Business process automation can significantly reduce manual work, save employees’ time, and help a company respond to customers faster. However, when a business first begins considering automation, the same question almost always comes up: where should it start?
Trying to automate everything at once is usually neither necessary nor cost-effective. An overly broad project can quickly become expensive, complicated, and difficult to manage. A safer and more practical approach is to begin with one or two clearly defined processes where measurable results can be achieved relatively quickly.
The processes best suited to automation are usually those that:
- are repeated regularly;
- take up a considerable amount of employee time;
- consist of clearly defined steps;
- frequently lead to manual errors;
- slow down customer service;
- require the same information to be entered into several systems;
- make it easy to measure the result.
A well-chosen first automation project can become the foundation for the company’s broader digital development.
What Is Business Process Automation?
Business process automation means using technology to complete repetitive tasks automatically or with as little human involvement as possible.
A simple example is an automatic confirmation email sent after a customer submits an enquiry form. In a more advanced setup, the system may automatically save the customer’s information in a CRM, create a task for a salesperson, send a notification, and assign the contact to the appropriate sales stage.
Processes that can be automated include:
- data entry;
- email delivery;
- document processing;
- customer enquiry management;
- sales processes;
- invoice workflows;
- regular reporting;
- task assignment;
- employee onboarding and training;
- information analysis with the help of artificial intelligence.
The goal of automation is not to replace as many people as possible or automate every activity in the company. Its main purpose is to reduce routine work so that employees can spend more time on customers, sales, analysis, and business development.
How to Choose the First Process to Automate
Before implementing automation, a company should first identify which processes consume the most time, money, or employee attention.
How Often Is the Process Repeated?
The more often the same action is performed, the greater its automation potential.
If an employee completes a certain task only a few times a year, developing an automated solution may not be worthwhile. In contrast, an activity repeated dozens of times each day can consume a substantial number of working hours over the course of a month.
How Much Time Does the Process Take?
It is not enough to look only at the duration of a single action. The more important question is how much time the process consumes over a week, month, or year.
For example, if one data-entry task takes five minutes and is completed 400 times per month, the company spends more than 33 working hours on that task.
Five minutes may not seem like much on its own, but in a repetitive process it quickly adds up to several full working days.
How Often Do Errors Occur?
Manual data entry, copying information, and forwarding documents always create a risk of human error.
If mistakes regularly lead to delays, incorrect invoices, incomplete customer records, or complaints, the process is a strong candidate for automation.
Is the Process Standardised?
The easiest processes to automate are those with a clear starting point, a defined sequence of actions, and a predictable outcome.
If every case is handled differently and the process depends heavily on an individual employee’s experience, it should first be documented, simplified, and standardised.
Automation will not improve a disorganised process by itself. It will only help the company perform that process faster.
1. Manual Data Entry
Manual data entry is often one of the first processes worth automating.
In many companies, the same information is repeatedly entered into several different places:
- Excel spreadsheets;
- a CRM system;
- accounting software;
- a project management tool;
- an email system;
- a customer database.
Copying information in this way not only takes time but also increases the risk of errors. One incorrect number or missing field may later create problems with invoices, communication, or reporting.
For example, a customer enquiry submitted through a website can automatically:
- be saved in the CRM;
- create a new customer record;
- assign a responsible employee;
- create a follow-up task;
- send a confirmation email to the customer;
- add the information to a sales report.
As a result, the enquiry is processed faster, the information does not need to be entered several times, and the risk of forgetting a potential customer is reduced.
2. Processing Customer Enquiries and Requests
In customer service, response speed often determines whether a company wins the customer.
If enquiries arrive through email, website forms, social media, and other channels, some of them may be overlooked or answered too late.
An automated system can:
- collect all enquiries in one place;
- identify the subject of the request;
- assign a priority level;
- route it to the responsible employee;
- send a confirmation to the customer;
- monitor the response deadline;
- send reminders about unanswered enquiries.
