Business automation

Every workflow starts somewhere.

Business automation connects an event to the actions that should follow. These ideas show apps, data and devices working together, with rules for timing, access and what happens when something goes wrong. Not sure where yours fits? That’s what we’re here for.

Ideas

Pick one that sounds like you.

Here are a few things we could automate, using the tools you already have. Pick one to see how it would work, then tell us about your business.

Leads & sales

Enquiry to booked appointment

Works with

  • Website form
  • HubSpot
  • Google Calendar
  • Gmail

WhenSomeone fills in your enquiry form.

  1. 01Find or create the customer in the CRM
  2. 02Check the diary and hold the agreed slot
  3. 03Confirm by email and tell the team

The resultOne enquiry. Matching diaries. Everyone in the loop.

See how it worksStart something like this

Marketing

Empty slots become social posts

Works with

  • Google Calendar
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

WhenA cancellation leaves a gap in the diary.

  1. 01Check the gap is worth promoting
  2. 02Fill an approved post template
  3. 03Recheck it’s still free, then publish

The resultYour availability becomes an invitation to book.

See how it worksStart something like this

Spaces & devices

Personal welcomes on the reception TV

Works with

  • Google Calendar
  • Yodeck
  • Smart TV

WhenAn appointment is ten minutes away.

  1. 01Read the next visitor’s booking
  2. 02Prepare a greeting with their first name
  3. 03Show it on screen, then reset the display

The resultThe next visitor gets a welcome made for them.

See how it worksStart something like this

Marketing

Review journeys that feel personal

Works with

  • Jobber
  • Trustpilot
  • Google Business Profile

WhenA job is marked complete.

  1. 01Choose the right journey for the service
  2. 02Ask for a review at a sensible moment
  3. 03Let the team follow up on anything unhappy

The resultGood work gets a consistent path to genuine feedback.

See how it worksStart something like this

Marketing

Rebooking reminders that bring people back

Works with

  • Square
  • Klaviyo
  • Twilio

WhenA customer’s usual return date approaches.

  1. 01Check their history and preferences
  2. 02Pick the right time and channel
  3. 03Send a relevant invitation to return

The resultA timely next step for customers who already know you.

See how it worksStart something like this

Leads & sales

Quote follow-ups you never forget

Works with

  • Xero
  • Gmail
  • Slack

WhenA quote has been sent.

  1. 01Wait a sensible interval
  2. 02Check whether the customer replied
  3. 03Send a gentle nudge or alert the owner

The resultFewer forgotten quotes. A clear next action.

See how it worksStart something like this

Spaces & devices

Rooms that get themselves ready

Works with

  • Microsoft 365
  • Philips Hue
  • Sonos
  • Yodeck

WhenA room booking is about to start.

  1. 01Update the screen outside the door
  2. 02Set the lights and queue an announcement
  3. 03Reset the room when the booking ends

The resultThe diary, the display and the room agree.

See how it worksStart something like this

Leads & sales

Missed call, instant text back

Works with

  • Twilio
  • WhatsApp Business
  • Calendly

WhenA call to the business goes unanswered.

  1. 01Spot the missed call
  2. 02Text a friendly reply with a booking link
  3. 03Log the call against the contact in your CRM

The resultNo enquiry goes cold because nobody could pick up.

See how it worksStart something like this

Leads & sales

Facebook and Instagram leads straight into the CRM

Works with

  • Meta Lead Ads
  • HubSpot
  • Slack

WhenSomeone submits one of your lead ads.

  1. 01Create or update the contact
  2. 02Assign an owner by service or postcode
  3. 03Ping that person in Slack with the details

The resultLeads answered in minutes, not days.

See how it worksStart something like this

Leads & sales

Quote form to ready-to-send proposal

Works with

  • Typeform
  • PandaDoc
  • HubSpot

WhenA customer requests a quote.

  1. 01Price the job from your rules
  2. 02Draft a branded proposal
  3. 03Send it once the owner approves

The resultProposals go out the same day.

See how it worksStart something like this

Leads & sales

Website chat to qualified lead

Works with

  • Intercom
  • Pipedrive
  • Calendly

WhenA visitor asks about pricing in chat.

  1. 01Capture what they need and when
  2. 02Create a deal in the pipeline
  3. 03Offer a call slot in the same conversation

The resultCurious visitors become booked calls.

See how it worksStart something like this

Bookings

No-show rescue

Works with

  • Google Calendar
  • Twilio
  • Calendly

WhenAn appointment starts and nobody has checked in.

  1. 01Wait ten minutes and check the status
  2. 02Text a kind rebooking link
  3. 03Free the slot for walk-ins

The resultFewer empty chairs and no awkward phone calls.

