How to find the first process in your business to automate

Start with what repeats

Do not begin with your biggest problem. Begin with the task someone does every day or every week in the same way. Repetition is what makes automation worthwhile.

Look for three signs

A good first process is frequent, follows clear rules and already happens on a screen. If staff copy details from an email into a spreadsheet, that is a strong candidate. If the work depends on judgement in every case, leave it for later.

Count the real cost

Write down how long the task takes, how often it happens and what goes wrong when it is missed. Late follow-up on a lead usually costs more than the hours spent on it.

Keep a person in the loop

Automate the preparation and keep the decision. A system can draft the reply or the report, and a person can check and send it. That builds trust in the system.

Run a small pilot

Pick one workflow, build it, train the people who use it and measure the result. Then decide what to do next based on evidence.