When providers advertise their products or services, they usually highlight the benefits, of course. We are no different. We also point out to our customers that they can use our bots to optimize their processes, save time and resources and prepare themselves for the digital age. Today, however, we are taking the time to tell you what you should not expect from us. Because a good service provider should not only do many things right but also refrain from doing some of the wrong things. In the following article, we explain what we mean by this.

We do NOT waste your time

Time is a precious commodity. After all, the whole approach of Robotic Process Automation is largely based on the principle of optimizing processes by saving time. It would be fatal to waste this resource unnecessarily. Unfortunately, many service providers in the IT sector collect revenue primarily by diligently accumulating working hours – regardless of whether this is absolutely necessary or not. At AmdoSoft, we do not require long lead times and eternal analyses. Within a few days, we identify the processes that can be optimized, install our bot and we’re ready to go.

We do NOT break your budget

Fear of excessive costs is one of the main obstacles to the implementation of new technologies. Businesses often justify a refusal to explore the benefits of RPA because the current practices have always previously worked without robots, ignoring the potential for speeding up their processes and making them more accurate and efficient. Inactivity costs nothing for the time being. For now.

We would like to take away your fear of this smart investment. That’s why we offer our Rent-a-Bot RPA rental system. You can rent one of our bots for less than a thousand euros and then cancel it flexibly. This is often worthwhile for just one workstation.

We do NOT sell you something as automation that is not automation

Especially in the public sector, digital strategies still have a lot of catching up to do. This leads to the curious situation that even basic digitalization measures are already being sold as automation. If, for example, a public authority has an online portal installed where citizens can submit their official concerns, then this is digital, modern, and convenient, but it is far from automated. At least not as long as clerks have to process the submitted documents and requests manually. AmdoSoft’s solutions automate the actual work and not just the first one or two steps of the process. This is exactly what we try to do with our public sector clients and, of course, with every private sector client.

We do NOT leave you alone with our bots

Our RPA solutions can be set up quickly and easily and are also very easy to use. Nevertheless, some interested customers fear that they will not be able to cope with the bots properly in the end. If you wish, as part of our full service, we will not only set up the system for you but also provide aftercare including all possible adjustments or adaptations. In the beginning, however, we barely need more than a few days for this. The effort for you and your team is therefore very limited and does not disrupt your business. On the other hand, it is of course possible to learn how to use our bots quickly and sustainably. We would be happy to train you and your employees on-site or remotely.

b4 Bots – you would be crazy NOT to do this

We are convinced that RPA robots will be standard in many sectors in the near future. Repetitive, simple, and, above all, tedious processes will no longer tie up valuable labor. Sooner or later, bots will be as normal as printers or a broadband connection. You just have to decide whether you want to benefit from the advantages of RPA sooner or later. We would be happy to convince you in a non-binding consultation. Discover the optimization potential of your company and move into the digital future with AmdoSoft. 

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The use of robots and automated software as part of automation and digitalization does not only mean a drastic change in business processes. It also changes the social fabric within a company. In the medium term, mechanical colleagues will become an integral part of a company’s working culture and human employees will have to learn how to deal with this. This is likely to be a long and rocky road, but the benefits of RPA speak for themselves in the long term.

First studies explore impacts

The effects of RPA and AI on the workforce of companies have already been the subject of a number of studies, commissioned by Ver.di and carried out by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, among others. These studies are often not only about forecasts for the future but also about the actual effects in companies that are already successfully using RPA and AI software. The initial results of the study can be described as ambivalent. Although positive effects were recorded, there is still massive potential for optimization – also in communication with employees.

Positive effects on work quality

Two things were observed with regard to the positive effects. Firstly, RPA bots made the work of the employees in the respective department significantly easier. They were often able to take care of more complex processes while the bot performed simple, clearly defined, and repetitive tasks. At the same time, the other employees learned about the benefits that bots might offer. This was the case, for example, when processes were significantly accelerated, resulting in a faster workflow and higher productivity. In other words: If a bot helps to complete the work of one department more quickly, another department does not have to wait as long for the result and thus benefits indirectly.

