Digital Transformation with RPA: It doesn’t matter if your business is technology; the world has changed, and it’s digital. Just think about how your day is today and how it was 20 or 30 years ago.
Practically everything we do has changed: the way we communicate, how we study and work, the means we use to get around, and so on. In this context, the concept of digital transformation stands out. It’s not just more technology; it’s a replacement. Machines are now doing some jobs previously done by humans.
Again, this is closer to us than we think. A bank ATM, for example, is a digital transformation. This concept applies to various activities within the business world.
However, discussing digital transformation is much easier than implementing this concept in companies. This requires a shift in both mindset and structure. One of the most common and useful solutions for companies in this regard is RPA (Robotic Process Automation).
In this article, we will better understand the concept of digital transformation and see how RPA relates to it and the benefits it can generate for companies. Follow!
What Is Digital Transformation?
As we deal with ongoing change, digital transformation is still a debate. In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this is a process in which companies use technology to improve their performance, increase their reach and obtain better results. In this sense, technology gains a central and strategic role within the organization.
However, only some things that use technology are digital transformation, although it may have changed how people work or even the entire market in that sector. Let’s look at some examples.
Think of email, invented in 1971 by an American engineer named Ray Tomlinson. No one doubts that this tool has completely changed how people communicate, especially at work.
Another case is the emergence of companies like Uber, which also caused a revolution in their markets. Those who live in a big city like São Paulo must remember that, before Uber, there were only taxis.
To get a taxi, you were lucky enough to have one appear in front of you, or you called a central office. In this case, you were often charged call fees, scheduling fees, fees for using the luggage rack, and even fees if you wanted to pay for the ride with your credit card.
When the car arrived, keeping an eye on the path the driver decided to take was still necessary to avoid being tricked and ending up paying much more for the race. All that changed with the arrival of Uber. Just order a car through the application to access the price of the race at the same time. In addition, the debit occurs automatically on the registered card, and the evaluation system eliminates drivers who provide poor service.
What Are The Impacts Of Digital Transformation On Society?
No one doubts that digital transformation has an impact on society, but this is a topic that can be explored in depth.
To start, think about how things were done 30 years ago. This reasoning applies to almost any activity that we carry out in our daily lives. Let’s imagine you wanted to bake a cake. How could I get a good prescription? Most people had a notebook at home, in which the recipe used in the family and often passed down from generation to generation was written down.
Currently, you can access the internet — probably through your cell phone — wherever you are, check out a multitude of recipes of the most varied types — often evaluated by other people who have already tested them — and choose your favorite. If you want, you can even go to a supermarket’s website, order the ingredients and wait for them to be delivered to your home.
For this generation, everything is mediated by technology. Social relationships take place through networks or messaging applications, everything can be learned through a tutorial on YouTube, and the songs are just a click away on Spotify. Thus, multitasking and working with multiple screens simultaneously is natural.
How Can Digital Transformation Drive Progress?
Digital transformation only makes sense if it brings progress, that is if it provides some useful improvement. Therefore, it is part of a larger process, which can be divided into stages, as we will show below.
Scanning
You might even think the word above is a typo, but it’s not. The term is the same: digitization. It comes from the English “digitalization” and refers to transforming the business into digital.
This requires changes in the organization’s business model, which include establishing new processes, adopting new systems/tools, and defining new means of communication. Thus, we are talking about a complete change in how we operate with more intelligent processes.
Digitization
Now we can talk about digitization, which is much more comprehensive and includes advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies. It’s about using IT more than about adopting entirely technological solutions.
See that all the terms we mentioned are technology concepts and would not exist without them. Thus, it is impossible, for example, to talk about blockchain or cryptocurrencies without talking about technology because they are “products” of technology.
For companies to adopt these processes, they need to promote profound changes in the organization of their businesses.
Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is the last stage of technological progress. This means that companies are ready to take advantage of the new opportunities that arise after completing the entire digitization process.
With this, it is possible to break down barriers and change patterns. It’s not trivial: according to a survey by Dell Technologies in collaboration with Intel and Vinson Bourne, 91% of companies say they face persistent barriers to digital transformation.
The main barriers mentioned are:
- data privacy and security concerns;
- regulatory and legislative changes;
- lack of budget and resources;
- immature digital culture;
- lack of in-house skills and expertise.
Thus, the path to digital transformation is not easy, but the survey also shows that companies are aware of and outline plans to overcome these barriers. One example is that the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence are among the main areas of IT investment in the coming years.
Also Read: Health Technology: How To Implement Digital Solutions?
