#Japan #BizRobo! #Open Corporation #Uji #Uji City

Uji City Drives Efficiency with BizRobo!

Uji City, located in Kyoto Prefecture, has taken significant strides toward efficiency and resource optimization by implementing the RPA tool "BizRobo!". Since the integration of this tool, the city has successfully automated six key business operations, ultimately saving an impressive total of 2,000 hours annually. This initiative is part of Uji's broader mission to navigate the challenges posed by a declining population and to maintain high-quality citizen services with a streamlined workforce of approximately 1,400 staff members.

The Rationale Behind Implementing BizRobo!

With a population of around 178,000, Uji City is spearheading efforts to rationalize its workforce in light of anticipated demographic challenges. The city is prioritizing the reconstruction of its administrative processes while striving for continuous improvement in services offered to its residents. Recently, Uji has made significant steps toward digitizing its administrative procedures, aiming to eliminate manual submission and input requirements.

In February 2023, Uji City established a digital transformation guideline that emphasizes not only the promotion of My Number Card usage and standardization of information systems but also the advancement of AI and RPA technologies. Following an internal trial of an RPA tool, city employees observed promising results, which led to the decision to officially adopt BizRobo! in April 2023. Uji City opted for BizRobo! Lite, provided by Open Corporation, choosing this platform primarily due to its ability for in-house deployment and robust technical support.

Harnessing the Power of 13 Software Robots

Currently, Uji City is operating 13 software robots across six departments including the Mayor's office, finance division, and waterworks department. One notable application is within the fire department, where an automated process was developed to migrate overtime data from Excel daily reports into their HR and payroll system. This innovation has drastically reduced the workload from monthly reconciliation processes. Moreover, the finance division has automated data extraction related to daily expenditures, and the waterworks department has streamlined the creation of monthly financial closing documents.

Additionally, the child welfare department has combined RPA with AI-OCR technology to swiftly aggregate information collected from paper submissions, enhancing overall efficiency.

As a result of these implementations, Uji City is now able to reallocate 2,000 hours of workforce time to more value-added activities, including personalized citizen interactions and organizational management. Furthermore, automation of various tasks that previously required manual input has contributed to a significant reduction in excessive working hours.

The increased awareness and adoption of RPA have led to a growing interest in integrating new technologies such as generative AI, promising further enhancements in operational efficiency.

Aiming for System Standardization

As part of the government's ongoing efforts to standardize local government information systems, Uji City is actively utilizing RPA to facilitate data import and transcription during the transition to a unified system platform. The goal is to minimize human involvement while optimizing system performance, ensuring seamless interoperability between common and specialized municipal systems.

Looking ahead, Uji City plans to focus on standardizing development and operations in RPA and DX initiatives, intending to foster stability in the use of technology despite varying digital competencies among staff. Proposed strategies include creating a structured transition process for staff transfers and expanding the use of robotic resources across multiple departments.

Open Corporation has been actively supporting Uji City's development efforts under its Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) initiative, aiming to bridge the gap between technology and community service. By leveraging RPA and AI technology, Open seeks to address societal challenges such as labor shortages and enhance municipal operations, thereby providing improved services to residents.

An Overview of BizRobo!

BizRobo! is a leading digital labor platform designed to assist organizations in implementing and operating software robots that enhance productivity among white-collar workers. This tool aims to liberate professionals from routine tasks, ultimately contributing to improved productivity across industries and changing the future of work.

For more detailed information about the product offerings of BizRobo!, you can visit their official product page and explore various specialized bots such as BizRobo! Basic, BizRobo! Lite, and BizRobo! mini.

Conclusion

Uji City’s experience with BizRobo! is not just a successful implementation story; it exemplifies how public sectors can leverage technology to improve service delivery and operational efficiency. The emphasis on technology integration and continuous improvement reflects a noteworthy commitment to enhance administrative capabilities, ultimately enriching the lives of Uji City's residents.