See how it worksStart something like this

Bookings

Cancellations refill from the waitlist

Works with

  • Fresha
  • WhatsApp Business

WhenA customer cancels.

  1. 01Find waitlisted customers who fit the slot
  2. 02Offer it first come, first served
  3. 03Confirm the booking and update the diary

The resultCancelled slots fill themselves.

See how it worksStart something like this

Bookings

Every meeting arrives with a brief

Works with

  • Calendly
  • Zoom
  • HubSpot
  • Notion

WhenSomeone books a call.

  1. 01Create the Zoom link
  2. 02Pull their history from the CRM
  3. 03Write a one-page brief in Notion

The resultYou walk in knowing who you’re talking to.

See how it worksStart something like this

Bookings

Rota changes straight to phones

Works with

  • Deputy
  • Google Calendar
  • WhatsApp

WhenA rota is published or changed.

  1. 01Work out which shifts changed
  2. 02Update each person’s calendar
  3. 03Message only the people affected

The resultNobody misses a changed shift.

See how it worksStart something like this

Payments & finance

Stripe payouts reconciled in Xero

Works with

  • Stripe
  • Xero

WhenStripe sends a payout to the bank.

  1. 01Match each charge to its invoice
  2. 02Post fees and refunds to the right accounts
  3. 03Flag anything that doesn’t match

The resultBooks that balance without losing a Friday afternoon.

See how it worksStart something like this

Payments & finance

Polite invoice chasing

Works with

  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Gmail
  • Slack

WhenAn invoice passes its due date.

  1. 01Send a friendly reminder
  2. 02Follow up more firmly after two weeks
  3. 03Alert the owner if it’s still unpaid, and stop the moment it’s paid

The resultPaid faster, without the awkward emails.

See how it worksStart something like this

Payments & finance

Receipts from inbox to bookkeeping

Works with

  • Gmail
  • Dext
  • Xero

WhenA receipt lands in your inbox.

  1. 01Pick up the attachment
  2. 02Send it to Dext for extraction
  3. 03File and categorise it in Xero

The resultNo shoebox of receipts at year end.

See how it worksStart something like this

Payments & finance

Failed Direct Debit recovery

Works with

  • GoCardless
  • HubSpot
  • Twilio

WhenA Direct Debit payment fails.

  1. 01Retry on a sensible date
  2. 02Text a secure link to update details
  3. 03Pause the service only after the final attempt

The resultRecovered revenue, handled kindly.

See how it worksStart something like this

Online shop

Low stock, reorder drafted

Works with

  • Shopify
  • Google Sheets
  • Gmail

WhenA product drops below its reorder level.

  1. 01Check recent sales speed
  2. 02Draft a purchase order to the supplier
  3. 03Send it once you approve

The resultBestsellers stay in stock.

See how it worksStart something like this

Online shop

Dispatch updates customers actually read

Works with

  • Shopify
  • Royal Mail Click & Drop
  • WhatsApp Business

WhenA shipping label is created.

  1. 01Fetch the tracking number
  2. 02Send a WhatsApp update
  3. 03Remind them on delivery day

The resultFewer “where’s my order?” emails.

See how it worksStart something like this

Online shop

Etsy, Amazon and Shopify in one view

Works with

  • Etsy
  • Amazon Seller Central
  • Shopify
  • Airtable

WhenAn order arrives on any channel.

  1. 01Bring every order into one format
  2. 02Sync stock across all channels
  3. 03Produce a single picking list

The resultNo overselling, one place to work from.

See how it worksStart something like this

Online shop

Abandoned baskets with a human touch

Works with

  • Shopify
  • Klaviyo

WhenA shopper leaves items in their basket.

  1. 01Wait an hour
  2. 02Send a personal note about the item
  3. 03Offer an incentive only on a second reminder

The resultRecovered sales without training people to wait for discounts.

See how it worksStart something like this

Customer service

Support inbox triage with AI drafts

Works with

  • Gmail
  • Outlook
  • Claude
  • Zendesk

WhenA support email arrives.

  1. 01Sort it by topic and urgency
  2. 02Draft a reply from your own help content
  3. 03A person checks and sends it

The resultFaster replies that still sound like you.

See how it worksStart something like this

Customer service

Google review replies, drafted for you

Works with

  • Google Business Profile
  • Claude
  • Slack

WhenA new review is posted.

  1. 01Draft a thoughtful reply
  2. 02Send it to Slack for approval
  3. 03Publish the approved reply

The resultEvery review gets an answer.

