RPA for SMEs: when does process automation pay off?
As an SME business owner, you know the feeling: your team is small, the to-do list is long and every month brings more work. Hiring new people is expensive and difficult in a tight labour market. At the same time, a large part of the working week goes on tasks that nobody really needs to do. Retyping, copying, checking. RPA for SMEs is the way to hand that work over to software robots, so your people have time left for what really matters.
But does it pay off for an organisation of ten, fifty or a hundred employees?
On this page you will read when process automation with RPA is worth it, what it costs, which software suits SMEs and how to start small without taking big risks. Want to know exactly what RPA is first? Then read our page on robotic process automation.
Why RPA is now within reach for SMEs
Until a few years ago, robotic process automation was mainly something for banks, insurers and large government organisations. They had the budgets for expensive licences, their own automation teams and long implementation projects. For most SMEs, that threshold was simply too high.
That picture has changed considerably. There are three reasons for this.
Small processes, big gains
The interesting thing about process automation in SMEs is that the gains often lie precisely in the small processes. A large organisation automates to process thousands of transactions a day.
An SME already gains a lot from one robot that takes over an hour of manual work every day. Over a year, that adds up to well over two hundred hours, roughly five full working weeks.
When does RPA pay off for your SME?
Company size actually says little. A business with fifteen employees and busy order processing can benefit more from RPA than an organisation of two hundred people with little repetitive work. So do not look at your size, but at your processes.
Signs that automation makes sense for your SME
Do you recognise one or more of these situations? Then there is a good chance a software robot will pay off for you.
- Employees retype data from one system into another.
- Tasks are left undone because nobody has time for them.
- Errors in orders, invoices or customer data regularly lead to rework.
- The back office falls behind during busy periods.
- You are considering hiring someone purely for administrative work.
- You work with an older system or a portal for which no integration exists.
Want to see what this looks like in practice? In RPA examples you can read about 15 processes that SMEs often automate first.
The calculation in three steps
You can estimate whether RPA pays off with a simple calculation.
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Determine the time per instance
How many minutes does the task take on average?
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Count the volume
How often does the task occur per month?
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Factor in the hourly cost
What does an hour of the employee who currently does it cost, including employer's contributions?
RPA or the automation in your existing software?
Many SMEs already use software with automation options. Your CRM automatically sends a confirmation email, your accounting package imports bank statements and a workflow assigns new leads to the right salesperson. So why would you still need RPA?
The answer lies in what happens between your systems. The automation in your software works within that one system, or between systems that can talk to each other via an API. As soon as a task touches systems without an integration, that automation stops. That is where the manual work begins, and that is where a software robot comes in.
| Situation | Best approach |
|---|---|
| Task takes place within one system | Built-in workflow of that system |
| Two systems with a good API | API integration |
| System without an API, older package or external portal | RPA |
| Task with unstructured input such as free text | RPA combined with AI |
The smartest approach is usually a combination. Use the automation you already have where you can, and deploy a robot for the gaps in between. You can read how to make that choice in RPA, API integrations or low-code: which automation approach suits you?.
What does RPA cost for an SME?
The costs of RPA consist of three parts. Once you separate them, comparing becomes a lot easier.
Where SMEs save money
By starting small, you keep the investment manageable. Choose one process, show that it works and use the savings to fund the next process. That way the automation pays for itself, as it were. Amounts on this page are indicative and exclude VAT; the actual costs depend on your situation.
Which RPA software suits SMEs?
Not all RPA software is made for an organisation with a small IT department, or none at all. When choosing, pay particular attention to how well the solution fits your existing systems, how easily you can make changes yourself and what the total costs are over a few years.
In Choosing RPA software we list all the selection criteria for you.
Do you need in-house IT knowledge?
A common concern among business owners: "We don't have an IT department, so this isn't for us." Fortunately, that is rarely true. Above all, you need someone who knows the process well. That is usually an employee who currently does the work themselves.
