tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming and prone to human error.

As well as this, Google’s digital advertising platform, Google Ads, uses AI to optimise ad targeting and bid management, while RPA automates the creation and scheduling of advertisement campaigns. This combination of technologies enables businesses to reach the right audience at the right time, thereby maximising return on advertising spend.

Challenges to implementing RPA and AI

Although RPA and AI are recognised as being able to streamline processes and decision making, as with any technology, there can be potential roadblocks

Legacy Systems

Implementing RPA and AI can be a challenge for businesses, especially if they have legacy systems. Legacy systems can pose significant challenges when attempting to implement advanced technologies such as RPA and AI.

The primary reason is that these older systems were not designed with RPA and AI in mind, and thus may lack the necessary interfaces for RPA bots to interact with, or they might not produce data in a format that AI systems can easily process.

Legacy systems also often exist in silos, making it difficult to automate processes that span multiple different systems. Given the age of some of the older systems, legacy systems may not be able to handle the volume of data processing required by AI algorithms, potentially leading to system overloads or data bottlenecks.

As such, businesses with legacy systems may need to invest in modernising their infrastructure before they can fully leverage the benefits of RPA and AI. Of course, auditing systems would help identify any such needs.

Employee Resistance

Businesses may also face resistance from employees who fear that the technology will replace their jobs.

Employees may be against AI and RPA for several reasons, including the following:

• Fear of job displacement, because AI and RPA are capable of automating routine tasks, workers who perform these tasks might worry about their roles becoming redundant
• Introduction of these technologies could mean that employees have to upskill or reskill to remain relevant, leading to concerns about their ability to adapt to new tools or methodologies
• There may also be a general resistance to change, particularly among employees who are comfortable with existing systems and processes

Cost

As with any business expense, especially those that can be considered on the higher end of the scale, cost is a major factor. The initial investment for AI and RPA technologies can be high, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.

There are a number of expenses to consider across a range of departments and subjects, including the price of software, infrastructure in place or needed and the training required to use these technologies effectively.

To make this even harder, there isn’t really really a single price point for cost associated with the running of RPA and AI. Each company will be unique in their requirements and, as such, a one size fits all approach to these technologies generally isn’t available. This means that even a rough cost can’t be accurately calculated without the assistance of suppliers and providers of any new items or training that might be needed.

Data Privacy

Another challenge comes in the form of data privacy. When implementing AI and RPA, businesses must ensure all automated processes are compliant with data protection regulations. This can be particularly complex when dealing with sensitive data or operating across international borders where regulations may vary.

Inexperienced in-house operations may simply not be aware of how software should approach privacy. RPA as a Service providers, such as Robocloud, implement several measures to ensure data privacy in compliance with various international regulations.

• Employ encryption for all data, both at rest and in transit, to safeguard it from unauthorised access
• Follow the principle of least privilege, granting access rights only to those who require them to perform their duties
• Data masking is another technique commonly used where sensitive information in a database is replaced with fictitious yet realistic data, ensuring the data’s utility while protecting its confidentiality
• Regularly conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and address any potential weaknesses in their systems
• Audit trails also play a critical role, logging each action on the system to provide complete transparency and facilitate any necessary investigations
• Ensure compliance with specific data protection regulations, such as GDPR in the European Union, through features like consent management and right to erasure

Skilled Workforce

A potential lack of skilled workforce can be a significant obstacle. Successful implementation of RPA and AI requires specialised skill sets.

It may be challenging to find employees with the necessary skills to manage and maintain these systems, and training existing staff can be a lengthy process. This can tie into the cost aspect as there will undoubtedly be either a cost associated with training, or a cost associated with hiring additional staff.

While AI and RPA offer significant potential benefits, businesses must navigate these challenges carefully for successful implementation.

How to get started with RPA and AI

Getting started with RPA and AI requires businesses to have a comprehensive understanding of their processes. This means conducting a process analysis to identify the tasks that can be automated.

Once a task has been identified, businesses need to select the right automation tools that fit their needs. Businesses need to build a skilled team that can oversee the implementation of the technology. This team needs to have expertise in areas such as programming, data science and process analysis.

Companies like Robocloud are making the deployment of RPA more accessible by offering it as a service. This effectively eliminates the need for businesses to shoulder the cost of infrastructure, software and the hiring and training of a dedicated team.

Robocloud manages the implementation, maintenance and scalability of the RPA system, allowing businesses to focus on their core activities. We provide expert consultation to identify processes that would benefit from automation and design bespoke RPA solutions to meet the unique needs of each business. By offering RPA as a service, we are empowering businesses to harness the benefits of automation without the associated challenges and costs.

