Find what’s slowing your business down. Then fix it properly.
Methodry works with businesses to identify repetitive processes, unnecessary administration and disconnected systems. We then find the most practical solution — whether that’s better use of your current software, an existing platform already on the market, or a custom automation built specifically for your business.
Update the jobs spreadsheetconnectedsorted: connected
Pull together Friday’s reportcustom buildsorted: custom build
Call back the new client← you← still you
Site visit with the team← you← the good bit
Less admin. More actual work.
5 jobs sorted — only 1 needed building2 left for the people who matter
Sound familiar?
The biggest automation opportunities are usually hiding in plain sight.
These are the kinds of processes we investigate during an Automation Review. Growing businesses pick up workarounds — a spreadsheet becomes a system, a habit becomes a process.
The fix isn’t always new technology. It might be a better workflow, connecting software you already own, an existing product, an AI tool or something bespoke. We identify the problem first. Technology comes afterwards.
Tick the ones that sound like your business — go on, be honest.
The right solution might already exist. If it doesn’t, we’ll build it.
The automation market is moving quickly, and there are already excellent platforms designed to solve many common business problems. We don’t believe businesses should pay to recreate technology that already works.
When we identify an opportunity, we assess the available options first.
Route one
often the answer
Find
Use what’s already available.
We research the existing platforms, providers and tools that could solve the problem. Where the right solution already exists, we can help you:
Compare suitable options
Understand what each one can do
Assess how it would fit your business
Identify its limitations
Plan the implementation
Connect it to your existing systems
Configure it around your processes
For example
CRM
AI assistant
Workflow platform
Document automation
Customer support platform
Reporting system
Sometimes the smartest automation project is not building anything new.
Business problem
Assess the options
Existing solutionorcustom build
Implement
Improve
Route two
when it’s worth it
Build
When off-the-shelf isn’t enough.
Some processes are unique. If the available systems can’t handle your workflow properly, we can design and build a custom solution around the way your business operates.
For example
Custom workflow automation
Internal AI tools
Automated document generation
Intelligent enquiry handling
Custom dashboards
System integrations
Internal knowledge assistants
Customer portals
Bespoke operational tools
We only recommend custom development when it creates a genuine advantage over an existing solution.
The difference
Automation isn’t about replacing people. It’s about removing the work they shouldn’t be doing.
The best automation keeps people involved where judgement, relationships and expertise matter — while software quietly handles the repetitive work around them.
Team member reviews and approves the quote(done by a person)
Follow-up scheduled
Reporting updated
Same team. Far less chasing.
An illustrative example — not every process can, or should, be fully automated.
What’s possible
What could your business automate?
Pick an area of the business to see the kinds of work that can be taken off your team’s hands. Some are solved with software you already own, some with an existing platform — and a few need something bespoke.
Red pen = where your team stays in charge.
Sales
Keep every enquiry moving from first contact to signed order — without anyone retyping it.
Lead capture
Automatically capture enquiries from email, forms and other sources.
Inbox & web formsbecomesOne lead list
Lead qualification
Identify high-priority enquiries and route them to the right person.
New enquirybecomesRight salesperson
CRM updates
Keep customer records up to date automatically.
Emails & callsbecomesCRM record
Quote creation
Generate draft quotations from customer requirements.
RequirementsbecomesDraft quote
✎ You approve before it’s sent
Follow-up
Trigger personalised follow-ups when prospects go quiet.
No reply in 5 daysbecomesTailored follow-up
Meeting notes
Turn conversations into summaries, tasks and CRM updates.
Sales callbecomesNotes, tasks, CRM
Not sure which of these apply? Finding out is what the review is for.
We learn how your business currently operates — the people, processes, software and information involved.
2
Identify
We find repetitive work, bottlenecks, duplication, manual admin and opportunities for improvement.
3
Prioritise
Not every process should be automated. We focus on the opportunities likely to create the greatest practical benefit.
4
Explore & recommend
We investigate the best way to solve each problem, then explain the options in plain English — including their advantages, limitations and what’s involved.
Software you already use
An existing platform
An automation product
Connecting systems
A custom solution
then we help put it in place
then we help put it in place
5
Implement
Where appropriate, we help configure, integrate or build the chosen solution.
