Let’s not get our feet wet in too much jargon. Imagine a massive buffet with different RPA ( robotic process automation gartner quadrant ) vendors on each plate. How would you select? Don’t fill up on the bread when the prime rib is right around corner. Gartner, like a foodie friend that knows all the good dishes, can help.

Gartner’s Magic Quadrant serves as a treasure-map for companies looking to find the right RPA partner. This chart has been divided into four parts: Leaders and Challengers; Visionaries and Niche Player. Let’s deconstruct it without sounding as if we were launching an alien spaceship.

First up, Leaders. You need to think of your leaders as your top guns. Imagine that they are chefs who cook great meals and also manage the kitchen. These guys have vision, and they can execute it flawlessly. If RPA was an athletic race, they would be the leaders.

Challengers is the second type. Imagine them to be sous-chefs that are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to become a head chef. They are talented and just want to show their skills on a larger scale.

The visionaries are the experimental chefs. They always try out new recipes and ingredients. Sometimes, it works perfectly; at other times, it takes a bit of getting used to. Their ideas are not only ahead of time, but also catching up rapidly.

Niche Players – these are your specialty chefs. They could be sushi masters, or someone who makes the most delicious mac n’ cheese. The best of the best are not necessarily those who do everything.

This buffet is not an easy one to navigate. The changes are made every year as technology advances faster than I can keep up with my aunt’s Black Friday sales! The companies could go from being niche players to leaders if the play their cards well or they might disappear from map if you can’t keep pace.

Picking an RPA provider doesn’t mean picking the most popular option at the buffet. It means finding the best solution for your specific taste (or business requirements). It may be that you require someone who is familiar with your particular industry, or perhaps you are looking for someone who will scale along with you.

Here’s the thing: standing still won’t do if you don’t want to get left behind in this digital rat-race. Gartner Magic Quadrant does more than help businesses find an RPA vendor. Instead, it’s like the cooking shows that require contestants to adapt their recipes to the ingredients given to them.

If you are looking for an RPA company, don’t choose one based solely upon this chart. You should also consider what your business’ needs are before choosing a partner.

If you want to achieve digital transformation success, it’s important to keep an eye on hidden gems.