You can outsource the technical side, such as building, testing and securing the robot, to an implementation partner. After delivery, simple changes can often be made in-house, especially with RPA software that works with a recorder and visual workflows. For larger changes and maintenance, you make arrangements with your partner.
Software robots as an answer to staff shortages
In many sectors, it is difficult to find good administrative staff. Vacancies stay open for months and the existing team works overtime. Software robots do not solve that problem completely, but they do take the pressure off.
A robot takes over the repetitive work, so your current team can focus on tasks that require human insight. As your business grows, the robot grows with it effortlessly. It processes a thousand orders a month just as easily as a hundred. That way you can grow without immediately having to hire extra people for purely operational work.
One important point: be open with your employees. Explain that the robot is taking over their dullest tasks, not their jobs. In practice, employees are often its biggest supporters once they notice how much time they get back.
The risks of RPA and how to limit them
RPA is not a magic wand. If you start without a plan, you will run into a few well-known pitfalls. The good news: they can all be avoided.
Starting small with RPA for SMEs
The best way to find out what RPA means for your organisation is simply to start. Small, manageable and with a clear goal. This is what a typical start looks like.
By working in steps, you keep costs under control and build support. Every successful robot makes it easier to justify the next one. You can read how to approach a complete project, including governance and management, in Implementing RPA.
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Take stock
Ask your teams which tasks take the most time and are the least enjoyable. Make a list of five to ten candidates.
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Choose one process
Select the process with the best balance between gain and simplicity. Few exceptions, high volume.
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Build a first robot
Have the process documented, the robot built and tested with real data.
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Measure the result
How much time are you saving? How many fewer errors are there? Record it, so you have a solid basis for the next step.
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Expand
Tackle the next process, or extend the existing robot to handle exceptions it currently passes on.
As a small team we thought RPA was too big for us. One robot turned out to be enough to clear the backlog in our administration.
Discover what RPA can deliver for your SME
RPA for SMEs is not about big budgets or complex IT projects. It is about smartly handing over work that currently costs your team time and energy. With one well-chosen process, you can notice the difference within a few weeks.
Mobile XL helps SMEs in the Netherlands and Flanders at every step. We map out your processes, calculate what automation will deliver and build your first software robot with the RPA software that fits your systems. Affordable, GDPR-compliant and without your existing software having to change.
Frequently asked questions about RPA for SMEs
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Yes. The threshold has dropped considerably in recent years, partly because RPA is increasingly built into existing software. Even a small business with a busy back office can save a lot of time with a single robot.
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The size of your business matters less than the volume of your processes. If a task occurs often and takes a lot of time, RPA can already pay off for a team of ten employees.
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The costs consist of licences, setup and management. With enterprise platforms, it is mainly the licences that are expensive. If you use Zoho One, Zoho RPA is included in your subscription at no extra charge and you mainly pay for setting up the robots.
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Not necessarily. Above all, you need someone who knows the process well. You can leave building and securing the robot to an implementation partner such as Mobile XL.
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A first, simple robot can be live within a few weeks. You notice the time savings straight away, from the first day the robot runs.
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The automation in your software works within that system or via API integrations. RPA fills the gaps in between, for example with older software or portals without an integration.
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Yes. A robot takes over the repetitive work, so your current team can focus on tasks that genuinely need people. That way you can grow without immediately hiring extra administrative staff.
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That depends on your systems. If you work with Zoho One, Zoho RPA is a logical choice. For processes in which robots and people work closely together, Collabotics is a strong option. Enterprise platforms are often more expensive and complex than SMEs need.
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The best-known risks are automating a bad process, robots that get stuck after an update and unclear ownership. With good preparation, monitoring and clear agreements, you limit those risks.
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That is in fact the recommended approach. Start with one process, measure the result and then expand step by step.
Curious where your biggest opportunities lie?
Book a no-obligation consultation with one of our specialists.