Artificial intelligence can analyse a customer’s message, identify its subject, and prepare a draft reply. However, important, sensitive, or unusual cases should always be reviewed by an employee before the final response is sent.
A good automation solution helps the company reply faster without removing the human element from communication.
3. Invoice and Document Processing
Invoice and document workflows remain some of the most time-consuming manual processes in many companies.
An employee may need to:
- open the received document;
- verify the supplier;
- enter the invoice number;
- record the amount and VAT;
- enter the payment deadline;
- send the document for approval;
- save it in the correct folder or system.
Document recognition technology can automatically read the most important information and pass it on for further processing.
The system may recognise:
- the supplier’s name;
- the invoice number;
- the document date;
- the total amount;
- VAT;
- the payment deadline;
- bank details.
Once the data has been extracted, the document can automatically be sent to the responsible person for approval and saved in the company’s document management system.
This type of automation is particularly useful for companies that receive and process large numbers of documents every month.
4. Sales Process Automation
Potential customers are often lost during the sales process not because the offer is poor, but because the company fails to follow up at the right time.
The following sales activities can be automated:
- saving new contacts;
- dividing customers into categories;
- assigning tasks to salespeople;
- sending follow-up reminders;
- preparing proposals;
- updating sales stages;
- recording customer activity;
- compiling sales results.
For example, after receiving a customer enquiry, the CRM can identify the service the customer is interested in, assign the contact to a specific employee, and automatically create a task to respond within one business day.
This helps maintain sales discipline and reduces the chance that a valuable lead will be forgotten in an inbox or spreadsheet.
5. Emails and Automatic Reminders
Companies regularly send very similar emails, including:
- enquiry confirmations;
- appointment reminders;
- document requests;
- payment reminders;
- follow-up messages after sending a proposal;
- customer surveys;
- requests for reviews.
These messages can be sent automatically after a specific event or on a scheduled date.
For example:
- immediately after submitting a form, the customer receives a confirmation;
- one day before an appointment, the customer receives a reminder;
- several days before an invoice is due, a payment notice is sent;
- after a service has been completed, the customer receives a request to rate the experience.
Automated communication should not feel cold or impersonal. Messages should preferably include the customer’s name, information about the relevant service, and a clearly explained next step.
6. Task Assignment and Work Monitoring
In companies with several employees, confusion often arises over who is responsible for a particular task and when it needs to be completed.
Automated task management helps ensure that every process has:
- a responsible person;
- a clear deadline;
- a defined priority;
- a visible status;
- automatic reminders;
- a recorded history of actions.
For example, after a new customer contract is signed, the system can automatically create several tasks:
- create the customer profile;
- request the necessary documents;
- assign a responsible employee;
- create a folder for customer documents;
- enter recurring deadlines;
- send onboarding information to the customer.
This reduces the risk that an important step will be forgotten or completed too late.
7. Preparing Regular Reports
Management reports are often prepared manually by combining information from several spreadsheets, systems, and departments.
Automated reports can display the following information in one place:
- revenue;
- expenses;
- sales performance;
- customer numbers;
- overdue payments;
- employee workload;
- project status;
- marketing results.
An automatically updated dashboard allows a manager to see the current situation at any time without waiting for employees to prepare another report manually.
This speeds up decision-making and helps the company identify problems or negative trends early.
Which Processes Should Not Be Automated Immediately?
Not every process is suitable for immediate automation.
Automation should not begin with a process if:
- it has not been clearly documented;
- its steps change regularly;
- it contains a large number of exceptions;
- no responsible person has been assigned;
- the data used is incomplete or unreliable;
- an incorrect system decision could cause significant losses;
- the cost of automation is greater than the likely benefit.
If a disorganised process is automated, the company may simply begin performing incorrect or unnecessary actions faster.
For this reason, the process should be evaluated, simplified, and standardised as much as possible before a technical solution is introduced.
