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Solutions

Automation organised around how your business actually runs.

Every business function has its own repetitive work — and its own mix of possible fixes. For each area, here are the common issues, the approaches worth considering and where people should stay involved. Custom development is one option, not the default.

For each area you’ll see

  1. 1.Common issues
  2. 2.Possible approaches
  3. 3.Where people stay involved
  4. 4.An example workflow

Each approach is labelled:

  • Use what you have
  • Connect systems
  • Existing product
  • Custom build
1 of 8

Sales Automation

Respond faster, follow up consistently and keep every opportunity visible.

Common issues

  • Leads entered into the CRM by hand
  • Enquiries that never get followed up
  • Quotes taking too long to prepare
  • Incomplete or out-of-date CRM records

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveOptimise the workflows already in your CRM
  • Connect systemsConnect every enquiry source to the CRM
  • Existing productIntroduce an established sales automation platform
  • Existing productAdd an AI tool to qualify and route incoming enquiries
  • Custom buildBuild a custom quoting automation where quotes are complex

Where people stay involved

Your team still has the conversations, judges the opportunity, sets the price and builds the relationship. Automation makes sure they have everything in front of them — and nothing is forgotten.

Example workflow

  1. Enquiry arrivesTrigger
  2. Details captured and classifiedAutomatic
  3. CRM record createdAutomatic
  4. Salesperson notifiedAutomatic
  5. Salesperson calls the customerPerson
  6. Follow-up scheduled automaticallyAutomatic
2 of 8

Customer Service Automation

Give customers quicker, more consistent answers without stretching your team.

Common issues

  • The same questions answered every day
  • Requests lost in shared inboxes
  • Customers chasing for updates
  • Urgent issues spotted too late

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveUse the rules and templates in your existing inbox or helpdesk
  • Existing productAdopt a proven customer support platform
  • Existing productAdd an AI assistant that drafts replies from your own information
  • Connect systemsConnect bookings and job updates to customer notifications
  • Custom buildBuild custom triage for unusual or complex request types

Where people stay involved

Complaints, sensitive conversations and anything unusual go to a person. Drafted replies are checked before sending until you’re confident they’re right.

Example workflow

  1. Customer emails a questionTrigger
  2. Request identified and prioritisedAutomatic
  3. Reply drafted from your knowledge baseAutomatic
  4. Team member checks and sendsPerson
  5. Conversation logged against the customerAutomatic
3 of 8

Administration Automation

Remove the copying, filing and chasing that fills the working day.

Common issues

  • Information re-typed between systems
  • Documents named and filed by hand
  • Approvals stalling in inboxes
  • The same forms processed again and again

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveSimplify the process before automating anything
  • Use what you haveAutomate features already inside Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
  • Connect systemsConnect forms, spreadsheets and systems so data is entered once
  • Existing productIntroduce an existing workflow or approvals tool
  • Custom buildBuild a custom workflow where the process is genuinely unique

Where people stay involved

Approvals, exceptions and decisions remain with the right people. The system simply makes sure requests reach them with everything they need.

Example workflow

  1. Form submittedTrigger
  2. Details checked and recordedAutomatic
  3. Documents generated and filedAutomatic
  4. Manager approvesPerson
  5. Confirmation sent and tasks createdAutomatic
4 of 8

Finance Workflow Automation

Take the repetitive processing out of invoices, payments and financial admin.

Common issues

  • Supplier invoices keyed in manually
  • Invoices checked against orders by hand
  • Payment chasing left until someone remembers
  • Month-end figures compiled manually

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveSwitch on the automation features in your accounting software
  • Existing productAdopt a proven invoice-capture platform
  • Connect systemsConnect job, sales and accounting systems
  • Use what you haveAutomate payment reminders with tools you already use
  • Custom buildBuild custom matching rules for unusual approval processes

Where people stay involved

Payment approval, credit decisions and anything that doesn’t match stays with your finance team. Automation prepares the work and highlights exceptions; people sign it off.

