How to implement process automation in a small business? 5 steps

What is the standard starting point for implementing process automation?

When the topic of process automation comes up in a company, the first step managers usually take is to find a technology firm to help carry out the project. At first glance, this seems like a reasonable move. We have a business problem or need, so we contact someone who can help us solve it.

At Sagiton, from the perspective of an automation agency, we see that reaching out to an automation provider too quickly can be counterproductive. In extreme cases, the project never even reaches the implementation stage.

Why does this happen? When a small business wants to automate its processes, one of two scenarios usually plays out:

1. The automation agency presents a proposal for a process audit – and that is when the vision of quick automation starts to get complicated. Before the agency can begin work, it must learn the company's processes, map them, analyze them, and prepare potential paths forward. Only after this stage is complete can specialists begin implementing the automation. From the client's perspective, this means extra time and higher costs.
2. The agency asks for internal process mapping – if you want to implement process automation more affordably, you can prepare the process maps yourself, which the agency will then use to create the appropriate solution. In this case, however, the entire responsibility for the initial stage of the project rests with your company. Such tasks often drag on, especially when the team is doing them for the first time and lacks experience in process mapping.

As you can see, neither of these options is ideal. The exception might be a situation where a company has the budget for an external process audit or has a large enough team to dedicate several months to analysis for automation purposes.

This does not mean, however, that a small business has to give up on automation. Below, we present five steps that will help you effectively prepare for and implement process automation.

How to start automation in a small business in 5 steps?

In the following sections, we describe actions that most small businesses can perform on their own. This not only speeds up the project but also increases the chances of its completion. After all, no one wants to carry out a technology project that drags on for months or years.

1. Check if you can perform process mapping yourself

As we mentioned earlier, most automation firms work based on process maps. Even simple diagrams can be useful not only during the implementation of automation but also later, when monitoring its performance.

Process mapping also allows you to check whether your current way of working is properly organized. Sometimes it seems that a given process requires extensive automation, but during analysis, it turns out that simply changing its workflow is enough. In such a situation, the first optimization results can be achieved without investing in additional technology.

2. Choose the most time-consuming tasks

It is not worth starting a conversation with an automation agency by saying: "We are a small company. We want to automate something, but we don't know what." The exception is if your company is ready to spend several thousand euros on a business process audit.

It is best to contact an agency after conducting an initial analysis and identifying which tasks you want to automate. Process mapping should show which activities take up the most time. If you present prepared maps to the automation implementation firm, their specialists will also be able to point out the areas where potential savings will be the greatest.

3. Define the scope of process automation

Especially in a small business, you shouldn't try to automate everything at once. Even if process mapping reveals many time-consuming tasks, it's best to start by focusing on just one. This will make it easier to implement the change, evaluate the results, and monitor the automation's performance.

Another important criterion is the process's susceptibility to errors—that is, the number of mistakes and corrections that occur during its execution. If a company frequently has to issue invoice corrections due to incorrect data, automating the accounting process might be a good first step. This will not only speed up the work but also reduce the number of errors, as fixing them is often more time-consuming than performing the process itself.

Once you have selected the process you want to start with, understand its general workflow, and know how many people are involved, you can move on to choosing a technology partner.

4. Choose a technology partner

When it comes to process automation in a small business, choosing the right technology partner is particularly important.

Many automation agencies with dozens of employees do not take on projects with very small budgets. These companies incur costs related to advertising and sales, and they often involve not only developers but also project managers and testers in project execution. For this reason, small-scale implementations may not be profitable for them.

It is certainly worth asking an agency if they would take on your project. However, keep in mind that the quote provided may exceed a small business's budget.

At Sagiton, we carry out process automation projects with budgets starting from approximately EUR 1500. Within this range, it is possible, for example, to implement a moderately advanced invoice automation. If, however, you only need a simple automated email dispatch that would take a specialist an hour to set up, working with a freelancer might be a faster and cheaper solution.

A freelancer is a good choice for small-scale automation, limited budgets, or the need to improve an existing system. While this is usually the most cost-effective option, a specialized agency may be a safer choice for larger process automation projects. They have experts in various fields and can take on greater responsibility for the success of the entire project.

