A key part of workplace experiences for employees in almost every industry over the last century, Xerox has now developed a new business model based upon a wide-ranging embrace of UiPath’s automation platform.
By streamlining and simplifying its internal processes with UiPath automation, the Rochester, New York-founded company is now driving customer success forwards with RPA-as-a-Service as key element in its operational base.
With a history in the photographic paper and equipment business, Xerox is of course known for launching the first photocopier in 1959. With innovation and reinvention cast into its DNA, the company is today known as a business solutions and services provider.
Automation inside
Stemming from an initial need to automate processes across its supply chain, contact centre, human resources and finance departments, Xerox knew it could extend its automation footprint further with UiPath. That extension was focussed on the company’s customer invoicing process.
Xerox chief digital officer Steve Miller and team used the UiPath platform to eradicate the process of manual invoice creation altogether.
After its initial success with UiPath across these mission-critical business areas, Xerox hosted a series of automation bootcamps that helped to raise the profile of automation within the company. Putting out a call to action for innovators right across the business to get involved, Xerox also established a Global Automation Center of Excellence to foster an environment for learning and experimenting with automation.
Citizen automation developers
Now operating a vibrant citizen developer community focussed on automation advantage, Xerox encourages subject matter experts to work with the team to expand upon best practices. The direct result of this action has been the development of more complex automations across the business into areas including customer service and sales enablement.
In these environments, software robots are providing on-demand reports to Xerox account and service delivery managers related to equipment in the field. This enables rapidly actioned insightful conversations with customers about billing and renewals. Robots also handle the customer supply replenishment process and service desk integrations.
The direct result of this action has been the development of more complex automations across the business into areas including customer service and sales enablement
In a virtuous circle of development, Xerox customers noticed the company becoming more agile through its use of UiPath automation. Naturally, they asked how Xerox could help them to work better, smarter and faster. This was a seminal watershed moment. With a growing number of automation-related requests coming in from its large enterprise and small and medium-sized business customers, Xerox moved ahead with a commercial automation practice of its own.
Now a flourishing line of business in and of itself, Xerox RPA-as-a-Service has been transformational for the company. Having gained so much experience with implementing and deploying complex application environments within Xerox gave the organisation the confidence to bring its own solution offering to market. A total process that happened in a matter of months.
A library of software robots
Xerox’s library of software robots has been converted into a catalogue, enabling its customers to quickly and easily explore potential automation opportunities within their own business. Applications span from claims automation and deal pricing in finance through to email campaigns in marketing and stock tracking in customer service. Operations, sales, admin, legal, and support professionals are also well-served.
If customers aren’t able to find what they need from within the existing list, Xerox can create new, custom bots tailored to the customer’s specific requirements. The resulting offering from Xerox is an end-to-end automation solution for customers at every level.
On the road ahead, UiPath and Xerox are working in unison to leverage Xerox’s own deep expertise in AI gained through its Palo Alto research centre. The organisations are taking advantage of the advanced AI features available in the UiPath Platform to embrace the new ‘definition of possible’ for Xerox and its customers.
