Robotic automation is a significant game-changer for today’s enterprise.

From automated vehicles to workplace processes, the potential for using automation to improve and accelerate business is endless. It is already being implemented across a wide variety of industries, including medicine and financial services. But, believe it or not, we’ve barely even begun to scratch the surface. According to a report published by Transparency Market Research, the global IT robotic automation market is predicted to be worth $4.98 billion by 2020 – a substantial increase from the $0.183 billion it was valued at in 2013.

There is no escaping the automation revolution. Business leaders that choose to embrace automation in their companies will be at a competitive advantage over those that choose to fight the inevitable. The potential benefits of using robotic automation in the workplace cannot be ignored.

For those taking their first steps into the robotics world, it’s important to understand the two distinct types of robotic automation. First is robotic desktop automation, which runs on the desktop aiding human work. Think of this as a digital assistant helping to run routine desktop tasks, such as cut-and-paste data entry into applications you use every day. The other is robotic process automation, which is executed from a server without any human intervention. This enables back-office tasks to be run autonomously from end to end. For example, an insurance company can use it to log in to a state police application to retrieve accident reports, completely eliminating a manual step in the claims process. Both robotic desktop automation and robotic process automation should play a role as part of any robotics strategy.

Choosing which tasks and processes to automate with each type of robotics automation will differ from company to company. Enterprises that are most successful at deploying robotic automation spend time planning a strategic vision for their robotic automation journey. This requires company leaders to first understand how employees and processes are currently working within the organization. This will allow them to identify employee pain points and areas of operational inefficiencies that can be best improved with robotic automation.

Whether you choose to automate a selection of tasks with desktop automation, or end-to-end processes with robotic process automation, or a combination of the two, the benefits will help companies evolve their businesses faster and in a more economical way. Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits for business leaders who choose to embrace robotic automation in their enterprises.

Improved Customer Experience

When employees are freed from doing repetitive tasks, they have more time to focus on the customer. That’s why removing complex processes and simplifying interactions will ultimately help employees create world-class customer experiences that build customer loyalty and retention. Additionally, robotic automation makes it easier for customers to interact with your business. The more stress free the experience with your company, the more likely customers will be to return again and again.

Increased Productivity and Efficiency

Automating areas of operational inefficiencies and excess capacity will enable business leaders to simplify processes and minimize errors, saving your company time and money. For example, often times an employee will have to log into several disparate systems separately. For many job roles, this can take a significant amount of otherwise productive work time from their day. By automating login processes so employees only have to log in once, employees will have more time to spend on the things that really matter to your business, like servicing the customer. What’s more, robotic automation reduces the chances for human error, which can cost companies money and customers.

Improved Employee Engagement

Some employees might be leery of automation solutions, but the truth is they can greatly improve their work experience. With automation, mundane tasks like data entry and cut and pasting can be eliminated, leaving employees with more time to focus on the aspects of their jobs that are most fulfilling and engaging. Imagine a job that allows you to focus the majority your time on important high-level tasks, rather than mind-numbing ones. How happy would you be? Automation has the power to make this a reality. A happier employee is generally a more productive one. That’s why companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202 percent, according to Dale Carnegie.

At the end of the day, all of these benefits will result in a net cost savings and increased ROI. In fact, according to the Institute of Robotic Process Automation, companies can save an average of 25 to 50 percent by using RPA alone.

The pace of robotic automation will only accelerate as we look at where business is going in the next few years. We live in an on-demand and omnichannel world, where customers want what they want when they want it. How can we expect to keep up with these expectations if we don’t have the people, processes, and technologies in place to do so in the most efficient way possible? By implementing robotic automation initiatives, business leaders can optimize the work their employees are doing while aligning that work with changing customer expectations to boost bottom line business results.

Anna Convery is vice president of sales and marketing for robotics & workforce intelligence at Pegasystems (News - Alert) (www.pega.com).