In recent years, with the development of RPA (robotic process automation) and its application in the industry, the benefits of RPA technology to enterprises or organizations are beyond doubt. However, there still seems to be some misunderstanding around the concept and rationale of RPA, its deployment and application, and how it can simplify an enterprise’s operating platform and improve overall productivity. The existence of these misunderstandings can create uncertainty and even mislead for enterprises or organizations looking to RPA technology to change their process management. To truly understand what RPA can bring to an organization, we need to debunk these common misconceptions about RPA and restore the truth about RPA.

Myth 1: RPA robots will replace humans

Alarmist headlines are a staple of every marketing name. Although many business processes previously performed by humans can now be automated through RPA technology. But “RPA robots will replace humans” is just a headline party. The RPA was never intended to replace anyone’s work, neither in its inception nor in its subsequent deployment. It is undeniable that the implementation of RPA will certainly enhance the human resources of enterprise organizations, but it is only playing the role of “human helper”. As such, these technologies are not completely independent of humans, nor can they reproduce higher-level human abilities (such as thinking). The application of RPA allows employees to improve efficiency and productivity, and frees them from repetitive, tedious, low-value-added work, enabling them to focus on higher-level activities, create more business value and facilitate deeper interactions with customers. When an RPA is deployed, employee roles are often redefined and talent is reassigned so that the focus is shifted to customer-facing tasks in the front office, and tedious back-office tasks are removed.

Myth 2: RPA robots are 100% accurate

The RPA robot is 100 percent accurate, but that doesn’t mean it’s infallible. First of all, what exactly is an RPA? Is it artificial intelligence? Obviously, RPA is just a software robot, it has no “common sense”. So, if a human sends a defective command to an RPA robot in the process of organizing robot management, they will still follow those commands and copy the error hundreds or thousands of times until someone finds it. RPA robots typically operate in a continuous fashion, so they can replicate errors inherent in the workflow, unless someone detects problems early in the automated process. To avoid these problems, it is important to ensure that the process is optimized and error-free before automated deployment, and to monitor RPA robots during the initial stages of automation. PS: This explains myth # 1.

Myth 3: RPA marks the end of BPO

Myth 4: RPA doesn’t work in my industry

There is a common misconception that RPA works only in specific industries, such as finance. The truth is that there are background tasks in every industry, and as long as there are background tasks, there is room for Rpas. RPA can be applied to a much wider range of industries than expected, and can be applied to repetitive, high-volume, rule-based business activities in almost any industry. This includes managing order processing in retail, claims processing in insurance, fraud detection in banks, customer communications in manufacturing, and even patient scheduling in healthcare…

Myth 5: RPA is not worth the cost

We don’t know exactly where the myths of RPA come from, but understanding the truth behind these myths can be very helpful for any business or organization choosing and implementing an RPA. In the future, as RPA continues to penetrate more industries and bring digital transformation to enterprises, understanding the principles and functions of RPA is crucial for enterprises to maintain their core competitiveness in their industry.

By Nick Ostdick UiBot