Exclusive: SS&C Blue Prism's CMO discusses role of automation in business growth

In an era where automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are at the forefront of technological innovation, SS&C Blue Prism is thriving as a leader in the automation industry.

The company, known for its software robots and digital workforce solutions, is focused on helping businesses streamline operations and unlock growth opportunities.

In an exclusive interview with TechDay, Paul Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of SS&C Blue Prism, shared insights into the company's global strategy, the evolution of their product offerings, and the increasing role of AI in their solutions.

Paul Taylor has been at SS&C Blue Prism for nearly four and a half years, taking on the role of CMO in early 2022. His background in technology companies and financial institutions has positioned him well to oversee the company's marketing efforts and drive demand for its innovative products.

"My main mission is to make sure that we're positioned in the right way in order to generate good demand for our salespeople, and also to ensure that people in the space are aware of what we're doing," he explained.

Based in London, Taylor's role extends globally, overseeing a team that operates across continents, with significant hubs in Europe, the United States, and Asia. SS&C Blue Prism, a subsidiary of SS&C Technologies, is part of a larger organisation that boasts offices in 120 countries, 27,000 staff, and 20,000 customers.

Taylor emphasised the company's commitment to innovation, saying: "We invest heavily in innovation and R&D, and also acquisitions, to ensure we continue to grow as a group."

Next-Generation Platforms and AI Integration

SS&C Blue Prism recently launched its next-generation platform, offering customers greater flexibility with a hybrid cloud model that can be deployed on-site or accessed via cloud technology.

This launch, which occurred in the last six months, has already seen positive feedback from customers who appreciate the updated features and the potential for further automation within their businesses. "People are excited that we've updated the product, brought new features alongside it, and are now starting to explore how else they can use it," Taylor said.

The company is also heavily focused on AI, recognising its potential to revolutionise business processes.

Taylor explained how AI is being integrated into their automation solutions, particularly in areas such as document extraction and processing unstructured content. "The interesting thing we're seeing within our customer base is different levels of adoption depending on the type of customer or industry," he said.

Taylor added that financial services tend to be "more cautious in their approach to AI, while manufacturing sectors are quicker to adopt new technologies".

Driving Business Growth through Automation

One of the key themes Taylor emphasised is the shift from viewing automation solely as a tool for efficiency to recognising its potential to drive business growth.

"Historically, the story has been about efficiency, but post-COVID, there's been a realisation that automation can offer much greater benefits," he explained. "SS&C Blue Prism's studies indicate that our technology can deliver over 300% return on investment, with many customers reporting that they could not operate their businesses without it."

Taylor also highlighted the company's efforts to expand into new industries and geographies. While SS&C Blue Prism has historically been strong in the financial services and insurance sectors, as well as healthcare, it is now seeing growth in manufacturing and other verticals.

"We're finding that we're able to bring a lot of the use cases we have within the UK health system into other countries," Taylor expressed.

Partnering for Success

SS&C Blue Prism's success is also built on strong partnerships.

The company works with a range of partners, including resellers, global system integrators, and technical alliance partners, to deliver comprehensive solutions to its customers.

"The benefit of partnering with firms like Ernst & Young or Accenture is that if there's a part of a project that needs some form of automation or AI, we're able to inject our technology into that conversation," Taylor said.

Differentiating in a Competitive Market

When asked what sets SS&C Blue Prism apart from its competitors, Taylor pointed out the company's long-standing expertise in the field and its comprehensive approach to automation.

"We've been in this space for a long time. We've got the knowledge, we've got the skill set, and we're able to bring all of that to bear for the best outcome for customers," he said.

Taylor also highlighted SS&C Blue Prism's commitment to governance and security, noting that the company provides detailed logs and reports that are crucial for customers in industries such as financial services.

The company's pricing model, which includes all necessary features in the base price of the robot, is positioned as a cleaner and more transparent alternative to the à la carte pricing offered by some competitors.

A Future of Growth and Innovation

SS&C Blue Prism's growth trajectory remains strong, with the global market for automation technology expected to grow by 20-25% annually. Since being acquired by SS&C Technologies in March 2022, the company has benefited from increased investment, allowing it to develop new products and expand its reach.

Looking ahead, SS&C Blue Prism plans to continue expanding its use of digital workers within its own operations, with a goal of deploying 15,000 robots in the coming years. Taylor believes that the company's ability to test and refine its solutions internally before offering them to customers is a key differentiator.

"We're able to do an awful lot of the work that this stuff takes up front and then provide it pre-packaged to customers and partners for them to use," he said.