Seven Reasons Why RPA Implementations May Fail

Robotic process automation is now at the core of digital transformation driving digitalization across industries. A global report released by Deloitte in 2019 stated that more than 8% of enterprises have begun to widely adopt and implement automation technology, double the number in 2018.

Despite the hype around what RPA is, its benefits, and attempts to successfully implement RPA, 30 to 50% of enterprises fail at RPA implementation.

Do you want to know why? The following is a list of reasons that may cause enterprise RPA implementations to fail:

What is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic process automation (RPA) is a software technology that helps enterprises build and deploy software robots to simulate human behavior and actions interacting in digital environments.

RPA is actually a series of software robots that use interfaces to capture data and generate responses to process transactions. RPA bots help generate responses and handle transactions running on end-users’ systems, mobile devices, and laptops. They explain triggering responses to handle a large number of repetitive tasks. Therefore, RPA software robots are said to not make any mistakes and can work tirelessly around the clock.

But as we all know, not all RPA implementations are as successful as initially expected and it comes with its own set of challenges.

Seven Reasons Why RPA Implementations Fail

Robotic Process Automation is a great software that can automate mundane and repetitive tasks , but an RPA implementation cannot solve this problem on a fundamentally broken process.

When evaluating the RPA implementation process, you should look for a predictable, repeatable, and rules-based approach. On the contrary, unpredictable methods are not suitable for RPA automation.

Here are the seven main reasons why RPA implementations fail:

(1) The process is more dynamic than expected

This is one of the biggest challenges businesses face when implementing RPA, which essentially means businesses are focusing on automating the wrong processes.

If the business environment is more dynamic than initially expected, then the RPA toolkit should be able to operate in this changing environment while still delivering the correct results.

Business processes that involve creative thinking and brainstorming are undoubtedly more suitable for humans. But that doesn’t mean these processes can’t be automated. Workflow automation tools can help businesses handle these repetitive steps in a way that requires the same human decision-making skills. RPA and automation technologies can be combined.

(2) Lack of project management for RPA projects

Without proper governance and supervision, enterprises may face disastrous failure when implementing RPA. Because of the benefits of automation, many businesses believe implementation will be successful.

While robotic process automation can replace manual repetitive tasks, project management only needs to be handled by humans. RPA can only follow instructions from staff and cannot learn to respond to unexpected events on its own.

In many scenarios, RPA robots crash when encountering scenarios they are unfamiliar with. This is a big problem that an enterprise may encounter when implementing RPA for the first time.

A common problem with RPA is mainly the rigidity, dependency and sensitivity of its applications. RPA often uses screen cleaning techniques to solve problems that arise when the user interface changes.

(3) Lack of coherent platform

According to research by Forrester wave company, more than 50% of RPA projects cannot control and manage 10 For the above robots, more than 70% of RRA projects have less than 50 robots.

Many enterprises fail to achieve their RPA goals due to a lack of a coherent platform and the ability to extend modules and intelligence.

RPA technologies are most likely to be successful when they are combined with other intelligent automation tools such as cognitive capture.

(4) Lack of alignment with stakeholders

Many managers fail to assess the need to change and adapt to support the implementation of the RPA journey corporate culture. Adopting new technologies such as RPA is not easy as it requires modifications to the way it operates and the behavior of its employees to cope with these changes.

Training employees’ skills and ability to navigate this behavior is also critical to the successful implementation of RPA. Managing expectations and aligning them with RPA goals minimizes the risk of failure.

(5) Shadow deployment

To avoid failure in implementing RPA, it is important to mark the boundaries of robot deployment. RPA bots automate routine tasks, making it easier for employees outside of core development to create code. This can lead to shadow deployments and a lack of oversight of the enterprise.

During the RPA implementation process, RPA robots need to be properly managed while being monitored. Building and deploying bots is easy and deceptive, and without the right technology and process support, it's likely to become a difficult problem for businesses to solve and require more work to be done.

(6) Automate wrong business processes

When an enterprise first begins implementing RPA, it may initially want to automate as many basic tasks as possible. But before you get started, it’s important to understand the actual costs and benefits of implementing automation.

It’s important to remember that having the capabilities and the appropriate automation tools does not mean that an enterprise should start implementing RPA without studying the business processes.

(7) Set Unrealistic Expectations

As you do before starting to implement any new technology, measure the results and Ensure RPA can meet its intended goals. Set achievable goals, otherwise the business will not be able to successfully implement RPA in its business processes.

Users expect RPA solutions to start working and deliver results on the first step, but adequate RPA implementation requires a lot of manual work that is very time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Holistic approach to successfully implement RPA

Adopting advanced technologies like RPA is a ray of hope for businesses, and a smart and pragmatic approach can help businesses Benefit. Failure to adapt to this mature implementation process will only lead to the failure of an enterprise's RPA project.

The above reasons are just a few of the main reasons why RPA projects fail. So one needs to understand the limitations and choose its path carefully to successfully implement RPA in the enterprise.

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