Robotic Process Automation (RPA) creates the digital workforce that transforms industries, helping businesses achieve greater accuracy, speed, and cost efficiency. RPA adoption is a must-have for modern businesses, as it is mostly believed to be the major component of digital transformation. However, the journey to its integration isn’t always smooth. Many companies face RPA challenges during its design and implementation.
BCG’s research shows that 70% of digital transformations fall short of their objectives. Another survey shows that 30% to 50% of RPA projects also initially fail. Nevertheless, the global robotic process automation market size is expected to reach USD 178.55 billion by 2033, according to Precedence Research.
So, should you invest in the adoption of automation for your business? Yes, for sure! But how can you ensure that your organization is among the 30% of successful transformers? You should understand the most common RPA challenges that come with it and know how to address them.
Keep reading this article to explore the 7 biggest RPA challenges businesses face and actionable insights to overcome them. Because the better you tackle these obstacles, the greater the rewards of automation.
What is automation & why is it important?
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offers smart solutions to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks, using software bots (robots). RPA is now often referred to as Intelligent Automation (IA), which is a combination of RPA, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). This transformation is mostly caused by the emergence of AI and ML technologies. Intelligent automation shows powerful results in managing more complex workflows.
Some of the benefits of using RPA are efficiency improvements, cost reduction, and error minimization, as it handles processes like data entry, reporting, and customer support. It also plays a critical role in digital transformation, enabling businesses to focus on high-value tasks and strategic goals.
Key robotic process automation challenges
Despite its benefits, organizations often face various challenges when designing and implementing RPA/IA solutions.
1. Wrong process selection and prioritization
Choosing the right processes for automation is one of the biggest challenges of successful automation. It is critical since automating the wrong workflows wastes resources, delivers little value, and frustrates teams. To squeeze every bit of value from RPA, organizations should aim to automate the processes with the highest return on investment (ROI) potential. It is particularly important at the initial stages of automation adoption.
Solution
To build an RPA strategy that will bring the biggest results, you should consider following these steps:
- Identify repetitive, rule-based, and time-consuming tasks that can benefit from automation.
- Prioritize processes that have a significant impact on efficiency and cost reduction.
- Create a clear roadmap for automation, starting with workflows that have the highest ROI.
- Time to time reassess priorities to make sure automation aligns with evolving business goals.
The Shift-Left data-driven approach can significantly enhance the selection and prioritization of processes. It ensures that decision-making is informed by quality data and early insights. The most useful tool for this is data mining, which includes process mining, task mining, and communication mining.
Aspect | Process mining | Task mining | Communication mining |
Definition | Analyzes event logs from systems to understand and optimize business processes. | Captures user interactions on desktops to analyze and determine the best automation opportunities. | Analyzes communication data (emails, chats, tickets) to extract insights and identify automation use cases. |
Top popular tools | UiPath Process Mining, Celonis Process Intelligence Platform, | UiPath Business Automation Platform, Scout Platform, Celonis Process Intelligence Platform (according to Gartner) | UiPath Communications Mining |
2. Resistance to change among employees
When process automation gets introduced, employees often fear job loss, as the myth is that “AI and Robots are here to steal human jobs”. Due to this belief, they may create resistance, feel uncertainty, and express disengagement. Without addressing this RPA challenge, adoption rates suffer. In addition, unfamiliarity with RPA systems leaves employees unprepared to work alongside bots, further adding to their hesitation.
Solution
The key solution to overcome these obstacles is to educate your staff, using effective communication and change management strategies. Make it clear that bots aren’t replacing professionals—they free them from boring work. Focus on real benefits like productivity gains, reduced workloads, and opportunities to do more value-driven tasks. When employees see how RPA aligns with their goals, resistance fades and collaboration grows.
Another useful strategy is to involve employees from the start. Gaining the backing of senior management is a critical first step, as they can drive cultural alignment and model acceptance for the rest of the organization. Plus, gathering employees’ feedback on what they think can be automated to help them be more productive is also of great value.
Once you implemented automation for your business, you should provide hands-on training and upskilling opportunities. It will also show them how easy it is to use bots and how it helps them enhance their roles.
3. Integration with legacy systems
The survey commissioned by Tata Consultancy Services and AWS showed that over 66% of organizations still rely on legacy applications for their core operations. Outdated systems can be an obstacle to successful RPA implementation, especially when they lack modern APIs or standard connectivity. They often use outdated technology or non-standard data formats, posing a challenge for RPA bots to interact with and extract data seamlessly.
Solution
The answer lies in investing in RPA tools and platforms with strong integration capabilities. Many RPA vendors have connectivity features for various legacy systems. For example, with UiPath, you can access seamless RPA integration with major third-party systems, including SAP, AWS, Salesforce, and more.
One more solution is to partner with experienced RPA developers or implementation service providers that can develop customized solutions to bridge the gap between the systems you use and modern RPA tools. With the right approach, even legacy systems can seamlessly support automation.
4. Bot maintenance and governance challenges
The root of this issue frequently lies in an overemphasis on quick wins through “low-hanging fruit” processes without considering long-term scalability. Winning over stakeholders by showcasing immediate success can unintentionally create unrealistic demands for significant ROI on every automated process. Thus, while immediate results are essential for most businesses, this mindset can lead to a dead-end. It may compromise the long-term scalability of automation efforts.
Automation scalability failure can also be caused by infrastructure limitations and tool inefficiencies. If the solution selected for automation doesn’t offer flexibility for scaling, it will create a stumbling block for future RPA initiatives.