Example workflow

  1. Supplier invoice receivedTrigger
  2. Details extractedAutomatic
  3. Matched to purchase orderAutomatic
  4. Finance approves paymentPerson
  5. Accounts updatedAutomatic
5 of 8

Operations Automation

Reduce the admin that sits between winning work and delivering it.

Common issues

  • Won work re-keyed into job systems
  • Incomplete handovers between teams
  • Job paperwork prepared by hand
  • Customers chasing progress updates

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveMake better use of your job management software
  • Connect systemsConnect sales, scheduling and job systems
  • Existing productIntroduce an established job or field service platform
  • Connect systemsSend progress updates automatically from the systems you use
  • Custom buildBuild bespoke operational tools where off-the-shelf doesn’t fit

Where people stay involved

Scheduling decisions, resource planning and quality checks stay with your managers. They simply start with accurate information instead of chasing it.

Example workflow

  1. Quote acceptedTrigger
  2. Job created with full detailsAutomatic
  3. Planner confirms the schedulePerson
  4. Team and customer notifiedAutomatic
  5. Paperwork prepared and filedAutomatic
6 of 8

Document Automation

Produce proposals, reports and paperwork from the information you already hold.

Common issues

  • Proposals rebuilt from old copies
  • Details copied in by hand
  • Inconsistent formatting and avoidable errors
  • Incoming documents read and re-keyed

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveUse the templates and merge features you already have
  • Existing productAdopt an established document automation platform
  • Existing productUse an AI tool to draft first versions for review
  • Connect systemsConnect document tools to your CRM or job system
  • Custom buildBuild automated document generation for complex, rules-heavy paperwork

Where people stay involved

Anything that goes to a customer is reviewed first. Your team edits and approves; the system removes the blank-page and copy-paste work.

Example workflow

  1. Proposal requestedTrigger
  2. Details gathered from the CRMAutomatic
  3. Draft proposal generatedAutomatic
  4. Account manager reviews and editsPerson
  5. Sent and filedAutomatic
7 of 8

Internal Knowledge Systems

Help staff find answers in your own documents, procedures and history.

Common issues

  • Answers buried in shared drives
  • New starters interrupting busy colleagues
  • The same questions asked again and again
  • Procedures out of date or hard to find

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveOrganise your existing document system so things can be found
  • Use what you haveUse the AI search built into tools you already own
  • Existing productAdopt an existing knowledge base or AI assistant
  • Custom buildBuild an internal assistant that answers from your own documents

Where people stay involved

Your experienced staff remain the experts. The system handles the routine questions so they can focus on the ones that genuinely need them — and access is limited to what each person should see.

Example workflow

  1. Staff member asks a questionTrigger
  2. Relevant documents foundAutomatic
  3. Answer given with its sourceAutomatic
  4. Unclear cases passed to a colleaguePerson
8 of 8

Management Reporting

See how the business is performing without waiting for someone to compile it.

Common issues

  • Figures exported and pasted every week
  • Reports out of date as soon as they’re finished
  • No single view of how the business is doing
  • Problems spotted too late

Possible approaches

  • Use what you haveUse the reporting already built into your systems
  • Existing productIntroduce an established reporting or dashboard tool
  • Connect systemsConnect data from your CRM, accounts and job systems
  • Use what you haveSet up alerts when a figure needs attention
  • Custom buildBuild custom dashboards where your reporting needs are specific

Where people stay involved

Interpreting the numbers and deciding what to do about them is leadership’s job. Automation just makes sure the numbers are there, accurate and on time.

Example workflow

  1. Week endsTrigger
  2. Figures collected from each systemAutomatic
  3. Report produced and circulatedAutomatic
  4. Leadership reviews and decidesPerson
  5. Actions assigned and trackedAutomatic

Not sure which of these fits your business?

That’s exactly what an Automation Review is for — an independent look at your processes, and the most sensible way to improve them.

Book an Automation ReviewTell us about your business

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