the-Automators' Podcast #126: RPA companies and the Exorbitant prices they charge
Channel: AUTOHOTKEY Gurus
Date: 2022-01-04

Are you aware of the crazy prices RPA companies charge?
In this episode of the-Automators' Podcast Jackie Sztuk and Joe Glines discuss the Crazy prices RPA companies charge and what they should be.
TLDR: Companies are reconsidering further investment in automation due to the exorbitant fees charged by RPA companies for their services, leading them to explore more cost-effective alternatives such as hiring developers or using free tools like AutoHotkey.

1. 00:00 💸 Companies are paying exorbitant fees for RPA services, causing them to reconsider further investment in automation.
 1.1 Robotic process automation companies charge exorbitant fees for their services.
 1.2 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for their services, with one example being a company charging $2000 a day for a consultant to research and understand the automation needs of a client.
 1.3 Companies are spending a lot of resources on RPA, but the high prices of automation may be causing them to halt further investment.

2. 03:29 💸 RPA companies charge high fees for bot licenses and development, making it more cost-effective to hire a developer for automation.
 2.1 RPA companies charge exorbitant licensing fees for each bot, with limitations on the tasks each bot can perform and additional fees for additional tasks.
 2.2 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for licenses, automation development, and execution, making it more cost-effective to hire a single developer to create automations.

3. 05:44 🤖 RPA companies charge high prices for automation that may not actually improve processes, potentially leading to government intervention with a bot tax, and additional fees for non-human users may be unfair.
 3.1 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for process automation that may not actually optimize processes and may eventually lead to government intervention in the form of a bot tax.
 3.2 Companies selling software charge additional fees for non-human users, which may not be fair to users who need 24/7 access.

4. 08:40 🤑 RPA companies charge high prices for outdated and difficult-to-automate software and services, with additional fees for ongoing support and updates.
 4.1 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for automating complex tasks, even when the software is outdated and difficult to automate.
 4.2 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for their software and services, with additional fees for ongoing support and updates.

5. 11:10 🤑 Outsourcing RPA tasks is expensive, but tools like Autohotkey and APIs offer similar functionality at a fraction of the cost, while RPA companies charge high prices for GUI-based tools that can be replicated with hotkeys and accessibility libraries.
 5.1 Outsourcing RPA tasks to local employees is rare, and the cost of hiring an outsider for automation can be exorbitant, despite the potential benefits of AI and image detection offered by some tools.
 5.2 Autohotkey can do a lot of what RPA companies do at a fraction of the cost, and there are APIs that can be connected to for similar functionality.
 5.3 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for GUI-based tools that can be replicated with hotkeys and accessibility libraries, but can be helpful for those who are not proficient in programming.

6. 14:26 🤖 Automating tasks with free tools like AutoHotkey can be more cost-effective than relying on expensive RPA companies for new interfaces.
 6.1 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for their tools, but it may be more cost-effective to automate simpler tasks with free tools like AutoHotkey and save money for more complex tasks.
 6.2 You can create your own programs and control other programs with tools like autohotkey, rather than relying on expensive RPA companies for new interfaces.

7. 16:09 🤖 RPA companies charge high prices for automation tools that lack flexibility and cannot handle dynamic flows or point-to-point interactions.
 7.1 The speaker discusses the ability to customize interfaces and alter program appearances using RPA tools like Automation Anywhere, UiPath, and Quick Access Pop-up.
 7.2 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for their cloud-based or standalone computer automation processes, which cannot be used for dynamic flows or point-to-point interactions.

8. 18:51 🤖 RPA companies charge high prices for their tools, so consider alternatives like hotkey and process automation tools.
 8.1 RPA companies focus on automating tasks that remove the need for human involvement, while hotkey and process automation tools are typically used to speed up individual or small team tasks.
 8.2 RPA companies charge exorbitant prices for their tools, so be mindful when considering them.