Moving Forward

While RPA and AI may sound similar, they are actually two distinct technologies. Where RPA focuses on automating tasks, AI aims to mimic human intelligence. However, when used together, RPA and AI can create a more efficient and effective automation system. Businesses that are looking to get started with RPA and AI need to have a clear understanding of their processes and the right tools to support them. Despite the challenges that businesses face when implementing RPA and AI, the benefits of these technologies make them worth investing in.

The post Is RPA a Form of AI? How Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence Work Hand in Hand appeared first on Robocloud.

RPA should be looked at more like software and it can be used highly-effectively in order to improve the customer service you’re delivering. Let’s first discuss what RPA is and then we’ll delve into how it can help you on your customer experience journey.

What is RPA?

RPA came onto the scene, albeit in a very basic format, in the early 2000’s. As time has gone on, the technology has evolved and it’s now widely used as a way for businesses to complete laborious, time-consuming tasks in an instant, often executing many different jobs simultaneously. RPA should be viewed as a type of software that consists of “bots”. These bots are then used to perform jobs much like a human would do in the workplace.

You’ll be able to use RPA to complete a variety of jobs in a quick and efficient manner, often executing such tasks in a matter of seconds, where a human worker might need hours to complete the same job. RPA is used by companies as a way to enhance their employees’ capabilities and reduce their workloads, making RPA more of a companion than a threat that’s ready to take their jobs away. But that’s how it can benefit a business; what about your customers?

How can RPA improve your customer service?

RPA shouldn’t just be seen as something that can be used to eliminate laborious tasks. You need to think about the bigger picture if you’re looking to invest in RPA services, and part of that includes making sure you’re providing excellent customer service in order to keep people coming back and giving positive reviews. Here’s how RPA can improve the customer service you’re giving:

1. It enables you to focus on customers’ needs

RPA is used to execute a wide range of different tasks, whether they be simple or complex. While this occurs 24/7, your workers won’t have to focus their time on time-consuming activities anymore. Instead, they can use this new-found time to focus on the needs of the customer, responding to their queries and replying to any online reviews. It frees up more time for the customer rather than for business processes.

2. It allows you more time to respond to customers’ requests & reviews

As already touched upon, implementing RPA is as much about time-saving as it is cost-saving. RPA should be looked at as an investment by businesses, and for good reason. There are an extensive range of tasks that RPA can carry out and complete seamlessly and all without constant supervision. This allows you more time to meet your customers’ needs and wants as well as take the time to reply to their company reviews; both the good and the bad.

This shows the customer that you do have time for them, making them more likely that they’ll return to you or recommend your company to friends and/or family. If you use your new-found time to respond to negative reviews, this gives off a different impression to customers who weren’t so pleased with your service and/or products to begin with.

It shows them that you have taken the time to read through their review, you’ve acknowledged their criticism and you’re ready to use it constructively. This makes you seem far more forthcoming and approachable than if you didn’t respond to it at all. It also shows that you care about, not only your business and how it’s operating, but your customers as well.

3. You’ll be able to solve a problem quickly & reach a solution for the customer

With the time you have freed up through the use and implementation of RPA, you can make your customers a priority. You might have thought that they were already a priority in your business, but you might have unknowingly spent more time making sure that laborious processes were being completed and fixing bugs in software that just wasn’t up for the job, not in the same way that RPA is at least.

If you’re taking the time away from that and letting RPA take over, then you’ll have far more time and resources available to meet the needs of all of your customers as well as ensure a solution and resolution is reached no matter the goods and/or services you’re offering. The quicker you reach a solution with your customers, the happier they’ll become, especially if it’s come as a result of a complaint.

4. It reduces the chances of human error

RPA software not only executes boring, time-consuming tasks, but it also completes extremely important jobs, ones that are integral to the smooth running of any business. RPA, together with round-the-clock monitoring by your outsourced document management company, can carry out even the most complex of jobs in seconds.

If a human was left to complete the same tasks, not only could it take hours, but it could also be riddled with errors. If you rely on RPA to execute those tasks for you instead, then you’re eliminating the risk of human error, allowing for more accurate information and seamless data collection.

5. You’ll benefit from quick turnaround times

If you focus more of your time on the customer and the goods and/or services you have to offer, and less time on more time-consuming, boring tasks that RPA could do for you, then you’ll be surprised at how quickly your turnaround times can become. This is because you’ll be focusing entirely on your company’s operations, paying particular attention to picking processes and delivery times in particular, where applicable. The quicker your turnaround times are, the happier you’ll be making your customers.

Robo Cloud is proud to offer sterling RPA services that can be implemented and managed professionally by our team of dedicated specialists. If you would like further information about how we can help you today, get in touch with us at a time to suit you – we’re proud to serve clients throughout the UK.

