In today’s highly competitive market, businesses are actively pursuing ways to streamline their operations to achieve higher productivity levels. Robotic process automation, or RPA, has proven to be a game changer in streamlining organizational operations and staying ahead of the competition.

RPA is a software technology that mimics human actions. In simpler words, RPA automates repetitive, rules-based processes. The notable thing about RPA is that it can perform the work with 99.99% accuracy and without the need to take a break. It enables organisations to focus on more strategic areas.

Undoubtedly, implementing RPA can benefit the organisation, its employees, and wider stakeholders. However, RPA implementation is not without its challenges. Refer to our earlier post on ‘Common Reasons for RPA Failure‘ for a more comprehensive understanding of why RPA initiatives fail.

Ensuring a successful implementation may require the organisation to build an RPA Centre of Excellence (CoE). This article first explains what an RPA CoE is, as most readers are unfamiliar with the term. Secondly, the article will explore the signs that indicate it’s time for your organisation to establish an RPA CoE.

What is an RPA Centre of Excellence?

A CoE refers to an organisation’s specialist team or department with expertise in a specific area or discipline. In the context of RPA, this team or department will be highly skilled RPA professionals. The CoE serves as the knowledge hub, providing support where necessary and establishing best practices.

When to Build an RPA Centre of Excellence

1. Multiple Automation Initiatives

Most businesses implement RPA on a specific process or, at maximum, with a single department. If your organisation has decided to experiment with RPA across different departments, it might be time to consider building a CoE. Otherwise, RPA efforts will be scattered, and it can be challenging to achieve the desired goals.

Additionally, there will be a lack of standardization. For example, RPA requires data to function. How that data is handled or secured is of utmost importance nowadays due to ever-increasing cyberattacks. The CoE will ensure standardisation in data handling practices, thereby reducing the risk of a cyberattack.

2. Lack of Expertise and Guidance

Most organisations assume that with the advent of low-code/no-code RPA platforms, anyone can implement RPA. It is not the case. While these platforms democratize the RPA development process, expert RPA professionals still need to be hired. These skilled resources provide support where necessary.

Therefore, if your organisation lacks skilled RPA professionals, setting up a CoE can be beneficial. The CoE can conduct training sessions and mentor junior employees throughout the automation journey. It will help the organisation build a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

3. Inefficient Resource Allocation

Efficient resource utilization is the key to long-term success for any organisation. When an organisation implements RPA in a disorganized manner, there is a high probability of inefficient resource allocation. For instance, different departments might be using RPA tools that are incompatible with one another.

To avoid this blunder, a wise choice is to build a CoE. The CoE will guide upon tools that are perfect for meeting the requirements and are compatible with one another. It will help avoid difficulties in scaling automation initiatives. Ultimately, the RPA implementation costs go down considerably.

4. Lack of Governance and Control

RPA bots must adhere to industry-wide best practices. Without a CoE, ensuring that the RPA bots are meeting the required standards can be challenging. It can open Pandora’s box for security risks and compliance issues. If you wish to avoid any untoward hassle, the CoE is the best option.

The CoE is responsible for establishing the policies and procedures for RPA implementation. With their vast knowledge of the subject matter, they make sure that the RPA implementation is as per industry standards and complies with the relevant local regulations.

5. Scaling Challenges

While you may only implement RPA for a single or handful of processes, it won’t be long before you start considering organisation-wide implementation because of the benefits. A CoE can be instrumental in identifying automation opportunities across various departments and provide the necessary support for it.

6. Performance Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

When an organisation deploys RPA in a single department, tracking its performance is quite straightforward. On the other hand, organisation-wide RPA bots are certainly more challenging to monitor. The CoE can set up performance metrics, monitor results, and analyse data to identify areas that require enhancement.

7. Lack of Collaboration

If an organisation is considering implementing RPA in different departments, there is a strong need for collaboration. Otherwise, there will be communication gaps that can negatively impact the implementation. Building a CoE facilitates cross-functional collaboration and better communication.

Conclusion

To ensure successful RPA implementation and maximisation of its benefits, organisations should consider setting up a CoE if they encounter any one of the above signs. A CoE is crucial to unlocking the full potential of RPA.

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