How to Set Automation Priorities
Each process can be rated on a scale from 1 to 5 using several criteria:
- how often the process is repeated;
- how much employee time it consumes;
- how often errors occur;
- how strongly it affects the customer;
- how easy the automation would be to implement;
- how large the possible financial benefit could be.
Processes that offer a significant benefit while remaining relatively simple to implement should be automated first.
A good first automation project is usually a process that:
- is repeated daily or weekly;
- is well understood;
- is not critical to the company’s entire operation;
- is easy to measure;
- can produce visible results relatively quickly.
How to Calculate the Potential Time Saving
A simple formula can be used:
Time required for one action × number of actions per month × number of employees involved
For example, manually processing one document takes ten minutes. If 300 documents are processed each month, the company spends approximately 50 working hours on this process.
If automation reduces the process time by 80%, the company can save around 40 working hours per month.
In addition to saved time, the company should also evaluate:
- fewer errors;
- faster customer service;
- improved data quality;
- fewer delays;
- the ability to serve more customers;
- employee satisfaction.
In some cases, the greatest benefit of automation is not the number of hours saved, but the faster response time and improved customer experience.
A Practical Automation Implementation Plan
1. List Repetitive Tasks
Ask employees to record the activities they regularly perform manually. Employees often know best which daily tasks consume a disproportionate amount of time.
2. Select One Process
Begin with a frequent, simple, and easily measurable process. The first project does not need to be impressive; it needs to be practical.
3. Document the Current Workflow
Write down every step in the process, the employees involved, the systems used, and any possible exceptions.
4. Remove Unnecessary Actions
Before automating the process, determine whether every step is still necessary. There is no reason to automate an activity that can be removed entirely.
5. Set a Specific Goal
The goal should be measurable. For example, reduce the processing time of one customer enquiry from 20 minutes to 5 minutes.
6. Create a Pilot Project
At first, test the automation with a limited number of customers, documents, or employees. This makes it possible to identify problems before the solution is introduced across the entire company.
7. Measure the Results
Compare the process duration, error rate, and costs before and after automation.
8. Expand the Solution Gradually
Once the first process is working reliably and has produced a measurable benefit, automation can be expanded to other departments and workflows.
Common Mistakes
Trying to Automate Everything at Once
An overly large project increases costs, risks, and implementation time. It also becomes more difficult to determine which part of the automation actually produced the result.
Choosing Software Before Studying the Process
The company’s needs should be identified and the process documented first. Only then should the most suitable technological solution be selected.
Failing to Involve Employees
Employees understand the daily problems, exceptions, and practical details of the process better than anyone else. If they are not involved, the system may not reflect the actual working environment.
Failing to Measure Results
Without specific indicators, it is impossible to determine objectively whether the automation has delivered the expected benefit.
Relying on the System Completely
Automated processes must be reviewed, updated, and adjusted regularly as the company changes.
Automation is not a one-time project that can be forgotten after implementation.
Does Automation Always Require Artificial Intelligence?
No. Many business processes can be automated using simple rules, system integrations, and predefined actions.
Artificial intelligence is particularly useful when a company needs to:
- analyse text;
- recognise information in documents;
- classify customer enquiries;
- prepare draft replies;
- analyse large amounts of data;
- prioritise customers;
- predict possible outcomes.
In practice, the most effective solution is often a combination of traditional automation and artificial intelligence.
For example, artificial intelligence can identify the subject of a customer request, while the automation system assigns the task to a specific employee and sets a response deadline.
Conclusion
Business process automation should usually begin with simple, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks.
The first candidates for automation are often:
- manual data entry;
- customer enquiry processing;
- invoice and document workflows;
- sales tasks;
- emails and reminders;
- task assignment;
- regular report preparation.
Successful automation does not begin with purchasing software. It begins with a clear understanding of the company’s processes, problems, and desired outcome.
The safest approach is to select one process, create a small pilot project, measure the benefit, and only then begin gradually automating other workflows in the company.