6
Improve
We review how the workflow performs and refine it as the business evolves.
Where to start
Start by finding out what’s actually worth automating.
An Automation Review is an independent look at how work currently moves through your business — and where technology could genuinely help. It isn’t a sales pitch for our own development work.
We look for:
Repetitive administration
Duplicated work
Manual data entry
Disconnected software
Slow handovers
Missed follow-ups
Unnecessary document creation
Reporting bottlenecks
Repeated customer communication
Tasks that follow predictable rules
Then we identify potential solutions, which may include:
1.Switch on the follow-up features already in your CRM
2.Connect website and email enquiries to the CRM
3.Compare two invoice-processing platforms before choosing
4.Scope a custom quoting tool — only if existing options fall short
Independent advice — in plain English.
You receive a practical roadmap showing:
1.The process or problem identified
2.Why it’s inefficient
3.What could be improved
4.A potential automation approach
5.Existing solutions worth considering
6.Whether custom development may be appropriate
7.Likely complexity
8.Recommended priority
9.Suggested next steps
Real-world examples
Different businesses. The same kind of admin.
From building firms to recruitment agencies, the repetitive work looks remarkably similar — but the right fix is different each time. Here are three example workflows: illustrations of the approach, not client case studies.
Construction & trades
Property & estate agents
Professional services
Recruitment
Facilities management
Manufacturing & engineering
Logistics
Hospitality
Healthcare businesses
Retail & florists
Public-sector suppliers
Same people. A more efficient business.
Same people. A more efficient business.
Example workflow 1
Construction company
Before
Office staff manually turn site enquiries into quotes, emails and job records.
What changes
Information is extracted, organised and prepared automatically before a team member reviews the quotation.
The result
Less repetitive administration and faster response times.
Likely route
Build: a bespoke quoting workflow, linked to the existing job software
Example workflow 2
Recruitment company
Before
Recruiters manually summarise calls, update records and write follow-up emails.
What changes
Meeting notes become structured CRM updates, tasks and draft communications.
The result
Recruiters spend more time speaking to candidates and clients.
Likely route
Find: an existing AI meeting assistant, connected to the recruitment CRM
Example workflow 3
Service business
Before
Customer requests arrive across several channels and require manual triage.
What changes
Enquiries are classified, routed and logged automatically.
The result
Fewer missed enquiries and a clearer operational workflow.
Likely route
Connect: the inbox, phone system and job software they already use
Your existing software
Sometimes you already have most of what you need.
Businesses often pay for powerful software but use only a fraction of what it can do. Before recommending another system, we look at what you already have.
There may be opportunities to:
Automate features already inside your current software
Connect the platforms you already use
Eliminate duplicate data entry
Improve handovers between systems
Use the integrations your software already offers
Introduce AI into existing processes
Simplify the number of tools you rely on
The objective isn’t to add more software. It’s to make the business work better.
Microsoft 365Google Workspace
usually where the admin lives
Email
Outlook, Gmail
CRM
HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive
Accounting
Xero, QuickBooks, Sage
Spreadsheets
Excel, Google Sheets
Documents
Word, Google Docs, SharePoint
Forms
Web forms, Microsoft Forms, Typeform
Project management
Monday, Asana, Trello
Calendar
Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar
Databases
Airtable, Notion, SQL databases
Internal systems
Teams, Slack, Bespoke tools
Examples of platforms we can work with — we’re independent and not tied to any of them. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners and no partnership or endorsement is implied.
AI training
Want your team to get more from AI?
Free, practical lessons on working with AI, from first steps to building it into how your business runs. Learn on your own, or with us.
We’re not here to sell you software. We’re here to solve the problem.
Methodry is independent. We’re not tied to any platform, provider or product — so the only thing our recommendations have to fit is your business.
our rules, basically
1.
Business first
We begin with how your company actually operates — not the technology we want to sell.
2.
Solution agnostic
We’re not tied to one platform, provider or approach.
3.
Existing before bespoke
If the right solution already exists, we’ll recommend it rather than rebuilding it unnecessarily.
4.
Bespoke where it matters
When off-the-shelf software can’t solve the problem properly, we can design something around your specific workflow.
5.
