Podcast: Cindy Gallagher on why automation is business evolution

When it comes to RPA, you have to show value—even if that means eating your own dog food, says Discovery’s Cindy Gallagher 

From the moment she joined Discovery Communications as SVP of Global Business Services, Cindy Gallagher has been focused on building a solid foundation for intelligent growth across the enterprise. A foundation, she said, that begins with trust.

By asking the right questions—and many of them—Cindy said she was able to target the right types of technology to get optimum results for both clients and employees. “I asked questions like, ‘Why do our customers feel the way they do?’, and ‘What additional value are we bringing?’” she told AIIA Network’s podcast host, Seth Adler.

Eventually landing on robotic process automation (RPA) as the lynchpin for future growth, Cindy said it became about rebuilding from a metrics foundation. “We knew it was the direction—not only of the industry—but of business life,” she said.

“We didn’t approach it from a cost savings perspective. RPA can absolutely save you money—if that’s the way you want to go. I looked at it from a business evolution perspective.”

Implementing RPA has also benefitted Cindy’s team, now freed up to focus on more value-adding tasks such as looking at big data and focusing on customer service, she added. It’s a mindset shift all about embracing, rather than fearing, robots, Cindy said.

“You have to show the value. You have to eat your own dog food.”

Tune in as Cindy and Seth discuss the regional challenges of implementing enterprise-wide RPA, why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to automation, and how a strengths-based approach to change management can benefit all.

Listen now: 

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