1. Map the current process
We discuss how customers find you, where inquiries arrive, what happens next, and which tools your team uses. Pick one problem that is specific enough to observe: for example, a form inquiry that needs to reach a shared tracker and the person responsible for responding.
We also identify exceptions. What if required information is missing? What if the request is outside your service area? Those details help decide whether automation is suitable.
2. Agree on scope and costs
Before work starts, the proposal should make the following items explicit. Project price and timing depend on the systems involved and the access available.
| Item | What should be clear |
|---|---|
| Deliverables | The pages or workflow steps included, plus what is excluded. |
| Tools | Platforms, account ownership, required access, and separate subscriptions. |
| Acceptance | Which sample scenarios need to pass before launch. |
| Handoff | Walkthrough, instructions, and how to pause the workflow. |
| Support | Included revisions, support period, and any ongoing arrangement. |
3. Build and test the agreed path
Start with sample information. For a lead workflow, inspect the inquiry, acknowledgment, tracker entry, and internal alert. For a website, check the important content, navigation, screen sizes, and the actual contact route.
AI-generated drafts should be reviewed against examples you approve. A successful technical test does not prove an increase in sales; those are different questions.
4. Review before launch
You review the customer-facing wording, business details, rules, and exceptions. We agree on the point at which the system should hand a request to your team. Any remaining limitations should be visible before you rely on the workflow.
5. Handoff and measure
Know where the workflow lives, who owns the accounts, and how to stop it. Decide who checks for problems and how to handle changes to the underlying tools. Ongoing monitoring is included only if it is part of your scope.
Choose a simple measure that fits the original problem: time to first human response, inquiries awaiting follow-up, or time spent moving information between tools. Record a starting point and compare it with your own later results.
Questions worth asking any automation provider
- Can you show me exactly what triggers the workflow?
- What happens if a connected account stops working?
- Who reviews unusual customer requests?
- Which costs continue after the project?
- Can my team use and pause the system after handoff?
Not sure where your process needs attention? Use the free checklist before reaching out.