When business owners ask me where to start with AI and automation, I always tell them the same thing: start by finding the right problem, not the "right tool."
Once you start thinking that way, something interesting happens. You discover automation opportunities that create value across several areas of your business — sometimes with a single well-designed solution.
Here are three areas of improvement to look for when you evaluate any automation opportunity.
It removes or reduces mundane tasks.
If your team repeats the same predictable, manual task every day, that's your first signal. Think data entry, follow-up messages, appointment reminders. These tasks drain time without adding value.
It improves the customer experience.
When a customer reaches out and gets a fast, helpful response instead of waiting until Monday morning, that changes how they see your business. A good automation makes your company feel bigger and more responsive than your headcount suggests.
It increases sales or profit.
Some automations put money back in your pocket directly. Faster lead response, fewer missed follow-ups, closed website sales that would have bounced. If a process touches revenue and your team still runs it manually, take a closer look.
The best automations don't just do one of these things — they do two or three at once. That's how you know you've found something worth building.
If you want to see real examples of automations that cover all three areas, connect with me directly. I'm happy to walk through what this looks like for your specific business.
— Vivian Welsh, Co-Founder & President, Vivians.io