Human where it matters
Automation should remove repetitive work while keeping people involved where judgement, expertise and relationships matter.
6.
Clear recommendations
We explain the options in plain English, so you understand what’s being recommended and why.
The scale of it
What does repetitive admin actually cost?
A quick way to put a figure on the time tied up in repetitive work. Adjust the numbers for your own team — it’s all worked out in your browser, and nothing is sent to us.
Time tied up in repetitive work
Hours per month
156
Monthly labour cost
£3,744
Approximate annual labour cost
£44,928
The equivalent of about 1.0 full-time employee.
This doesn’t mean every task can or should be automated. It shows the scale of the time currently tied up in repetitive work.
We’re an independent AI automation and business process consultancy. We look at how your business currently runs, find where repetitive work, unnecessary admin or disconnected systems are costing you time, and then work out the most sensible way to fix it. Sometimes that means better use of software you already own, sometimes an existing platform, and sometimes something built specifically for you.
Do you build custom software?
When it’s genuinely the right answer, yes. If a workflow is unique, existing tools don’t fit properly, or several systems need to work together in a way off-the-shelf software can’t handle, we can design and build a bespoke automation. But we don’t assume custom development is the answer — there’s no point paying to rebuild something that already works well.
Are you tied to particular software or providers?
No. We’re not a reseller and we’re not trying to sell you our own product. We start with the business problem, look at the options available — including what you already have — and recommend whatever genuinely suits your business.
What exactly can AI automate?
In practical terms: most work that is repetitive, follows a recognisable pattern and relies on information you already have. That includes reading and sorting incoming emails and documents, moving details between systems, drafting routine replies and quotes, producing regular reports, and chasing tasks that would otherwise be forgotten. AI is particularly useful where the information is messy — an email written in someone’s own words, or a PDF invoice. Decisions that need judgement, relationships or expertise stay with your team.
Do we need to replace our existing software?
Usually not. Many of the best improvements come from making better use of the software you already pay for, or connecting it so information entered once flows to everywhere it’s needed. If a system genuinely holds you back, we’ll say so and explain why — but replacement is never the starting assumption.
Will automation replace our staff?
That isn’t the aim. The focus is on removing repetitive administrative work so people can spend more time on tasks that need expertise, judgement or relationships. For most businesses, the goal is for the existing team to handle more work with less pressure — not to have fewer people.
Do we need technical knowledge?
No. You know how your business works; that’s the knowledge that matters. We handle the technical side and explain every option in plain English, so you always understand what’s being recommended and why.
Do you offer AI training?
Yes. Alongside the automation work, we offer practical AI training and advice — from the basics for people who are new to AI, through to advanced topics such as custom assistants, connecting AI to your systems and planning how your business uses AI. It’s tailored to your business and the tools you already use, and available as one-to-one sessions, team workshops or leadership briefings.
Can you work with small businesses?
Yes. Automation opportunities exist in businesses of many sizes, and smaller teams often feel the benefit most because a few hours saved each week makes a real difference. Recommendations are scaled to your size, budget and systems — which often means making more of what you already have.
What happens during an Automation Review?
We start with a conversation about how your business runs, then look at how work actually moves through the company — how enquiries arrive, how information passes between people and systems, where time goes on repetitive tasks and where things get missed. For each opportunity we assess the options, from better use of existing systems to an existing platform or a custom build. You receive a practical roadmap showing the problem, why it’s inefficient, the possible approaches, existing solutions worth considering, whether anything custom is justified, complexity, priority and next steps. You’re under no obligation to go further with us afterwards.
How much does automation cost?
It depends on the approach. Using features in software you already own can cost very little; adopting an existing platform usually means a subscription plus set-up; a custom build involves more investment and is only worth it when it creates a genuine advantage. That’s why we start by understanding the problem before recommending any scope — and you’ll see a clear proposal before any implementation work begins.
Is company data secure?
Security and data handling are considered as part of every recommendation, not added afterwards. We look at what information a workflow touches, favour tools appropriate to the sensitivity of that data, limit access to what each step needs, and discuss any data-protection considerations with you before anything is put in place.
Your business already has automation opportunities.
The first step is finding them. Start with a straightforward conversation about how your business works today — and where automation may help.