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Document automation can sometimes be confused with taking the jobs of a human being, when in reality it is a supplementary tool for employees to improve their efficiency in the workplace. Automation is best suited for the following jobs:

• Opening emails and attachments
• Basic data entry
• Transferring files and folders
• Copying and pasting information
• Making calculations
• Analysing information and inserting it into databases

These tasks are typically viewed as low-value tasks that relieve employees of their time without generating much revenue, making them fit to transfer over to a robot. This allows employees to focus on more revenue-based tasks like customer experience and service and the pursuit of new clients and contracts.

Automation in Debt Recovery

Automation can perform tasks that usually take time from employees, such as scanning and uploading images and documents like Notice of Trials. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) extracts the relevant and important information from the document such as the Case Claim, Court Location, Trial Date, Pay Dates and Claimant. This data can then be configured to the clients’ specifications and normalised to fit in the legal case management system, Proclaim. All of these tasks would usually be performed by a human with varying levels of speed and accuracy. In contrast, with a robot, the speed is expedited greatly with a much greater level of accuracy, leaving your employees to focus on people-oriented tasks like following up on the debt recovery or claim.

Claims Management Case Study

Robocloud conducted a case study on one of our clients that utilised automation in their operations, Winn Solicitors. Winn Solicitors are a UK claims management company that offer no win, no fee services to its customers. They were looking for a solution that would reduce the amount of manual processing that their employees had to do to reduce the time spent on each case and ultimately provide a quicker outcome, thus improving customer satisfaction and revenue.

Robocloud took part in a consultancy day with Winn Solicitors to better understand their business operations in order to provide the best service and curated a bespoke model to provide a solution to their needs. This is what Robocloud provided:

• • Physical incoming court documents were automatically scanned and uploaded by Winn to a shared server.
  • OCR analysed documents to make them easy to retrieve with a word-based search.
  • Documents were identified and stored by type on the server.
  • ‘Semi-intelligent processing’ would be completed. For example, text such as “Reply within 14 days of this communication” is recognised, interpreted and turned into a data point.
  • The client ID and corresponding case are identified.
  • The robot navigates to the correct client/case In Proclaim and drags and drops the files from the shared server onto the Proclaim interface.
  • This triggers actions, tasks and workflow within Proclaim for the case handlers to access and process the file.
  • Robocloud also works in partnership with Zeus. Put simply, Zeus is a system that validates that all of the data is correct by cross-checking it back to the original case files, allowing for an increased level of accuracy across the board.

Ultimately, Winn found that each case handler spent 3 minutes less per case, resulting in a saving of 62 hours per week across the board, which allowed more time to be spent on people-oriented tasks that drive more customer satisfaction and revenue. In addition, the accuracy of each task improved, and the processing speed increased, allowing them to process more cases.

For more information about how Robocloud’s services can help aid your debt recovery company, get in touch with a member of our expert team by calling us on 0800 046 8086.

[1] (http://www.ccrmagazine.com/half-of-all-back-office-processes-to-be-automated-within-a-decade/),

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Businesses of all sizes have begun to take heed of the importance that technology has to the scalability, efficiency and longevity of their operations. Whether it’s implementing Artificial Intelligence to single out the very best candidates in their recruitment pool or applying machine learning technology to highlight shortcomings in processes. However, Robotic Process Automation, or RPA for short, sits head and shoulders above the rest for its applications to business functions. But, what are the actual benefits that RPA can bring to your business operation?

If you’ve considered different options to increase the efficiency and accuracy of your everyday tasks and processes, RPA is the answer to your prayers, as we’ll illustrate below.

The post Top Five Ways Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Can Boost Your Business appeared first on Robocloud.

Robocloud Overview from Cleardata on Vimeo.

 Talk to our human team today about how RPA as a service can aid you with competitive intelligence and help build a competitive pricing strategy – Call us on 0800 046 8086 or Contact Us

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The post Legal Claims Handling – RPA appeared first on Robocloud.

Our robots are more than capable of process automation to the point where the only time a human needs to get involved is to speak to a customer directly. If you’re dealing with a large volume of enquiries this can be a huge help in setting up cases, without dragging staff members away from ongoing work and into unnecessary admin. Along with this time saving comes a significant cost saving, when offset against subsequent staff revenue generation. The less time spent onboarding customers, the more time focused on resolving cases. 

RPA and the Letter of Authority Process

The letter of authority process can become reasonably complex, depending on how many lenders are being dealt with at any given time, added levels of complexity can often lead to human error. The benefit of RPA in legal process automation is that it’s rule-driven and eliminates errors such as misplaced or misfiled documentation, leading to far fewer lapses in service.

