How can you use process automation to enable self-service?

Imagine popping on your smartphone, scanning through an app, and booking flight tickets - that's the power of self-service. It empowers users to fulfill needs independently, anytime, anywhere. From customers checking balances & updating data, to employees accessing training modules or applying leave, everything's in their hands. As a result, customer queries are solved with AI-powered chatbots, while employees evolve through Learning Management Systems. It's a win-win situation, users enjoy a seamless experience while businesses economize. Self-service is innovation in action, paving the path for empowering technology that fosters enhanced user experiences while boosting productivity and cost-efficiency.

To enable self-service through process automation, implement user-friendly interfaces for task initiation and status tracking. Leverage workflow automation tools to streamline repetitive processes, allowing users to trigger and monitor tasks independently. Integrate decision trees and conditional logic to guide users through complex workflows. Additionally, incorporate error handling mechanisms to enhance reliability. By optimizing processes and providing intuitive interfaces, self-service capabilities empower users to efficiently manage tasks without constant manual intervention.

O autoatendimento é uma tendência principalmente no comércio, onde a pessoa pode pegar os produtos que queira, pagar e sair sem intervenção nenhuma de outras pessoas. Na Logística também existem muitos processos de autoatendimento, onde você pode apenas "clicar" nos itens e Robôs trazem até você.

To enhance data visualization in process automation, focus on simplicity and clarity. Use colours and shapes strategically to highlight key information. Interactive elements can make complex data more accessible and engaging - but make sure these are appropriate. Ensure your visualizations are visible across different devices for consistent viewing experiences. Regularly update your visualizations to reflect the most current data, maintaining their relevance and accuracy. Tailor your visualizations to your audience, using language and formats that resonate with them - ask them what they want to see and check back. Remember, effective visualization is not just about aesthetics; it's about making data comprehensible and actionable.

This is one of the great aspects I LOVE when implementing automation for my clients. Just provide a portal or chatbot that users can interact with to instruct the bots, and let the magic happen. Imagine a team of 2 working on a task and then a bot frees them FULLY. - The customer can get their needs faster. - The employee can focus on higher value work. CAUTION: This has to be done with proper planning and measures, espcially if it's a financial process. It has to be tested for vulnerablities so users don't misuse it.

Self-service portals, chatbots, and voice agents reflect the surface level engagement with the client. This neglects the back-end elements of execution, but primarily the focus in defining self-service is an exercise in risk management with your legal teams. You can automate many things, but is it sensible to do that. You may want to use RPA to send password reset emails, post a user submitting a request, but now there’s a link to reset the password in the bots sent mailbox. In the end, determine the user journeys, determine the high volume and low risk ones, and then use the appropriate solution e.g., in-built, invasive, non-invasive.

Self-service automation allows users to not only trigger business processes, but cancel and restart those jobs as well. Many self-service applications also provide monitoring so users can follow job progress. To achieve this, end-users may access web-based portals or applications with intuitive user interfaces or the business-productivity tools they use in day-to-day business.

In my experience , it all depends on the business use case and depth of automation required .Categorizing the automation start and end point would determine how much it’s self- serviced.For instant,if process involves human interruption like approving a transaction or feeding some human judgment as input to resume the process then automation breakpoint and transition from there has to be seamless and well connected.Automation can set to on hold until an input is available to proceed which again should not run into request traffic situation which ideally has to be handled in design . Process automation can bring self service to success by embarking on the human-in-the-loop & set them up in simple one stop interface for end users to trigger.

Through process automation, routine tasks are streamlined using self-service portals, like having a 'robot helper' that takes orders: for instance, you tell it to interact with various applications, like databases, based on predefined rules. It's like a smart assistant that uses RPA, integrated with AI, to understand and respond intelligently to requests. Imagine a chatbot that not only handles customer queries round the clock, but also learns from its interactions, enhancing the customer experience with each subsequent conversation. Or consider a self-service portal that processes order requests; this not only ensures error-free processing but also frees up human staff for more complex tasks, thereby revolutionizing business operations.

Depende muito, mas na minha visão, uma das oportunidades mais valiosas da automação de processos no autoatendimento é o chatbot. Ajuda os usuários a encontrarem informações, realizar transações e resolver problemas de forma rápida. Além do autoatendimento para clientes externos, a automação também pode ser aplicada internamente para permitir que funcionários acessem recursos e informações de forma autônoma.

- 24/7 Availability: Generative AI-powered systems can provide assistance and solutions to users around the clock, - Rapid Responses: Generative AI can instantly generate responses to customer queries and issues, reducing user waiting times - Scalability: Automated support powered by generative AI can handle a large volume of inquiries simultaneously - Reduced Workload: By automating routine and repetitive tasks, generative AI frees up human support to focus on more complex and high-value

Automated self-service systems, such as patient portals or health monitoring apps, not only provide immediate access to health information but also enable continuous health monitoring and personalized health reminders. This proactive approach can lead to earlier detection of potential health issues, encouraging timely intervention. Furthermore, by analyzing patient interaction data with these automated systems, healthcare providers can gain insights into patient behaviors and needs, thereby tailoring patient education and preventative care strategies more effectively. This leads to a more patient-centric approach, improving overall health outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Self-service through automation provides numerous advantages, including increased efficiency, cost savings, enhanced productivity, reduced errors, greater accessibility, improved customer experience, faster decision-making, scalability, compliance, and the ability to focus on strategic initiatives.

São inúmeros os benefícios, mas acredito que esses 3 que coloquei abaixo sejam os mais importantes na minha visão: - 24/7 - Conveniência e Agilidade - Redução de Custos - Redução/ eliminação de erros

Navigating self-service challenges enabled by RPA requires innovation. To ensure security, use AI-based anomaly detection that flags unusual user behavior, safeguarding data. Maintain quality with automated testing and error-logging applications, and manage complexity through RPA’s seamless integration with various platforms. Enhance user support and guidance through RPA-driven interactive demos and AI chatbots offering real-time aid. Tools like BI dashboards can help measure and improve services by collecting user feedback, continually tailoring improvements to user needs, thus elevating user experience. In summary, integrating technology smartly can turn RPA challenges into opportunities.

One of the challenges is the adoption of self service options by end users. It's the resistance to change in behavior from moving away from calling vs self service like using chatbots. Users must be given incentives to change the behavior to increase the adoption of self service channels. At the same time, user experience should be top notch to create stickiness.

O primeiro passo é observar a oportunidade. Quando se trata de captura de oportunidades, é importante estar atento às necessidades do mercado e às tendências emergentes. Isso requer uma combinação de análise de dados, intuição e uma visão estratégica. Às vezes, precisamos ir atrás das oportunidades em vez de esperar que elas venham até nós.

Process Automation for Self-Service can either be built using a RPA tool (Say using AARI or Automation co-pilot of AA) so that you do not need additional software tools to be utilized. Alternatively, RPA can act as a wrapper on existing self service processes enabling human in loop automations of self service processes.

By giving consumers effective tools and streamlining repetitive processes, process automation can enhance self-service. Users can access services on their own by putting procedures into place and automating repetitive tasks. One way to improve user experience and decrease reliance on manual interventions is to integrate chatbots, set up automated approval processes, and create self-service portals. This method boosts productivity while enabling users to complete work independently of continual support.