Automation is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity for businesses that want to grow and stay competitive. The challenge for many small to medium-sized businesses is knowing where to start and what processes will provide the greatest return on investment (ROI). In this blog, we'll walk you through how to identify the areas in your business that are ripe for automation, how to prioritise them, an how to measure the ROI of your automation efforts.

Step 1: Identify Repetitive & Time-Consuming Tasks.

The first step in figuring out what to automate is identifying repetitive tasks that are draining time and resources. These are often tasks that require little creativity but are necessary for the smooth running of your business.

Common tasks to consider for automations:

• Email marketing and follow-ups: Sending the same emails or follow-up sequences over and over can be easily automated.

  
  

• Social media posting: Automating your social media schedules saves time while ensuring consistency.

  
  

• Customer inquiries and support: Using AI chatbots to answer common questions can dramatically reduce response times and improve customer satisfaction.

  
  

• Lead nurturing: Automating responses to form submissions or inquires ensures leads aren't missed.

  
  

Step 2: Pinpoint High-Impact Processes.

Once you've identified repetitive tasks, the next step is to determine which ones have the most significant impact on your business's efficiency and revenue. Focus on automating processes that directly influence customer experience, sales and productivity. Some questions to ask yourself are:

• Where are the bottlenecks slowing down processes?

  • Identify areas where manual effort causes delays or impacts customer satisfaction.

    
    

• What tasks are error-prone?

  • Automation reduces human error. For example, automating invoicing or appointment scheduling can ensure accuracy and save time.

• Which processes can help increase revenue?

  • Prioritise tasks that directly affect your bottom line, such as lead qualification and sales follow-ups.

  
  

Step 3: Start Small & Scale Up

It's tempting to automate everything at once, but the key to successful automation is to start small. Begin with one or two high-priority areas where you can see quick wins, then gradually expand your automation efforts. So where to begin?

• Choose a process that is simple to automate but will deliver a noticeable impact. For instance, automating email responses to common inquiries can improve response times and free up you and your team for more complex tasks.

  
  

• Test and refine your automations. Once implemented, track the performance and adjust as needed for efficiency.

Step 4: Measure ROI On Your Automations

One of the biggest questions business owners have is "how do I know if my automation is worth the investment?" measuring ROI of automation can help you see its value clearly. Here is how you can measure it:

• Time saved: measure how much time your automation saves you and your team. For example, if you previously spent 10 hours a week on manual follow-ups and now spend next to nothing, that is a clear benefit. You can go one step further and work out how much you make an hour and times this by how many hours saved vs the cost of the automations to work out a more direct ROI.

  
  

• Increased revenue or leads: track metrics like sales growth, lead generation, or improved conversion rates after implementing automation. Automation should help you close more deals or nurture leads faster.

  
  

• Reduction in errors or missed opportunities: look for a decrease in human errors (e.g missed follow ups, incorrect data entry) and measure how many new opportunities were captured due to automations like chatbots or CRM workflows.

• Cost reduction: calculate the cost saved in labour or resources by automating tasks. For example, if automating a customer service process reduces the need for an additional employee, that's a clear cost benefit.

We have seen many businesses reclaim hours of valuable time and boost their revenue through smart automation strategies. A platform like ours allows you to monitor key metrics so you can see the ROI of your efforts in real time.

Step 5: Review and Optimise.

Automation isn't a set-and-forget solution. Regularly review your automations to ensure they're still aligned with your business goals. You may find opportunities to optimise processes further or new areas to automate as your business evolves. Platforms like ours make it easy to adjust workflows, set triggers and analyse performance, so your automations are always working in your favour.

Figuring out and prioritising what to automate in your business doesn't have to be overwhelming. start by identifying time-consuming tasks, focus on high-impact processes, and measure your results to ensure you're getting a strong return on your investment.

Empowr Digital is here to help you on your automation journey, with the tools and support you need to work smarter, not harder.

Ready to take that next step? Contact us today for a consultation and find out how automation can transform your business.