Example LOA process: 

• Enquiry received with lenders detailed – received via social media, email, online forms
• Customer information entered into Claims Management System
• Letters of Authority generated for each lender
• LOA’s sent to customer via email attachment, Docusign, Whatsapp e.t.c
• Customer signs and returns documents
• Returned documents and information are entered into Claims Management System
• Signed LOA’s sent to appropriate lenders 
• Case registration number is sent to the customer 

The above is a lot of information changing hands and not necessarily all at the same time, a customer may send back their letters of authority separately creating an additional need to track and monitor correspondence. 

How RPA Automates and Improves the LOA process: 

• Robots are equipped to receive omnichannel enquiries, whatever the Datafeed they’ve got it covered 
• Customer information is entered into the Claims Management System by the robots identifying key fields and transferring the data over
• The letters of authority can be sent to the customer via RPA through any utilised channel, WhatsApp, Docusign, email attachment
• If there is a delay in receiving the documents a reminder email can be generated to politely prompt the customer 
• Returned documents are then entered into the Claims Management System whether returned individually or collectively
• The robots can also be set to detect duplicates, if a customer mistakenly returns the same form twice a notification can be sent to staff or an email can be sent to the customer notifying them
• Via RPA the signed LOA’s are sent via email to the appropriate lender
• A case registration number can be sent out to the customer and even an accompanying welcome pack

Not only does RPA expedite the Letter of Authority process but it also allows for scope to improve the customer service experience. All of the ‘nice to haves’ that would be done if there was more time, can now be part of the standard process using RPA. 

The benefits of RPA in Legal Process Automation

• RPA operate 24/7 365 days a year accepting and processing enquiries
• Client requests handled more efficiently
• Data inputted into the claims management system is more accurate and less prone to errors
• Information is kept secure with direct integration to the CMS
• Free up time for fee earning staff
• Faster case processing 
• Customer experience improved
• The service can be adapted to changes in volume easily
• Reduced recruitment and training costs

Read what this customer had to say about our claims processing automation service here

If you’re looking to automate your Letter of Authority process or for more information on legal process automation get in touch with our team on 0800 046 8086 or contact us. 

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Introducing RPA to your Case Management System

Whether the firm specialises in conveyancing, personal injury, wills and probate, employment, financial litigation, RTA, etc., there are a wide variety of documents vital to fulfilling the client’s requirements. The issue with sending and receiving so many forms is that it creates complexity for both the client and the firm. When documents are sent digitally it can be easy for those less tech-savvy to mistake documents for one another and return duplicate forms. Not only that but if multiple forms or documents are sent out and they’re returned separately it requires extra attention and organisation to ensure they’re inputted correctly. 

RPA removes that complexity and bureaucracy of legal document processing by taking care of the collection and delivery of information and documents, like digital case handlers. The robots can then add a level of regulation and error checking to the input of new information along with entering the data itself, ensuring compliance. 

RPA Case Handling Features

• Input Validation – Rules surrounding what information is required from a given document can be introduced ensuring that the correct information has been entered into the case management system.
• Duplication Monitoring – The robots can recognise duplicate forms and information and flag them up internally or even make the client aware of what is missing 
• Automated Correspondence Process – RPA can automate the interaction between firm and client via any channel, ensuring the correct documentation is sent to the client and received completed.  
• Email Notifications and Reminders – If documents haven’t been received from the client for a number of days, the robots can send out an automated email politely prompting for their return. The same goes for internal staff if a new document is received and requires actioning.
• Self Auditing – Not only will the robots carry out their tasks but they’ll monitor their performance and provide reports. This ensures that they’re always operating at maximum efficiency. 
• Agile Processing – Process rules and workflows can be changed or added with relative ease to suit changing circumstances. 
• 24/7 – 365 Days Availability – The robots never sleep, they can send and receive information at any time

Legal Document Processing Benefits – RPA

• Staff Freed Up – The reduction in administration work leads to staff being freed up to take care of revenue-generating tasks
• Time Saved – Processing time is heavily reduced with immediate data entry and document upload
• Increased Accuracy – The robots are more accurate than humans and less prone to mistakes
• Client Timelines Shortened – Less time processing documentation means more time spent fulfilling client requirements
• No New Staff or Training Needed – More cost-effective too!
• Service Adapts to Changes in Volumes – The robots are always ready for whatever is thrown at them and their ability to work 24/7 allows a continuation of service even when the lights go out

If you want to read more about RPA in a legal setting, check out our claims process automation case study here

We understand that every legal firm has different requirements and the beauty of RPA is that it’s malleable where processes are concerned. If your business has requirements that aren’t covered there’s still a strong possibility that they can be achieved with RPA.  

To discuss legal document processing using RPA call our team today on 0800 046 8086 or contact us. 

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