The efficiency of the measures still has a lot of potential

However, the studies also showed that there is still a lot of unexploited potential in the field of RPA. Above all, the provision of data for the bot to analyze still needs optimization. Much of the data is still in paper form or has been scanned in non-uniform file formats, making it difficult for bots to process. At the same time, many processes still need to be digitalized and integrated into a functioning information network. This includes, for example, speech recognition to convert telephone enquiries into text and process them.

Skepticism and fear will diminish

One of the main criticisms of Robotic Process Automation concerns the fear of job losses. In fact, many believe that bots will soon be able to operate in such a complex way that fewer people will be needed to do the same workload. However, it is also assumed that at the same time workers will have to be trained or retrained for the new automated structures. The skepticism towards robots and the fear of redundancies will diminish in parallel with further developments in this field.

Competence profiles of employees change

Since automation is primarily aimed at increasing efficiency, it is clear that cost savings in personnel will be a consequence of the use of RPA and such. However, this also means that competences and skills from more demanding areas will become much more valuable. Employees who take the necessary precautions and continue their training, as well as fresh employees with excellent technical and IT skills, will have significant advantages. Companies that already rely on RPA today place a lot of emphasis on flexibility, agility, adaptability, and the ability to manage time efficiently in their personnel development. Manual skills and capabilities for tasks that can be automated in the near future will no longer be in demand.

You too can benefit from greater efficiency thanks to RPA

If you also want to benefit from Robotic Process Automation in your business, then do not hesitate any longer. The development cannot be stopped and the sooner you adapt your company and your staff to it, the fewer problems you will have with acceptance. Let us convince you of the possibilities of the b4 Bot from AmdoSoft and you too will soon be one of the pioneers of automation.

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At AmdoSoft, we are often faced with the challenge of working with our customers to identify exactly those processes that can be automated. AmdoSoft, we are often faced with the challenge of working with our customers to identify exactly those processes that can be automated using Robotic Process Automation (RPA). We often find processes that are ideal for this, that had not been previously considered. In this short article, we explain how you can find a process with automation potential in your company.

Which processes are suitable?

Rarely executed or very varied processes are not suitable for automation. The highest savings potential is achieved by RPA programmes such as our b4 Bot for processes that occur frequently and permanently, but run almost unchanged. One example is invoice processing. This usually takes place month after month and contains almost the same content or information.

It is also important that the process to be automated has previously taken place manually. Our b4 Bot simulates human input behavior in computer applications. This means it can only optimize processes that are normally carried out manually on a personal computer. The bot is much faster than any employee, both when “reading” documents and when making entries and clicks. Therefore, the optimization potential is highest when as many manual work steps as possible can be replaced.

The process sequence determines the potential

Some processes repeat regularly, but are subject to significant change. This makes the use of RPA more complex, as many contingencies have to be taken into account. Therefore, processes that take place almost unchanged are best suited for automation. If there are changes in the user interface of the software used, the RPA bot has to be adjusted to them directly. In the case of changes to the process flow, it can make sense to let the implementation of the b4 Bot flow directly into the planning of the new process.

Software robots are not creative like human employees. They need clear and unambiguous rules to be effective. Both the information and the instructions on what to do and when to do it must therefore be clearly defined. All other processes require at least the assistance of an employee. Some RPA bots interact with an employee and ask direct questions if the information is unclear. However, a bot always works best when it can act completely autonomously based on clear rules.

What kind of data is suitable?

RPA software works most efficiently with unique, organisable and easy-to-process data. This includes standard file forms such as Word documents, Excel databases, PDF files or emails. For special forms or industry-specific files, it makes sense to first look for a way to convert them into more general data types, if this is possible and economical.

Even with very regular processes, certain exceptions can occur from time to time. This can hardly be avoided in business practice. However, the b4 Bot still makes economic sense if about three quarters of all cases in a process can be developed. About a quarter may be special cases that the bot cannot process autonomously. If the quota for special cases is higher, it is more advisable not to automate the process via RPA. Of course, these are approximate values that can vary depending on the industry and process.

