The definition in one sentence
An automation is a rule: when X happens, do Y. When a sale is taken, add it to the till spreadsheet. When a quote is signed, create the supplier order. When a customer has not been in for 60 days, send them a note. The machine watches the “when” and carries out the “do”, tirelessly, at any hour.
Examples you already live through
You already use automations without thinking about it: the receipt sent by your payment terminal, the order confirmation from an online shop, the appointment reminder from your dentist. Nothing futuristic: these are “when X, do Y” rules plugged into tools. What we do is build the same mechanisms for your business, on your own tools: spreadsheets, email, diary, till, invoicing.
What automation is not
- It is not a robot that replaces your trade. It runs the mechanics around it: copying, following up, reminding, filing.
- This is not magic. An automation needs access to your tools. If a piece of software is completely closed, we tell you before quoting anything.
- This is not automated judgement. Settling a dispute, negotiating, sensing that a customer is unhappy: that stays your job. The machine prepares, you decide.
How to tell if a task can be automated
Three questions are enough for a first sort:
- Is it repetitive? You do it every day or every week, identically or nearly so.
- Does it follow clear rules? You could explain it to a new employee in a few sentences.
- Does it run through reachable tools? Email, spreadsheet, diary, software with an export or an API.
Three yeses: it is probably automatable. A doubt: that is exactly the kind of question we settle over the discovery coffee, and the answers to the most common questions are in the FAQ.