See how it worksStart something like this

Customer service

WhatsApp answers with a human handover

Works with

  • WhatsApp Business
  • Claude
  • Slack

WhenA customer asks a question on WhatsApp.

  1. 01Answer common questions from approved information
  2. 02Hand over to a person when unsure
  3. 03Keep the conversation on record

The resultCustomers get answers at 11pm, and people handle the tricky ones.

See how it worksStart something like this

Marketing

One blog post, everywhere

Works with

  • WordPress
  • Webflow
  • Buffer
  • LinkedIn

WhenYou publish a new article.

  1. 01Draft posts for each channel
  2. 02Schedule them through Buffer
  3. 03Report which ones drove visits

The resultContent that keeps working after launch day.

See how it worksStart something like this

Marketing

Welcome series for new customers

Works with

  • Stripe
  • Shopify
  • Mailchimp

WhenSomeone buys for the first time.

  1. 01Tag them by what they bought
  2. 02Start a tailored welcome sequence
  3. 03Stop as soon as they buy again

The resultA first purchase becomes a relationship.

See how it worksStart something like this

Team & operations

Monday morning numbers in Slack

Works with

  • Google Analytics 4
  • Stripe
  • HubSpot
  • Slack

WhenIt’s 8am on Monday.

  1. 01Collect last week’s figures
  2. 02Compare them with the week before
  3. 03Post a five-line digest

The resultEveryone starts the week with the same picture.

See how it worksStart something like this

Team & operations

Signed contract, project kicked off

Works with

  • DocuSign
  • Asana
  • Google Drive
  • Slack

WhenA client signs the contract.

  1. 01Create the project from a template
  2. 02Set up the shared folder
  3. 03Open a Slack channel and invite the team

The resultDay one starts on day one.

See how it worksStart something like this

Team & operations

New starters ready on day one

Works with

  • BambooHR
  • Google Workspace
  • Slack

WhenA new hire is added to HR.

  1. 01Create their accounts
  2. 02Prepare the equipment checklist
  3. 03Book their first-week meetings

The resultNew starters feel expected, not improvised.

See how it worksStart something like this

Team & operations

Voice notes into tasks

Works with

  • WhatsApp
  • Claude
  • Todoist

WhenYou record a voice note on the move.

  1. 01Transcribe it
  2. 02Pull out the actions and dates
  3. 03Create tasks in your to-do list

The resultIdeas captured before they’re forgotten.

See how it worksStart something like this

Team & operations

Job finished, photo report sent

Works with

  • ServiceM8
  • Google Drive
  • Gmail

WhenAn engineer marks the job complete.

  1. 01Collect site photos and notes
  2. 02Build a branded PDF report
  3. 03Email it to the customer with the invoice

The resultA professional finish on every job.

See how it worksStart something like this

Spaces & devices

Opening hours run the building

Works with

  • Google Business Profile
  • Philips Hue
  • Hive
  • Yodeck

WhenToday’s opening time approaches.

  1. 01Read today’s hours, including holidays
  2. 02Bring on lights and heating 30 minutes early
  3. 03Switch the signage to “open”

The resultThe building opens itself.

See how it worksStart something like this

Spaces & devices

Visitor arrives, host knows

Works with

  • Envoy
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Sonos

WhenA visitor signs in at reception.

  1. 01Message their host on Teams
  2. 02Play a gentle chime in the office
  3. 03Print their badge

The resultNobody waits awkwardly in reception.

See how it worksStart something like this

AI & data

Ask your business questions in plain English

Works with

  • Claude
  • MCP
  • Your database

WhenSomeone asks “how many bookings do we have next week?”

  1. 01Expose safe, read-only tools over your data
  2. 02Let the assistant call the right one
  3. 03Answer with the figures and where they came from

The resultAnswers without hunting through dashboards.

See how it worksStart something like this

Just a starting point. If it happens on a computer or phone, it’s a place to start. Tell us yours

How each one works

Illustrative studio workflows · not client case studies · no live services connected

Leads & sales

Bookings

Payments & finance

Online shop

Customer service

Marketing

Team & operations

Spaces & devices

AI & data

Bring the unexpected idea.

What can be automated?

A task on a computer or phone is a place to start. We build custom software around the outcome you want, whether that means a backend process, an internal tool, a website or something happening in the physical world.

How does an idea become a dependable system?

Start with what happens today and what should happen instead. Identify the tools, permissions and decisions involved, then design the failure paths, manual controls and maintenance alongside the useful part.

Browse the automation ideas

Your idea doesn’t have to fit an example.

If it happens on a computer or phone, it’s a place to start. Tell us what you want to happen, across your apps, data and devices.

Tell us your idea