Ep. 247: Not All RPA Is Valued Equally

We walk through the three types of RPA business models and how we would value them: 1.) IT Services model: IT Services firms create custom bots for clients. This is a people-intensive business model that you may find at companies such as Infosys, Wipro, Tata, Accenture and IBM Global Services 2.) Tools model: Software robotics companies that develop tools which are sold to customers. Customers use those tools to build their own bots. There is a consulting/services/training element to this model as business user customers need to be educated about the bot building process. Automation Anywhere is an example of a tools company. This type of business is more scalable and profitable than the first scenario. 3.) Software Robotics: software companies that build robotics into their cloud-based technology offering. Robotics are embedded into the platform, customers are not required to build the bots themselves. This model is the most scalable of the three and most profitable. Investors may ask "Wouldn't model 2 be more profitable given that customers are building the bots?" The answer is "No", because that consulting layer isn't going away. Users will always have questions that need to be answered - vendors can't simply deliver a portfolio of tools and walk away from the customer. SS&C Technologies is an example of a company in scenario 3 where the RPA capability is embedded in the technology platform ("Singularity")