Small business automation doesn't have to start with a large CRM or complex platform. It's often enough to find repetitive work that causes the team to waste time or lose bids.

01Where to start

Don't choose a system based on a list of features alone. First, look at the day-to-day work: where information is transferred manually, where you have to look up data in chats and spreadsheets, where the customer may not get an answer.

One well-described process often provides more benefit than a dozen enabled modules. It's important to understand who is submitting data, who is responsible for the next step, and where exceptions occur.

027 processes to review

Typical starting points
  • Form, mail and social media requests are collected in one place.
  • New leads are broken down by service, region or download teams.
  • Commercial proposals, invoices and contracts are filled from ready-made data.
  • The system reminds about calls, tasks and contract renewal dates.
  • The client and the team see the current stage of the order.
  • Data from several tables is collected into one clear report.
  • The site, CRM, mail, payment and order accounting transfer the necessary data between themselves.

03What to describe before launch

Not every process needs to be automated. If you automate a complicated work order without changes, the system will simply repeat its problems more quickly. Describe the current scenario: what data is needed, who checks it, where errors occur and what to do in exceptional situations.

Automation should remove unnecessary manual steps, not create another tool that needs to be constantly maintained.

At Cligora, we start by analyzing the process, and only then offer a CRM, integration or other software solution.