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Automation

Business process automation: where to start

· 7 min read

What business automation really means

Business process automation means using technology to execute repetitive tasks without human intervention. It’s not about replacing people, but freeing your team from mechanical tasks so they can focus on what really adds value: serving clients, making decisions, and growing the business.

In practice, business automation can be as simple as a system that sends appointment reminders automatically, or as comprehensive as a platform that manages the entire flow from client contact to invoicing.

Processes every SME should automate

Client communication

This is where most SMEs waste the most time. Answering the same questions by phone, confirming appointments via WhatsApp, sending quotes manually, chasing overdue payments. All of this can be automated without losing the personal touch.

A concrete example: we’ve developed systems for automated appointment and call management for car workshops that eliminate missed calls and allow clients to manage their appointments via WhatsApp around the clock.

Document management

If your team spends time classifying documents, verifying they’re complete, filing them in the right folders, or searching for paperwork that should be at hand, document automation can save hours every week.

Consultancies and accounting firms are a prime example: they receive hundreds of documents monthly that need to be classified, validated, and processed. An automated system does all of this in seconds.

Invoicing and collections

Generating invoices, sending them to clients, following up on unpaid ones, reconciling with the bank. Each manual step is an opportunity for error and a waste of time. Automation connects your management system with your invoicing software and bank so everything flows on its own.

Appointment and diary management

For businesses that work with appointments (physiotherapy clinics, consultancies, workshops, hairdressers), manual diary management is a constant bottleneck. An automated system lets clients book online, sends reminders, manages cancellations, and redistributes free slots.

Reports and metrics

If every time you need a report someone has to open three different tools, copy data into a spreadsheet, and format tables, you’re wasting valuable time. An automated dashboard collects data from your sources in real time and presents the information you need without anyone lifting a finger.

How to identify what to automate first

Not all processes benefit equally from automation. Use this matrix to prioritise:

High frequency + high impact = automate now

Processes executed many times daily whose inefficiency costs you visible money. Examples: call handling in a workshop, appointment management in a clinic, document classification in a consultancy.

High frequency + low impact = automate later

Tasks repeated often but with small individual impact. Example: filing emails into folders. Worth automating, but not the priority.

Low frequency + high impact = evaluate case by case

Processes that occur rarely but are critical when they do. Example: onboarding a new employee. May be worth automating if the process is complex and error-prone.

Low frequency + low impact = don’t automate

If something happens once a month and takes 10 minutes manually, the cost of automating it doesn’t justify itself. Be selective.

Accessible automation technologies in 2026

AI-powered automation

Artificial intelligence has democratised automation. Tasks that previously required complex development (understanding document content, classifying a request, generating a personalised response) can now be solved with accessible and affordable AI models.

Connectors and integrations

Platforms like Zapier or Make allow you to connect tools without code. They’re a good option for simple automations, though for complex flows or high volumes, custom development offers more reliability and control.

Chatbots and automated assistants

For client communication, WhatsApp, web, or Telegram chatbots are a powerful tool. They don’t replace human attention but filter, classify, and resolve the most common queries so your team can focus on those that truly need personalised attention.

Custom software

When standard tools don’t cover your case or you need a specific flow, custom software is the solution. Higher initial cost, but better long-term return because it adapts exactly to your process.

How to measure automation impact

Without metrics, you don’t know if the investment has been worthwhile. These are the ones you should track:

  • Time saved: weekly hours your team no longer spends on manual tasks
  • Errors eliminated: incidents caused by human error that no longer occur
  • Response time: how long a client waits for a response (before vs after)
  • Clients served: service capacity with the same team
  • Cost per operation: how much each process costs to execute (before vs after)

Ideally, measure these metrics before automating and compare them after a few weeks in production. Results are usually compelling.

Mistakes to avoid

Automating a broken process

If a process doesn’t work well manually, automating it will only make it fail faster. Before automating, review and optimise the process. Sometimes the first step isn’t technology but rethinking how you do things.

Ignoring the team

Automation affects the people who perform those tasks. Involve them in the process, explain the benefits, and train the team. A tool nobody uses is money wasted.

Not maintaining the systems

An automated system needs maintenance. Data changes, tools update, new requirements emerge. Budget for maintenance from the start.

Real cases you can try

We’ve built automations for different sectors. You can experience them directly in our interactive demos:

Want to know which of your business processes would benefit most from automation? Tell us about your case and we’ll give you an honest view. We’re based in Madrid and Murcia, and the first consultation is free.