Robotic Process automation (RPA) is one of the top five technologies that every C-suite executive is asking for. In the running decade, the market of RPA has grown faster & every big or small organization is keen to keep up in the race of automating their back and front office processes to enable a true digital workforce.
Even though RPA has proven itself to be of utmost importance and the demand for the same is rising on a regular basis, there is a caveat when it comes to implementation. Other technologies such as CRM, ERP place heavy importance on the domain expertise of the service providers while selecting them. But, when it comes to RPA, there are other factors which are taken into consideration.
Here is a compiled a list of parameters and scales that you need to ask your list of shortlisted service providers before awarding RPA project to one of them.
Communication
Open and effective communication between the service provider and the client is absolutely critical in the RPA industry. Communication mitigates the possible risks in the implementation of RPA projects. Using a common channel for communication and clearly outlining the scope of the work with the client helps to execute the work in an effective manner. Moreover, it is found that charting out potential language barriers and time zone differences may be beneficial to crack key RPA projects.
Team Size
Deciding the total number of employees, who would be dedicated working on the RPA projects is a crucial factor to consider while choosing the RPA service provider.
For choosing the right team size, industry experts often refer to “one bot one developer strategy. It is extremely useful for reducing the confusion as well as integration issues in the RPA related project, considering the fact that the entire RPA is a flow driven software.
There are pros and cons of choosing larger and smaller teams in this activity. If you are planning to work on the RPA project on a long term basis, you probably want to work with a partner having a medium or large sized team as because they’re more likely to have the necessary infrastructure, processes, and people to adjust to your needs from planning to scale. On the other side, if you’re looking for a flexible partner to cater to your unique needs, you may want to go with a smaller service provider that can give you more personal attention and customize the task as per your needs.
Industry and functional expertise
Many service providers focus on the RPA solutions based on a specific industry (IT, automotive, insurance, banking, healthcare etc) or a specific technology. These firms bring certain domain expertise to the table and cater to specific needs of the client. But, in most cases, firms having broader experience are considered to be suitable service providers for some clients as more diversified exposure to problems leads to more comprehensive solutions.
Location
Geographical location of a RPA service provider is linked to the total cost and communication with the client. Having an overseas partner may be significantly cheaper rather than having a local service provider. But, when it comes to communication with the service vendors, it might be a little difficult as there could be language barriers or non-overlapping working hours. Hence, effective communication and cost play key roles in deciding the service provider.
Existing relationship
Working with the partner who knows your style of working, current processes within your company and is aware of the key technologies used in the industry, becomes much easier to deal with. Strategizing and implementing the projects becomes much easier when there is an established relationship between the service provider and the client.
Conclusion
We have been working with industry leaders as a trusted partner to support automation initiatives so we’ve learned how to find the right fit over the years.
If you are looking for a trusted and knowledgeable partner, contact us to know more.
