ALONGSIDE / PRACTICAL SMALL BUSINESS SYSTEMS
How to choose your first small business automation project.
The best starting point is a task you repeat and a result you know how to check. A completed example gives us something concrete to build toward.
Which example can you bring?
| Task | Useful starting material | Output to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Material shopping list | Confirmed scope, measurements and specs | A contractor-checked list |
| Sales meeting recap | Questions and anonymized visit notes | An approved client follow-up |
| Supply planning | Schedule, stock counts and usage rates | A manually checked shopping list |
| Weekly sales report | Estimate export and status definitions | A checked summary and action list |
Define what done looks like
For a sales recap, done might mean every agreed action has an owner, known due dates are included, unanswered questions stay visible and the rep can edit the result before sending. For a material list, it means supplied quantities and units are preserved and missing specifications are flagged.
ILLUSTRATIVE SAMPLE
A small project brief
Task: prepare a client recap after a sales visit.
Input: one completed meeting worksheet.
Output: an editable email draft and next-action list.
Review: the rep checks commitments, dates and recipient.
First test: compare the draft with a manually prepared recap from the same fictional notes.
Count the whole task
Measure preparation, generation, review and corrections. Illustrative timing: 20 minutes for the current recap versus 8 minutes to prepare and review the draft would be a 12-minute difference per visit. Test that assumption over representative visits before using it in a cost comparison.
Agree on connections and costs
List the system holding the source information and the place the result needs to go. Confirm whether a file export is enough or a direct connection is needed. The written scope should include setup, subscriptions, maintenance, training and ownership of the finished files.
What to send first
Start with a description in the inquiry form. We can then agree how to share a blank or anonymized example. Leave passwords and confidential customer information out of the initial inquiry.
Start with one example from your business.
Tell us what you produce today, which tools you use and where the work gets held up. Start with a free written opportunity check; we will follow up by email.