Automation for trade businesses
Reduce the time spent preparing quotes, creating tasks, planning and following up customers around the practical work itself.
Common challenges
Enquiries, site visits, quotes and follow-up are often handled across email, phone, calendars and industry-specific systems. Information must be copied, and the next step can easily depend on one person.
Tasks that can be automated
- Registering and assigning new enquiries
- Creating tasks after a site visit or approval
- Reminders, status updates and customer follow-up
Before and after
An example of a more orderly workflow.
This is a general example. The actual solution depends on the systems, the quality of the information, who is responsible and what a person must approve.
Before
- 1The enquiry is copied from email into notes or an industry-specific system
- 2Site visits and follow-up are arranged through several channels
- 3Quote preparation and reminders require manual follow-up
After
- 1The enquiry is registered and the right role is notified
- 2The task and required checks are created with the agreed information
- 3The customer receives confirmation and further follow-up is scheduled
More time for skilled work
Every job brings several administrative tasks. An enquiry must be understood, registered, assigned, planned and followed up, often while employees are out with customers.
Automation can reduce copying and reminders without automating the professional judgement itself.
Relevant workflows
- create a case or task from a complete enquiry
- notify the right trade or responsible person
- collect agreed information before a site visit
- create a review task after the site visit
- schedule a reminder if a quote or clarification is missing
- send a clear confirmation of receipt or status
Professional judgement stays with skilled people
Price, method, risk, capacity and the final quote often require human judgement. Automation should prepare and distribute information, not make decisions without a sound basis.
The systems must be assessed
We map email, calendar, industry-specific and accounting systems, as well as any forms. If a system cannot be connected securely, we do not recommend an unsafe workaround.
A possible first project
A practical first project may be the flow from a new enquiry to a created task and confirmation of receipt. Follow-up or quote preparation can then be considered separately.
See automation assessment, workflow automation and customer enquiries and automated follow-up.
Common questions
Can the automation create a finished quote?
In some cases it can prepare a draft using verified rules and data. The final price and professional assessment should be approved by the person responsible.
Do employees have to change how they work?
A new workflow may require clearer registration or responsibility. This is agreed with the people who actually carry out the work.
Next step
Do these tasks sound familiar?
Tell us about a recurring task, the systems you use and where the work gets held up. We assess what can be automated first.