Many processes offer great savings potential

Robotic Process Automation has performance optimisation and cost reduction as its core objectives. The potential savings in time, labour and costs must therefore be given for RPA to make sense at all. The easiest way to calculate the profitability is by the amount of full-time equivalents saved. If you save at least 1.5 full-time employees by using the b4 Bot in your company, the investment usually pays for itself in a very short time. Of course, the savings potential can be calculated differently in individual cases – for example, if efficiency increases improve the market situation without saving large personnel costs.

Would you like us to take a closer look at the processes in question in your company? Then feel free to contact us and identify potential savings and optimization for your business.

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When people talk about robots, machine learning and artificial intelligence, many still think of faraway future scenarios. But digital and process automation through software robots have long since become part of our everyday lives. We just do not notice it at times. Higher transparency might help to increase the acceptance of bots in everyday life.

Automation is nothing negative

In everyday life, many people find it difficult to accept interaction with machines as part of modern society. Even recorded announcements on the phone are considered unacceptable by some. Yet machine sorting of enquiries helps the subsequent customer conversation to be handled quickly and efficiently. Although this example is not actually RPA, it illustrates the resistance in society and shows why bots are still hidden as much as they are today.

Customer experience with chat bots

Particularly in the e-commerce sector, customer management eats up enormous resources. Customer enquiries, complaints and order processes are piling up even for small providers. The (semi-)automated response to enquiries is therefore a trend that end customers are experiencing more and more. Today, anyone who wants to find out about an electricity provider, wants to sign a new DSL contract or is just looking for a stylish leather jacket is greeted and attended to by the always available and always friendly software customer advisor via a pop-up chat window. The quality of the conversations has already reached an incredible level, since the chat bots learn new things with every conversation.

RPA solutions also benefit the customer

Let’s stay with the topic of customer experience. As already mentioned, this area is very resource-hungry in a company and kept many employees occupied until a few years ago. With software robots, however, many of these processes can be automated and thus made more efficient without decreasing customer satisfaction. On the contrary: smart software implementations often even result in an increase in customer satisfaction. Here are two examples from everyday life.

First example: Processing of submissions to private health insurances

Whereas in the past each individual settlement of a receipt for doctor’s visits or medicines had to be processed manually, nowadays this is done by software in most cases. The initial difficulty was to make the many different forms and documents readable for the machines. The solution is often called optical character recognition (OCR). A software reads the characters from a scan or photo of the medical bill and translates the document into a standard format that can be interpreted by standard RPA bots. Certain recurring parameters then lead to a quick reimbursement or, in case of problems, to a referral to a human employee.

For end customers, this has simplified the submission process enormously. Instead of running to the post box with copies and receipts, all that is needed today is a photo taken via an app on the smartphone. If the submission has no special features, it is not uncommon for processing and reimbursement to take place within a few days. In the past, the receipt would just flutter across the mailroom to the clerk’s desk within this period of time.

Second example: Tracking of shipments

Today, tracking and tracing ordered parcels and packages is a matter of course for us. However, the process running in the background is not that simple. Often, a lot of data from different sources has to be brought together – especially when hauliers are involved as third parties. RPA bots can analyse and process this data and feed it into the warehouse management system of the transport company. In turn, websites are connected to this, where the customer can check the status of his order around the clock and constantly updated. Even the pizza ordered can be meticulously tracked.

As you can see, robot solutions and process automation have long since arrived in the centre of society, even outside of industry and production chains. It is now a matter of breaking down fears of contact and showing that bots are not a threat per se if they are used for the benefit of the company and the customer alike. That, too, is a task for all the players involved.

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-AmdoSoft is now a certified supplier of cloud services on the latest G-Cloud 11 framework for organisations within the public sector.

LONDON, 2 July 2019 – AmdoSoft Systems Ltd, a state-of-the-art technology and services platform for Robotic Process Automation (RPA), announces it has been awarded a place on the prestigious G-Cloud 11 procurement framework.

The G-Cloud framework is an agreement between the UK government and suppliers who provide cloud-based services. Divided into three categories, or “lots”, G-Cloud buyers in public sector organisations can use the Digital Marketplace to purchase cloud services.

