The short answer: automate when the benefits outweigh the costs and the process is stable enough to run without constant intervention.
The longer answer: automation works best for repetitive, time-consuming tasks with a clear, repeatable structure. Think:
It is not ideal for processes that require high human judgment, change frequently, or rely heavily on context.
Quick rule of thumb: if a process happens more than twice a week, takes longer than ten minutes, and delivers consistent results, it’s a candidate for automation.
My first automation changed how I approached processes — both personally and professionally.
I used to manually send follow-up emails to prospects when they reached a certain milestone. Even with a template, I had to copy, paste, tweak, and send — and often forgot entirely.
Then I tried Zapier. I set it to pull each person’s name and details from my CRM, personalise the email, and send it automatically from Gmail.
The result? No missed follow-ups, no repetitive clicks, and a consistent customer experience.
That’s automation done right: high ROI, clear value, and perfect alignment with my workflow.
Over the past two years, I’ve built more than 100 automations for different teams. Along the way, I developed this practical decision-making framework for choosing what to automate.
This is not a generic checklist — it’s the process I use to build workflows that deliver measurable ROI.
Perform the task yourself several times. This helps you:
Example: If you’re designing a customer onboarding flow, walk through it with at least three clients first. You might discover that the same welcome email is sent each time — perfect for automation — while the kickoff call needs a personal touch.
Once you’ve done the task manually, document your “perfect world” version of the process. This lets you see exactly where automation fits without breaking the sequence.
Example: In a KYC (Know Your Customer) process, could you pull client data automatically from previously submitted documents? Could you pre-fill forms so clients only review and approve?
Automation takes time to build and test. Ask yourself:
Tip: A five-minute task done once a month is rarely worth automating unless it carries a high error rate.
No automation is “set and forget.” APIs change, tools update, and business needs evolve.
Schedule quarterly reviews to ensure everything still works as intended.
Ask:
If the answer is “no,” keep it manual.
For no-code automation, my go-to is Zapier because it:
For more complex workflows, pair a no-code tool with small custom scripts for maximum flexibility without a full engineering build.
✅ Process happens 2+ times per week
✅ Task takes more than 10 minutes
✅ Steps are consistent and repeatable
✅ Setup time is less than the time saved in 3–6 months
✅ Process is stable and unlikely to change soon
Bottom line: The goal is not to automate everything. The goal is to automate the right things at the right time. Done well, automation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a long-term competitive advantage for your business.
