What is automation and how can it grow my business : An Outside idea

Automation in business can feel like a grey and unknown thing to begin with. You might be asking: How do you get started with Automation Mapping? How do you implement automation? What is Automation and how can it grow my business?

Here’s a simple story from Outside ideas to show you how Automation can support growth:

Some of you know that we run a networking group. One of the problems I had at the start was communication (or lack of it) that used to come from me to my customers. I used to spend so long sending the same (necessary) emails to different people and, I’d get really frustrated by the poor service I provided. When someone who had already registered for an event was sent a second invite or a last chance to book. It literally made my blood boil that we were getting it so wrong.

Repetitive tasks are a must; your customers need them. But they’re also a ball ache of a job, very time consuming, often fiddly and therefore easy to get wrong. This was the obvious point to start looking at our Automation. Necessary parts of the job, that were simple, but time consuming. 

So I started looking around for a system to help me, and found ActiveCampaign. There are really complicated systems too, platforms like Salesforce can do a huge range of bespoke tasks, and integrate with a massive range of services. 

With Sarah’s expertise, we’ve now automated our customer journey so that when someone books they’re automatically sent an email with the joining details. When someone who would normally come hasn’t booked, the system knows and sends them a reminder. The day before the event, everyone receives an automated reminder with the login details, and then if that isn’t opened they get a text. It’s a massive time saver; and more importantly has improved the level of service our customers receive no end. It’s still personalised, and uses things like their first name, booking preferences and it still feels like they’re being cared for. 

We frequently get told that it’s a much better system and service 🙂

If you want to grow, I strongly believe that you need to identify the small, repetitive tasks which kill your time and find a good automated system for them.

My questions this week are:

• What small repetitive tasks take your time?
  

• Google it or ask around – What system is there that could help you automate them

If you’d like support in growing your business, get in touch – at Outside ideas, we’re on a mission to help people and businesses grow.

Onwards and upwards my friend.

X P