Digital transformation has become a top priority for enterprises to stay competitive. However, legacy processes and siloed systems create bottlenecks that hinder agility. Studies show that employees spend up to 30% of their time on repetitive tasks that offer little strategic value. The costs of such manual processes run into millions of dollars annually for large companies.
Intelligent automation delivers the agility and efficiency needed to succeed in the digital age by automating repetitive, high-volume tasks. According to Deloitte, over 90% of executives already utilize intelligent automation, with the global market projected to reach $8 billion by 2023.
But with so many tools and vendors, identifying the right intelligent automation platform can be daunting. This comprehensive guide will provide clarity by:
- Analyzing the key capabilities to look for in intelligent automation solutions
- Evaluating leading vendors against critical criteria
- Providing actionable recommendations to simplify your selection process
Methodology: Our vendor analysis is based on capabilities touted by the vendors themselves. We also aggregated ratings from public review sites like Gartner Peer Insights, G2, and Capterra totaling over 6,500 user reviews. This enabled impartial assessment of each platform‘s usability and customer satisfaction.
8 Must-Have Capabilities for Intelligent Automation
Intelligent automation combines robotic process automation (RPA) with cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and process mining. Here are 8 essential capabilities modern tools should deliver:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI allows bots to interpret unstructured data and mimic human-like judgement when handling ambiguities.
1. Natural Language Processing (NLP)
NLP enables automation tools to analyze text-based data from emails, documents, conversations, and more to:
- Classify unstructured content
- Interpret context and extract entities
- Summarize documents
- Validate facts
For example, an insurance provider used NLP for auto claims processing. This led to 80% faster turnaround time, 90% reduction in manual work, and $3 million in annual savings.
2. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP)
While traditional OCR cannot accurately process handwritten or poor quality scans, IDP leverages AI to enhance accuracy to over 90%. This allows data from paper documents, image PDFs, and more to be seamlessly digitized and fed into automated workflows.
For example, a healthcare provider used IDP to extract patient data from faxed forms into their practice management system. This eliminated 50 hours of manual data entry per week.
3. Conversational AI
Chatbots allow customers and employees to interact conversationally with an organization. According to Oracle, nearly 80% of businesses want to use chatbots and virtual assistants to support engagement. With conversational AI, chatbots can:
- Provide personalized recommendations
- Resolve common queries instantly
- Reduce call volume by up to 70%
Process Intelligence
Process intelligence empowers organizations to discover and analyze processes accurately as they occur. It delivers transparency that enables data-driven automation.
4. Process Mining
Process mining uses system event logs to map actual end-to-end processes. It reveals process bottlenecks, deviations, and automation opportunities.
According to Software AG, process mining combined with RPA can increase business value by 40% and reduce implementation risk by 60%. It provides the visibility to automate the right processes.
5. Task Mining
While process mining analyzes processes, task mining studies how users interact with systems to complete tasks. It uncovers opportunities to optimize specific tasks through automation.
For example, task mining may reveal that order approval tasks take 10x longer on mobile apps compared to desktop apps due to UI issues. RPA could help bridge this gap.
6. Digital Twin of an Organization (DTO)
A DTO mirrors an organization‘s key processes, applications, relationships, and data flows. This digital model can be used to simulate the impact of changes prior to implementation. It also enables continuous process monitoring and improvement.
According to Blue Prism, a DTO powered by intelligent automation can help achieve 30% to 50% reduction in operating costs.
UI-based Automation
7. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA bots automate repetitive, rules-based tasks by interacting with application UIs just as humans do – clicking, filling forms, copying/pasting data, etc. RPA is the fundamental technology for scaling automation.
According to McKinsey, RPA delivers 200% to 800% ROI in the first year itself and 20% to 40% cost reduction.
API-based Automation
8. iPaaS
An integration platform as a service (iPaaS) enables connecting disparate applications via APIs. This allows for smooth data exchange between on-premise and cloud applications.
APIs are 3x faster and 70% cheaper than custom point-to-point application integration. iPaaS makes API integration accessible without coding.
