What should you Automate (and where to start)?
When I chat with business owners they are usually interested in automation. They see it as a way to free up their time and make them less busy or less overwhelmed. In practical terms this can free business owners up to grow their business. We are working on an automation at the moment which will save 2 hours of time per day! Knowing where to start and what to automate (and what even can be automated !) can be daunting. This article aims to help you identify some tasks that could be automated and introduces a tool for you to use to help decide whether a task should be automated or not.
1. Repetitive Tasks
Tasks that are repetitive and require little to no human decision-making are prime candidates for automation. These tasks often consume a significant amount of time that could be better spent on more strategic or high value activities. For example, automating data entry, report generation, follow ups, document creation, moving data between systems and email responses can all free up your team to focus on higher-value work
2. Time-Consuming Processes
Processes that are time-consuming and involve multiple steps can benefit greatly from automation. By automating these workflows, you can reduce the time required to complete them and minimize the risk of human error. Examples include onboarding new employees / clients or your sales process.
3. Tasks with High Volume
High-volume tasks that need to be performed frequently are ideal for automation. These tasks can quickly overwhelm your team and lead to burnout if done manually. Automating these tasks ensures consistency and allows your team to handle larger workloads without compromising quality. Examples include bulk data processing, social media posting, content generation, processing invoices and email campaigns.
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4. Tasks with Clear Rules Tasks with well-defined rules and procedures are suitable for automation. If a task or process follows a specific set of rules, it can be more easily automated using tools and software. This includes tasks like your sales process, quoting, project management, and routine procedures.
Where do I start?
Below is a tool to help you evaluate whether a task or process is appropriate for automation. The matrix has 4 quadrants and has an axis for both Value and Expertise. Tasks (or processes) that are high value but require low expertise are perfect for automation. Click on the image below for a larger version.
Examples of the most common automations
If you are looking for the most common automations, here are the 4 most common areas that can be automated:
Great topic! Automation can really streamline workflows and enhance productivity. What tasks have you found to be the most beneficial to automate?
Technology Coach for businesses who need to know the answer to; "Will the Solution Meet the Business Need"
7 个月Interestingly Calum McGonigle finding platforms that allow processes to be incrementally add to enhance the value. How is just as important What and Where.
I make your systems and processes kick serious ?? | Process Nerd ???? | Chaotic Good
7 个月Picking the right stuff to automate is crucial. You don't want to do dumb things faster. Understand the process and go after those repetitive valuable tasks.