G-Cloud Lots:

1. Cloud hosting such as content delivery networks or accounting software
2. Cloud software, for example, accounting tools or customer service management software
3. Cloud support, including migration services or ongoing support

By using the Digital Marketplace, public sector organisations can procure cloud services faster and cheaper than entering into individual procurement contracts. AmdoSoft has been awarded a framework within lot 2, to provide Software as a Service (SaaS) applications that are accessed over the internet and hosted in the cloud. Buyers only need to pay for what they use.

“The fact that the UK government’s Crown Commercial Service has approved our state-of-the-art RPA solution on the latest G-Cloud framework is a further acknowledgement of the hard work the team puts into RPA security and reliability. We look forward to working with more public sector organisations in the coming year,” said David Griffith, Managing Director of AmdoSoft in the UK, “Our mission is to use Robotic Process Automation to liberate human vision and creativity that can unleash new levels of efficiency to the UK economy. It is also a testament to our transparent and fair pricing structure.”

AmdoSoft Systems aims to change the productivity of every industry at a fundamental level. By achieving the latest iteration of the Cloud Framework, Cloud-11, AmdoSoft show they are committed to providing their clients a more accessible, flexible and transparent way of procurement in line with UK government’s Cloud First policy, launched in 2013.

According to the latest figures, a cumulative total of more than £4bn of cloud services have been procured via G-Cloud across its ten iterations, including £912.4m during the first three quarters of the 2018/19 year so far.

The  AmdoSoft RPA Service on G-Cloud 11

About AmdoSoft Systems Ltd

Established in 1998, AmdoSoft is RPA Technology vendor and service provider with a long standing history in IT automation and in protecting business critical processes organisations value today. Customers include large service providers as well as end users in the mid to large enterprise market crossing all types of Industries. AmdoSoft product “b4” is a mature state of the art technology with wide-ranging Robotic Process Automation (RPA) applications. AmdoSoft has expert knowledge, and extensive know-how in successfully orchestrating, completing and delivering industry and organisation specific solutions. Partners and customers can expect excellent support and care in all aspects when working with the AmdoSoft team.

Learn more about how AmdoSoft can help your organisation by contacting them with the details below.

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If you’ve been following our blog, you know you want automation and you know why RPA is the best solution for your project, but what exactly should you look for in an RPA tool and what functionality best applies to you? This article aims to clarify the different types available and help you decide.

Central or Simple?

First, you need to know if you are you looking for a centralised solution where you can configure, deploy and manage multiple bots for various purposes OR if you’re looking for a solution that you can install on your PC to automate some mundane daily tasks.

If you need a centralised solution, then look for functionalities such as an Orchestrator or Master Controller that gives you this management possibility. If you need a simple, individual bot on your computer, you may want to exclude RPA tools that offer these functions and focus your search on so-called attended bots.

Configuring an RPA bot can be challenging at times, which is why I recommend having an RPA tool with functions to make this process easier; here are some examples:

My top recommended function of an RPA bot

If you want a bot to perform complex tasks and be able to react in several situations, it’s best to have a Workflow Engine. Ideally, you want one that can graphically configure and maintain the logic and rules your bots will follow. This is the main difference between an intelligent bot and one that keeps clicking into a black screen.

Other Recommended Functions

Recorder

An RPA recorder is an additional function that lets you use your mouse and keyboard with special shortcuts to record and teach the bot what you want it to do. In some tools, you must go into the code which can be complicated and time intensive, so this is something to watch out for if you aren’t up to scratch with coding.

Image Recognition

RPA bots can differ hugely in terms of their capability. One good example is image recognition. There are multiple methods that bots can use to perform their actions; the most basic one is using coordinates; make sure the bot can orientate itself visually (for example, recognising the internet explorer icon), so it knows which image to click.

Depending on your requirements and goals, there are other essential things to look for in an RPA tool such as:

• Security features
• Reporting capabilities
• Integration possibilities
• OCR
• AI
• System Monitoring Capabilities
• IOT Possibilities
• IT Automation

This list is not extensive and is only supposed to give you a brief overview of the functions an RPA tool can have. If you have any questions, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.

Written by David Griffith, Edited by Claire Louise Smith

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