Press Articles | Why the robotic software market will continue to grow

Robotic software provides a range of opportunities. Using robotic automation, companies can automate repetitive and mundane tasks, and improve customer experience while allowing employees to focus on high value activities.

1. Declining returns from a mature ERP market

Some of us remember when the integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) market emerged in 1990 from earlier large scale transaction systems markets. Whole teams were created to manage the implementation of this innovative technology. It required bulky hardware to run the software, which amounted to a substantial investment. The value of bringing together many different systems under one integrated system made it worth the investment. The “old way” of purchasing specialised systems for each business process resulted in expensive integration, massive data challenges and missed whole-of-business opportunities. All of these issues were gone with the introduction of ERP software.

Over the years ERP software became an intrinsic part of business strategy. It evolved so much that today’s ERP software has few similarities with earlier generations. However, over the decades ERP software returns have declined. Implementation has become notorious for overruns, overspending and returns below expectations.

Now, with the need to get real-time data available anytime, anywhere, companies face a “move to the cloud”. This means additional investment in ERP systems that do not entirely meet users’ needs. While ERP solutions offer benefits, this often comes too slowly. Also, the ever-advancing technology means upgrades to implement and additional expenses. 

What we have seen in recent times is that many companies are increasingly interested in adopting more Agile approaches; those which are not possible with ERP systems. Modern business requires a faster adaptation to market changes and constant improvements through endless iterations. It is the era of “fail fast” philosophy. Naturally, organisations are moving away from big transformations and choosing more nimble solutions, an approach that offers the flexibility to navigate today’s market.