The need for empowering resources through technology is rising in tandem with the growing focus on automation and fully utilizing available resources. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is based on the notion of artificial intelligence workers or software workers that replicate the actions of human beings interacting with a computer system’s user interface. It is an emerging concept of clerical process automation and provides companies with a rule-based virtual workforce.

Benefits of Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

• Economic — The Return on Investment (ROI) on the implementation of RPA is approximately less than a year, whereas calculative ROI over a period of three years would be about 300% to 1000%.
• Accurate — An RPA integrated system can complete a given task in real-time with an accuracy rate of about 100% by eliminating data inconsistencies across various applications.
• Transparent — RPA has an inbuilt capability of generating a complete audit trail for every process or operation is undertaken, which gives the organization full transparency.
• Faster — An RPA solution can complete any process or operation 30 times faster than a human. It simultaneously increases speed and reduces the wait, improving customer experience and boosting efficiency.
• Fewer Errors/Defects —RPA reduces error rates across the processes associated with technical operations and human resources. For instance, it helps reduce errors that are likely to occur in the process of managing staff by providing the required information in a timely manner.
• Scalable —RPA is a flexible solution that can be scaled in accordance with demand and applied across several distinct, unrelated processes of a company’s overall operational channel.
• Enhanced Control —RPA is an economical solution for several business organizations as it helps control operations that are majorly outsourced due to a lack of resources and time restraints.

Over the years, the spectrum of robotic automation processes has been evolving so as to meet the demands of dynamic business processes. The below graph depicts the evolution of RPA in different phases, namely RPA 1.0, RPA 2.1, RPA 2.2, and the latest RPA 3.0. It also portrays the business value offered by each phase to end-users. 

Investments in RPA Across Different Verticals

Since its inception around 7–8 years ago, RPA has seen the most notable contributions in terms of tech advancement by Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. on account of their well-established technological infrastructure. The robotic process automation market is evolving rapidly against a backdrop of the increasing demand for accuracy and sophistication, growing investments, increasing awareness, and expansion in new markets.

Organizations offering services in different industrial verticals across the globe are significantly spending on technology. To understand the scenario better, companies have been segmented into beginners, intermediates, and leaders. As per our analysis, beginners spend approx. USD 1–2 million annually on RPA, whereas intermediates and leaders invest approx. USD 3–4 million and USD 10–12 million, respectively.

The below graph depicts the share of investments for the period 2017–2019 and highlights the contribution of each industry individually to RPA technology.

The IT and telecom sector is one of the key beneficiaries of RPA, and the BFSI and healthcare sectors stand to gain much from the technology by steadily replacing the data collection and management methodology.

RPA has created an opportunity for service providers in the aspects of deriving value from their established business models by delivering an effective and streamlined way to radically shift the way processes are managed across industries.

IT & Telecom— The Leading Industry for the Application of RPA

The IT and telecommunication industry is well-established globally. Telecom providers operate in a business environment that demands the fastest and most affordable cutting-edge services. They are burdened with large volumes of data associated with management, cost control, and business enhancement, business agility, and human resources, which prevents them from focusing on their core competencies.

The telecom sector is an ideal candidate for the adoption of process automation technologies, such as robotic process automation. The integration of RPA would help telecoms service providers in managing their back-office operations and dealing with large volumes of repetitive data and processes accurately, enabling them to focus on their core competencies.

The below graph depicts the growing adoption rate of RPA in the IT and Telecom sector for the period 2017–2027.

Regional Analysis

As RPA technology is foreseen as an ideal solution to curb outsourcing costs, countries of North America, Europe, and the Middle-East, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, and GCC counties, are pegged to be high potential markets in terms of growth prospects in the robotic process automation market. These countries are highly dependent on countries of Asia-Pacific, such as China, India, Brazil, and the Philippines, for outsourcing.

The abundant availability of cheap labor in Asia-Pacific and South America makes these regions lucrative outsourcing hubs. However, with the advent of RPA, companies are expected to stop outsourcing their operations and resort to a much cheaper option, i.e. RPA integrated systems. RPA would not only help business entities curb the costs of outsourcing but also offer them more desirable levels of accuracy, efficiency, and reduce time consumption on a single task compared to human labor.

The below graph depicts the estimated share of the robotic process automation market in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Competitive Landscape

Some of the key players identified in the robotic process automation market are Nice Systems Ltd., Pegasystems Inc., Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism PLC, Ipsoft, Inc., Celaton Ltd., Redwood Software, Uipath SRL, Verinta System Inc., Premier Logic, Xerox Corporation, Arago Us, Inc., IBM Corporation, and Thoughtonomy Ltd.

Our analysis into the vendor landscape concluded that Blue Prism, Uipath SRL, Nice Systems Ltd., and Automation Anywhere lead the robotic process automation market at present. From a regional perspective, Automation Anywhere leads the market in North America and South America, whereas Blue Prism holds a significant share in the Middle-East and Europe.

Though RPA technology is gaining momentum and acceptance across the globe, it is still at the initial stage; thus, companies operating in the market are pursuing different approaches. For instance, market leaders such as Blue Prism and Automation Anywhere are shifting from perpetual licensing to monthly/annually subscription-based licensing models, which would help them introduce flexibility and increase client maturity. However, companies that are envisioning growth, such as Premier Logic, a digital transformation, and RPA service provider, prefer to offer managed services that help firms across the full RPA lifecycle with broader automation strategies.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Market: Segmentation

By Process

• Automated Solution
• Decision Support and Management Solution
• Interaction Solution

By Operation

• Rule-based
• Knowledge-based

By Type

• Tool-based
  • Model-based Application Tools
  • Process-based Application Tools
• Service-based
  • Consulting
  • Integration & Development
  • Training

By Industry

• BFSI
• Telecom and IT
• Travel & Hospitality
• Retail &Consumer Goods
• Manufacturing& Logistics
• Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
• Others

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• The Middle-East
• Africa