Process automation leverages technology to simplify intricate business procedures, typically focusing on process automation, information centralization, and operations streamlining. This approach involves substituting human labor with machines to carry out a series of tasks, often in a business setting for the purpose of automating business processes. Herein, software applications perform various activities within the contemporary digital enterprise. The extent of process automation can be wide-ranging, from simple support or departmental processes to more sophisticated cross-functional tasks using advanced technologies. Advantages of process automation encompass enhanced productivity, increased agility, superior customer experience, heightened compliance, cost reduction, optimal staff utilization and error minimization. There are several recommended approaches for implementing process automation such as robotic process automation (RPA), business process management (BPM), and the application of artificial intelligence technologies. Business process automation refers to the technological facilitation of manual repetitive tasks enabling employees to concentrate on crucial duties. It encompasses workflow administration, task scheduling, process supervision, integration, reporting and analytics along with user roles and permissions plus alerts and notifications.
Applications of Process Automation
The application of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and intelligent automation spans across a multitude of sectors, offering numerous use cases:
1. Public Sector
- Capturing and analyzing data
- Automating statutory processes
- Migrating content
- Handling registrations
2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Providing customer support
- Managing customer accounts
- Tracking orders
- Transferring data
3. Supply Chain & Logistics
- Processing and registering claims
- Undertaking underwriting tasks
- Ensuring regulatory compliance
- Conducting business and process analytics
- Cancelling policies
- Overseeing sales and distribution
- Integrating legacy applications
- Administering policy servicing
- Managing incidents
4. Healthcare
- Scheduling appointments
- Managing patient records and data
- Tracking and managing assets
- Analyzing diagnostics and data
- Conducting patient outreach and post-treatment care
5. Manufacturing
- Processing invoices
- Processing purchase orders
- Managing supply chains
- Processing accounts payable
- Conducting audits
6. Front Office Automation
Automation in front-office processes such as customer service, communication, collaboration, and sales can enhance customer satisfaction, streamline operations, and boost employee engagement.
7. Business Process Automation (BPA)
BPA aids in reducing the time spent on daily operations, minimizing errors, enhancing processing times, eliminating paperwork, and maximizing departmental output. Typical tasks automated include handling customer queries, processing invoices, generating financial reports, and cross-verifying information against external resources.
8. Intelligent Automation in Manufacturing
Intelligent automation within manufacturing encompasses automated supply chains, predictive maintenance, inventory management, quality control among others to standardize processes, reduce errors, and increase efficiency.
These examples illustrate the wide-ranging applications of automation technologies across various sectors to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and improve customer experiences.