What is Automation as a Service?
When we look at companies, we see a common denominator regardless of size, vertical, or geography: They all strive for more efficient, transparent processes to drive growth.
Oftentimes, the search for an answer leads them to automation, but for a variety of reasons, some fail to implement automated solutions at scale.
It is at this point that “automation as a service” appears as an option to bridge the gaps.
What is the definition of automation as a service?
Automation as a Service (AaaS) refers to the delivery of on-demand, tailored automation services to improve company processes.
It’s worth mentioning that the “AaaS” acronym is shared with other business models, most notably with authentication as a service.
What can automation as a service do for your business?
Automation as a service is one of the fastest alternatives to automate key business processes.
This happens because AaaS providers already master a number of automation tools, and in some cases also know the ins and outs of specific industries, geographies, and markets.
In other words, a company that contracts an AaaS provider will be saving itself a number of learning curves, and also benefiting from the accumulated industry and market experience of the provider.
On top of this, any business contracting an AaaS provider can expect to reach a number of goals related to processes and return on investment.
These goals can vary from company to company but are often related to:
Time (how much time is saved with automation).
Financial resources (how much money is saved with automation).
Transparency (how the accessibility to data is improved).
Human input (how much human intervention is required in the aftermath of automation).
What is an automation as a service provider?
AaaS providers step in when an organization falls behind in its automation efforts, and bring their expertise in automation tools and workflows to revamp (and sometimes replace) existing internal processes.
Automation agencies, consultants, and freelancers are all AaaS providers.
Frequently, they specialize in certain industries, tools, and geographies to serve specific markets as efficiently as possible.
What is an example of automation as a service?
Examples of AaaS are pretty abundant thanks to the thousands of providers that deliver successful solutions for their customers on a regular basis.
Some examples include:
Services company Scentia saved 10 hours/week by automating its onboarding processes with AaaS provider Makeitfuture.
Fitness company Verb turned 2-hour tasks into 5-minute ones thanks to AaaS provider XRay.
Industrial transformation company OHoE automated its discovery processes with Makeitfuture to improve how it serves its customers.
In its most basic form, an automation as a service example includes a company that wants to improve its processes, an AaaS provider, and the resulting custom solution that successfully addresses the initial problem.
If you are interested in more real-life AaaS examples, you can check out the Make community, where you’ll find a dedicated section for solutions created by Makers, many of whom are AaaS providers.
Where can I find automation as a service providers?
There are many places where you can find AaaS providers depending on your needs, location, and current tech stack.
However, the factors mentioned above will likely shape your search and the results.
For example, if your business relies on modern cloud services, you’ll likely find suitable AaaS providers in SaaS partner networks, such as Make’s Partner Directory.
Aside from this, automation consultants and freelancers can be found across specialized sites, such as Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal, or Turing.
To conclude, the enterprise sector can look to SaaS providers to contract automation-as-a-service (as some offer dedicated teams to enterprise-grade customers), and also to large consulting firms like Accenture and PwC.
What tools are used in automation as a service?
Automation as a service tools include workflow automation platforms like Make, robotic process automation software like UiPath and BluePrism, open source software and libraries like Selenium, application programming interfaces (APIs, which most apps feature), and computer code.
Eventually, AaaS providers will pick and use tools after evaluating factors that range from client needs to availability, pricing, and complexity.
Is automation as a service the same as robotic process automation?
Although some sources draw a parallel between AaaS and robotic process automation (RPA), the terms aren’t synonymous.
RPA is a form of process automation that uses software to record and mimic tasks done by humans on a screen in order to automate them.
As you can probably guess, some AaaS providers also include RPA among their offered services.
What’s the difference between automation as a service and service automation?
It’s easy to mix things up given the similarity between both terms.
However, service automation refers to a service that has been fully or partially automated.
Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing services represent a good example: Instead of going out in the street and stopping a cab, you tap a few buttons and that’s it - a mostly automated way of getting a ride.
Final words: Getting everything right before driving your automation efforts forward
Learning about the terms that populate the automation ecosystem is vital to making the right choices in regard to what and how you can automate your company’s process.
Hopefully, this article will help you choose the right course of action for your needs.
If you are curious about where to start and want to get serious about automation, sign up to Make for free or book a demo for a personalized introduction to the incredible possibilities our platform has to offer.
