Automation in business processes has been around for a long time. Many of us first encountered it through Excel macros, simple, clever scripts that could take repetitive tasks and turn them into a single click. They’ve been available for decades, yet many businesses never fully used them. Interestingly, the ones that did often still rely on them today. That says something about the staying power of basic automation.
These days, the conversation has moved on to AI, artificial intelligence. AI is extremely powerful, and its adoption is increasing across a wide range of industries. In our day-to-day consulting work, we see a growing tendency among businesses to jump straight into AI while skipping over more grounded, immediately useful technologies. Process Automation, often overlooked, remains one of the most practical investments a company can make, particularly for tasks that are taking staff a long time to learn or to complete.
Modern automation is accessible and wide-ranging. Small businesses can use Google Apps Script to automate actions in Sheets, Gmail, or Forms. That might be sending an automatic reply, pulling data from one place to another, or preparing weekly summaries. You can use basic API integrations to connect order systems to SMS updates, or notifications to customers and staff. For businesses already using Microsoft 365, Power Automate makes it relatively easy to connect apps, trigger alerts, and simplify admin tasks. Platforms like Zapier or Make.com are ideal for bridging systems without needing code. And for more advanced automation, tools like UiPath or Automation Anywhere allow for high-volume, rules-based tasks to be handled without human input, ideal for operations teams managing paperwork, inventory records, or finance workflows.
There’s a strong case to be made for revisiting automation now, especially as many companies face pressure on staffing. It’s difficult to recruit and retain people, and there are gaps when staff are on leave or off sick. Well-designed automation doesn’t get delayed, doesn’t call in sick, and doesn’t forget. It quietly supports your team, picking up routine tasks and keeping things moving. Importantly, automation isn’t about removing people from the business. It’s about helping teams do higher-value work, making decisions, solving problems, and improving service, instead of copying and pasting information between systems.
Another advantage of automation, often underestimated, is the clarity it brings to your processes. To automate something, you have to define it. That means mapping it out, step by step, and asking whether each step adds value. Many companies realise, when they start automating, that they’ve been doing things a certain way simply because they always have. The process of automation usually leads to simplification.
Some businesses worry automation is too technical or costly to bother with. But in line with the downward trend on the cost of digital technologies, this just isn’t the case anymore. Most companies already have the tools available through Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or the systems they use to run their e-Commerce, stock control, or accounting. The barrier is usually not the technology. It’s finding the time to take a step back and ask, “Is there a better way to do this?”.
AI is reshaping the future of business, but automation is what gets you ready for it. If your workflows are manual, inconsistent, or undocumented, AI tools won’t have a solid foundation from which to work. Automating first means your data is cleaner, your processes are stable, and your team knows how things should run, making it easier to implement smarter tools later.
Instead of chasing the next big thing, take a moment to focus on what’s already proven. The opportunity is here now, to improve how your business runs, without overhauling everything. It starts by looking at the work your team does every day and asking if any part of it could be done more easily, more reliably, or more automatically.
For small businesses interested in identifying where automation can be deployed in their workflows, there are useful support programmes like the Digital for Business programme and Grow Digital Grant available through your Local Enterprise Office (LEO), or the Digital Discovery programme, available from Enterprise Ireland.
LeanBPI works with Irish SMEs to support all aspects of digital and technology adoption. We help businesses navigate change, make informed decisions, and use the right solutions to improve how they work and compete. For further information contact John at johnoshanahan@leanbpi.ie or visit www.leanbpi.ie.
JOHN O’SHANAHAN – Consultant, Lean BPI
