Why start with a single process
When you start automating, it is tempting to fix everything at once. It is the surest way to finish nothing. One well-chosen process gives a visible result within weeks, shows your team how it works, and provides the numbers to decide the next step.
The potential is large: according to McKinsey, current technologies, generative AI included, could in theory automate activities that take up 60 to 70% of working time (McKinsey, 2023). The key words are “in theory”: the real value comes from choosing carefully where to begin.
What makes a good first candidate
- Frequent: it happens every day or every week, not twice a year.
- Repetitive: the steps are nearly always the same.
- Rule-based: you can explain what to do in every case, without “it depends”.
- Digital: the information already arrives by email, form, file or software.
- Annoying: the team does it reluctantly, and mistakes show.
A process with all five is an excellent starting point. If the third is missing, meaning there are many exceptions to weigh up, you may need an AI agent rather than an automation: we cover that in AI Agent or Automation?.
What manual work costs you today
Before choosing, do the maths. You don't need minute-level precision, just the order of magnitude. You need four numbers:
- How many minutes the task takes each time.
- How many times it happens in a month.
- How much time is lost, on average, fixing mistakes.
- The hourly cost of whoever does it.
An example, with made-up but realistic numbers: entering an order into your management software by hand takes 6 minutes, and 300 orders come in each month. That is 30 hours a month, plus a few more fixing typos. At €25 an hour, that single task costs more than €9,000 a year and takes up almost a full month of one person's time.
Repeat the sum for three or four processes and line them up: the one with the highest number, among those that are simple to describe, is your first candidate.
The processes automated most often
| Area | Examples | What you gain |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Website enquiries flow into the CRM and are assigned to the right person | Faster replies, no lost leads |
| Admin | Invoices and quotes generated from a template, automatic payment reminders | Fewer hours, fewer errors, payments on time |
| Operations | Orders copied into your management software, stock updated, shipping notices | Data always in sync across systems |
| Customers | Confirmations, appointment reminders, review requests | Fewer no-shows, better-informed customers |
| Management | Weekly reports that fill themselves with data from several tools | Up-to-date numbers without spreadsheets |
What not to automate (yet)
- A process that changes every month. Stabilise it first, then automate it.
- A messy process. Automating it would only make it faster at creating confusion: simplify it first.
- Important relationships. A call to an unhappy customer is still a job for a person.
- Something that happens twice a year. Building the automation would take longer than the time it saves.
How to start, in practice
- For one week, ask your team to note down repetitive tasks and how long they take.
- Pick the most expensive process among those that are simple to describe.
- Write down the steps and the exceptions, even by hand on a sheet of paper.
- Automate it, measure the hours saved after a month, and choose the next one.
If you'd like a hand with the sums, get in touch: we'll help you work out which process to automate first and how much it will save you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special software to automate?
No. Often we connect the tools you already use, such as email, CRM, management software and spreadsheets. Sometimes a custom piece is needed, when your existing tools don't talk to each other.
Do automations replace people?
They take repetitive work off people's plates. The hours freed up go back into work that needs judgement and relationships, like looking after customers or growing the business.
How long does it take to automate a process?
A simple process usually takes from a few days to a few weeks. It depends on how many tools need connecting and how many exceptions there are.