5. Monitor processes and invest in further improvements

Another area where a small business can reduce the costs of implementing process automation is by monitoring results. Automation companies often offer this service as part of an ongoing partnership. However, if the budget is limited, you can designate someone within the organization to regularly check the performance of the implemented solution.

This person should verify whether employees are using the automation and following the processes as established during the mapping phase. It is not uncommon for teams to resist new solutions. As a result, despite investing in technology, the company continues to operate exactly as it did before the implementation. You can find more information about such situations in our article: "Common mistakes in business process automation and how to avoid them."

If the implemented automations yield measurable results, it is worth allocating a portion of the savings toward further improvements. This allows you to gradually increase the benefits of digital transformation and achieve a higher ROI from automation.

For small businesses, it works particularly well to implement process automation gradually. Subsequent projects can be funded by the savings generated from previously automated processes.

Automation implementation example in a small business – the RentGuard app

Automation in a small business does not have to mean a months-long project or a budget available only to large organizations. Thanks to the development of no-code and low-code technologies, even custom systems can now be built at a cost tailored to the capabilities of smaller enterprises. That is why at Sagiton, we often work with small businesses, helping them implement solutions that reduce repetitive tasks and deliver measurable business benefits.

An example of such a project is the RentGuard app, which we created for a Wrocław-based company managing short-term rental apartments. Its goal was to automate customer service and reduce the number of calls from Airbnb guests.

Our client's problem

The company's team was receiving many inquiries regarding simple and repetitive issues, such as how to turn on the heating or use apartment appliances. Each such call required staff involvement, leaving less time to handle more complex problems.

What did we implement?

As part of introducing automation into the company's processes, we developed an app with a knowledge base for each property. Guests can find answers to frequently asked questions there, as well as instructions in the form of photos and videos. As a result, they can solve many problems on their own without needing to contact support.

In the app, we also implemented an intelligent chatbot, that answers questions based on available content. When a problem requires human assistance, the system provides the correct phone number for the property manager. This is a practical example of using AI in a small business without the need to build a complex and expensive system from scratch.

Guests gain access to the application after scanning a QR code located in the apartment. The system has also been translated into the languages most commonly used by clients. Meanwhile, managers can use an administrative panel to check the number of inquiries, the most frequently reported issues, and activity in individual apartments.

What are the benefits of automation?

Thanks to automation, it has been possible to reduce the number of repetitive inquiries, increase guest comfort, and streamline team operations. Automated customer service processes have also become a feature that sets the apartment rental offer apart from the competition.

The application was designed in a modular way, which allows it to grow alongside the company's needs and potentially be transformed into a SaaS solution for other property owners in the future.

The entire project was completed within two weeks at a cost of EUR 4700. RentGuard demonstrates that effective automation implementation and the creation of a complete, dedicated application are possible even within a small business budget.

Why should SMEs invest in business process automation?

For small and medium-sized enterprises, competitive pressure is often much more direct than in large organizations. Corporations usually have an established brand, stable customer acquisition processes, and more predictable cash flow. In the SME sector, however, new companies constantly emerge, competing for the same customers, often through price, speed of service, or greater flexibility.

For this reason, cost optimization and the efficient use of employee time are particularly important in a smaller company. In a large enterprise, the fact that preparing an invoice takes an hour instead of ten minutes may have a relatively small impact on the overall budget. In a small team, however, every extra hour spent on repetitive tasks means less time for sales, customer service, and business development. Therefore, when answering the question of whether it is worth automating a small business, one must consider not only direct savings but also the ability to scale operations faster. Automated processes allow for handling more tasks without a proportional increase in headcount, reduce errors, and make it easier to maintain a consistent standard of service.

Additionally, it is worth remembering that just a few years ago, implementing process automation often required a large budget and building complex software from scratch. Today, no-code and low-code technologies allow for the creation of effective solutions even within budgets accessible to the SME sector. As a result, automating a small business does not have to be one massive project. You can start with a single process, check the results, and gradually develop further improvements, as we described in the previous paragraphs.

Companies that do not start taking advantage of these opportunities may eventually fall behind the competition. A business that reduces operating costs through automation can serve customers faster, increase margins, and even lower the prices of its services. Implementing automation thus becomes not only a way to streamline daily work but also a tool for maintaining competitiveness and growing the company without excessive cost increases.