Implementing RPA Tools: How to Get Leadership to Buy-in
Implementing RPA tools has multiple advantages for organizations. However, most managers tend to focus on how expensive software is to implement. Your job is to define how its benefits outweigh the initial capital cost.
Easy right? Don't worry, we're here to help.
Did you know employees spend about three working hours each day performing mundane and easily automatable tasks. This takes away valuable time that workers could use to carry out more valuable work. If adopted, robotic processes automation can help reduce this wastage, increasing the organization's and individual workers' performances.
However, the implementation of RPA tools presents a lot of challenges, chief among them being getting management's approval. Some strategies you can use to do these include;
- Highlighting the quantitative benefits
- Making an argument for non-quantitative benefits
- Formulating a comparative argument
- Involving other employees
- Analyzing and recommending various solutions
Management may not accept your idea immediately, but you must be patient and prepared. Below are details of how you can use the above strategies to persuade your leadership to adopt RPA tools.
1. Highlight the Quantitative Benefits of RPA Tools
Implementing robotic process automation tools can be pricey, even for large organizations. Managers need to be convinced of the system's money-saving capability for them to appreciate its potential usefulness to the company entirely. 62% of top executives attribute the use of quantifiable information to making fast and reliable decisions.
One of the strategies you can use highlights the negative aspects of the system currently being used while focusing on the benefits of an RPA tool.
Quantifying the results may involve highlighting the money savings made or expenses spent. For example, it is not enough to point out that RPA will save the company time wasted on repetitive tasks. Instead, show that the time wasted could be used to generate revenue worth a specific amount. Sum up all the benefits over a particular period and compare them to the cost of the system.
2. Make an Argument for the Non-Quantitative Benefits of RPA
Not all management decisions are money related, and it is essential to highlight the qualitative advantages of implementing the system for the managers to make a wholesome decision. RPA has several non-quantitative benefits, including improving employee motivation and customer satisfaction.
Even though you cannot explain these benefits in terms of the monetary savings they bring to the organization, they are critical to its long-term survival. You should be able to effectively demonstrate how the system change will bring these benefits to the firm.
Managers have a better chance of buying into your recommendation if both qualitative and quantitative benefits are clear to them. The presentation of these non-monetary factors often highlights the change as a solution to problems they are already encountering.
3. Formulate a Comparative Argument
Make a comparison between implementing an RPA system with another successful change in strategy. However, this only works effectively if all the parties involved know the object of comparison. Therefore, you should use the most familiar examples.
A comparative argument gives the boss a better way to envision the future success of the project. Managers who see the shift in strategy as too expensive are more likely to see RPA as necessary for company growth.
4. Involve Other Employees
You are not the only worker in your organization that will benefit from the adoption of RPA. Involving workers early on in the process can increase your chances of success. Keeping them in the loop will help you sell the strategy to the decision-makers and effectively implement it once approved.
85% of employees are not consulted on major decisions affecting their jobs. The lack of communication often leads to employee demotivation and high turnover rates. Employers are also likely to listen to multiple workers' complaints instead of one squeaky wheel.
To get your colleagues' support, highlight specific areas in each department of the organization that can benefit from RPA. Keep in mind that people are more likely to push for these changes if they affect them directly.
Make sure you have management permission to sell the proposal to other workers before you begin. Generally, acting behind the management's back may give a negative view of the process to your leadership. This can lead to the plan's rejection even before it gets to them.
5. Analyze and Recommend Various Solutions
Making recommendations on the best solutions that fit your organization's needs is one of your selling points. Giving the managers a specific basis for which to gauge any potential considerations will make their decision easier.
You will need to sell the organizational decision-makers on the benefits of the specific solution providers. Persuading stakeholders requires an in-depth analysis of all potential options the company might consider. Additionally, factors that might save on cost, e.g., if developers can build the technology on top of the existing organization infrastructure, should be mentioned at this point.
Considerations when picking recommendations can include; the experience of the industry's supplier, other projects are done, the project's quoted cost, etc.
It's Time to Get Your Boss to Buy Into Implementing RPA Tools
Discussing the benefits of implementing RPA with the management can help change a potentially damaging decision to a favorable one. Accordingly, it would help if you showed the leadership how RPA would help increase its profits by cutting costs.
It would be best if you didn't ignore non-quantitative benefits, however, as they may help swing the decision in your favor. Further, make sure you highlight any successful projects and compare them to the strategy change.
Ensuring other employees are involved will also help make your case as the leadership will be more likely to listen to all employees' matters instead of one. Lastly, before presenting this issue to the management, ensure you have researched the topic and provide recommendations on who will supply the technology.
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