Solution
So what is the code to crack the problem? Organizations must take a strategic approach from the start. Firstly, it is important to choose scalable RPA platforms that can grow with your business needs. The next step is to define a clear organization-wide strategy for RPA deployment.
Frequently, it may be more beneficial to automate entire departments, instead of selective processes. Selective automation can yield small results on a bigger scale, while comprehensive automation can significantly enhance productivity, demonstrating RPA’s value to leaders.
Another strategy is to focus on automating complex workflows that span multiple departments. These high-visibility projects drive substantial gains, encourage collaboration, and justify establishing a centralized automation COE, which is essential for scaling.
Additionally, critical for success is training many employees early. It will mitigate fears, promote understanding, and encourage citizen developer training.
However, there is no one-fit-all strategy, as every business requires a tailored one, aligned with its objectives.
6. Cost management and ROI analysis
Organizations frequently underestimate the true costs of RPA. Licensing fees, infrastructure upgrades, and unforeseen complexities can cause expenses to escalate rapidly. Maintenance costs, often overlooked, are equally critical to ensure sustained success and minimize disruptions over time.
Early RPA failures that are triggered by poor cost-benefit planning and inability to show an immediate return on investment (ROI) can leave a lasting impression on decision-makers. This resistance may make them hesitant to reinvest in future automation initiatives.
Solution
What works here is the development of a budget plan and cost management strategy, as it is critical to avoid financial pitfalls. This plan should account for all phases, including deployment, infrastructure updates, licensing, and long-term maintenance. Partnering with experienced RPA consultants can provide valuable insights into cost-effective implementation strategies. Pilot projects can further validate ROI and demonstrate tangible benefits, building confidence for future investments.
It is also important to remember that, unlike traditional investments, the success of some digital initiatives may not be immediately apparent or quantifiable. Moreover, the value derived from automation often extends beyond financial metrics and includes improvements in customer experience, employee productivity, business agility, etc. A well-planned approach to benefits calculation can help justify investments and even foster scalability.
7. Data security and compliance risks
RPA interacts with sensitive business data, making security and regulatory compliance a critical concern for organizations. Businesses must identify and address industry-specific and regional regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, by implementing the necessary compliance controls. Failure to adhere to these regulations endangers sensitive data and subjects organizations to potential legal penalties and reputational damage.
Another related RPA challenge is cybersecurity threats. As new attack vectors emerge with automation expansion, it further necessitates rigorous security measures.
Solution
To resolve these RPA issues, organizations must adopt a multi-faceted approach to security and compliance. Foremost, organizations should use secure RPA platforms with strong encryption methods and access controls. Regular compliance audits are essential to make sure that automated processes align with industry regulations. Organizations should monitor data usage continuously to detect and respond to anomalies proactively.
In addition, it is important to conduct regular vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and risk evaluations. It will help identify potential cybersecurity weaknesses.
High priority should also be placed on assigning unique identities to RPA bots and employing multi-factor authentication (MFA). It helps prevent unauthorized access and bot impersonation.
Best practices for successful RPA deployment
Involve stakeholders early in the process and maintain open collaboration to align goals and expectations.
Focus on scalability from the beginning by creating a clear organization-wide automation deployment strategy that aligns with business goals.
Select flexible RPA software that can grow with your business.
Develop a comprehensive budget plan to manage costs effectively. Account for implementation, licensing, maintenance, and unforeseen expenses to ensure financial sustainability.
Assess existing processes thoroughly to identify the best candidates for automation. Use data mining tools to gain data-driven insights into which workflows offer the highest ROI and benefits.
- Address employees’ fear of job displacement or resistance to change with clear communication.
Foster a learning culture by training employees to work alongside automation tools.
Monitor bot performance continuously and refine processes as needed. Track bot efficiency, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements proactively.
- Establish an automation COE to centralize RPA governance, standardize best practices, and accelerate organization-wide adoption.
Enhance security and compliance by implementing robust access controls, encryption, and regular audits. Prioritize protecting sensitive data and adhering to industry regulations to avoid breaches and fines.
Why choose UAI Labs as your implementation partner?
At UAI Labs, we understand the challenges of RPA and AI implementation. We have the expertise to help you overcome them effectively. Partnering with us means you gain a strategic ally committed to your business transformation and success. Here’s why UAI Labs stands out:
- Shift-left data-driven digitalization: We leverage advanced analytics, including process mining, task mining, and communication mining, to make informed automation decisions that will bring high ROI.
Expertise in leading platforms: Our team is skilled in top RPA tools like UiPath and Microsoft Power Automate, ensuring we can craft solutions suited to businesses of any size or complexity.
Flexible and competitive pricing: Our scalable pricing models allow you to start small and expand as your business grows, making RPA accessible.
- Integration with legacy systems: We offer expertise in integrating automation tools with your existing systems, reducing the disruption of digital transformation.
Comprehensive support and training: Beyond deployment, we offer additional services of ongoing maintenance and optimization as well as training for your internal teams.
Conclusion
Automation is no longer optional for businesses aiming to stay competitive in today’s market. While RPA challenges can seem daunting, they are beatable with the right strategies and partnerships. You can succeed with automation and drive digital transformation by taking a proactive approach and building an extensive strategy that aligns with your business needs.
Let UAI Labs guide your digital transformation journey with tailored solutions and expert support. Contact us today and unlock the potential of intelligent process automation for your business.