Critical Considerations for Evaluation
Beyond core capabilities, organizations must weigh other factors that impact an automation program‘s success:
1. Programming Options
- Code-based: Requires developers to write code for bots in languages like Python or Java
- Low-code/no-code: Enables business users to build bots with drag-and-drop interfaces
- Recording: Bots can be created by recording user actions on UIs
- Self-learning: Bots leverage AI to learn by example and improve continuously
Choose RPA software that aligns with your team‘s technical expertise. Blending low-code tools with pro-code enables scalability by involving both business and IT.
2. Attended vs. Unattended Bots
Attended bots require human supervision and are ideal when handling exceptions. Unattended bots run autonomously for high-volume, rules-based tasks.
Evaluate how much oversight is prudent based on process complexity, compliance needs, and impact of failures.
3. Pricing Model
Leading pricing models include:
- Per bot or process
- Number of users
- Volume-based
- Monthly subscription
Assess costs based on program scope. Volume-based pricing provides predictability for large-scale automation.
4. Ease of Use
Look for an intuitive interface and comprehensive training resources to smooth onboarding. An average UX rating on review sites is 4/5.
5. Security
Data encryption, access controls, and enterprise-grade security standards are must-haves. 99.95%+ uptime demonstrates reliability.
6. Support for Hybrid Environments
Choose a platform that seamlessly automates processes spanning legacy systems, cloud apps, mainframes, and mobile.
Evaluation of Leading Intelligent Automation Vendors
While the top vendors offer core capabilities like RPA, NLP, and OCR, they differentiate through advanced features. Let‘s analyze the strengths of prominent platforms:
Figure 1. How leading intelligent automation platforms compare
IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
Target Market: Large enterprises
Key Strengths:
- Conversational AI for building Watson chatbots
- Hybrid automation across legacy and cloud
- Integrates workflows across IBM tools like Watson
Customer satisfaction as per G2 – 4.4/5
"The integrated automation platform increased efficiency by 25% for our claims processing." – IBM customer review
UiPath Business Automation Platform
Target Market: Mid-size to large enterprises
Key Strengths:
- Advanced computer vision and NLP capabilities
- Hyperautomation features like process mining
- Highly scalable cloud architecture
Customer satisfaction as per Gartner – 4.7/5
“We achieved $2 million in cost savings in the first year with UiPath.” – UiPath customer review
Automation Anywhere Automation 360
Target Market: Mid-market and large companies
Key Strengths:
- Centralized dashboard for managing bots
- Analytics dashboard to track automation metrics
- Very easy drag and drop interface
Customer satisfaction as per Capterra – 4.4/5
“The control room provides the data we need to showcase our automation success.” – AA customer
Microsoft Power Automate
Target Market: Small businesses and teams
Key Strengths:
- Seamless integration with Microsoft stack
- Very affordable pricing tiers
- High ease of use with low-code UI
Customer satisfaction as per G2 – 4.5/5
“I was able to integrate our marketing platform with CRM in just 2 days!” – Microsoft customer
Other Leading Solutions
While individual capabilities vary, other top platforms include:
- Blue Prism: Strong interface for human-bot collaboration
- Pega Platform: Tight integration of RPA with case management and APIs
- WorkFusion: Advanced process intelligence leveraging AI and ML
Key Recommendations for Intelligent Automation Success
Here are best practices to help you drive maximum value:
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Begin with smaller projects like data migration to demonstrate quick wins and build internal support.
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Focus on automating high-impact processes that have clear ROI like invoice processing or customer onboarding first.
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Blend unattended automation with attended bots for more complex tasks requiring human judgement.
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Ensure quality training for RPA developers to create resilient, secure bots.
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Monitor bot performance with analytics and continuously improve through process changes.
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Consider intelligent automation vendors that offer process discovery tools to uncover automation opportunities.
Conclusion: Simplifying Your Intelligent Automation Journey
Intelligent automation is key to unlocking the productivity and speed needed to thrive in increasingly competitive markets. While core capabilities are converging, vendors differentiate through advanced AI, hyperautomation tools, delivery models, and ease of use.
This guide provides clarity on intelligent automation solutions based on unbiased research and customer perspectives. We encourage you to utilize the analysis and recommendations shared here as an input into your vendor evaluation process.
With the right platform that aligns to your environment and objectives, you can drive rapid ROI and longevity from automation. Reach out if you need any assistance in kickstarting your automation journey successfully.
