The £100K Automation Playbook: 10 Workflows Every Service Business Needs

Why Most Businesses Fail at Automation

Before diving into the workflows, let's address why 73% of automation projects fail:

• Starting too complex instead of quick wins

• Automating broken processes (garbage in, garbage out)

• No documentation or training

• Choosing the wrong tools

• Treating automation as IT's problem, not a business strategy

We'll help you avoid these pitfalls.

The 10 Essential Workflows

Workflow 1: Instant Quote Generator

The Problem: Preparing quotes takes 2-3 hours and delays response by days The Solution: Automated quote system using form inputs and pricing rules The Tools: Typeform → Make.com → PandaDoc

Setup:

1. Create detailed pricing matrix in spreadsheet

2. Build smart form capturing project requirements

3. Connect via Make.com to generate branded PDF

4. Auto-send to prospect with calendar link

5. Follow up automatically if no response

ROI: Save 15 hours weekly, respond in minutes not days, 35% higher close rate

Workflow 2: New Client Onboarding Sequence

The Problem: Inconsistent onboarding leads to confused clients and scope creep The Solution: Automated welcome series ensuring perfect starts

The Flow:

• Contract signed → Welcome email (instant)

• Access credentials → Day 1

• Expectation setting video → Day 2

• First milestone reminder → Day 7

• Feedback request → Day 14

Impact: 90% reduction in "getting started" questions, 100% consistent experience

Workflow 3: Lead Qualification & Routing

The Problem: Sales team wastes time on unqualified leads The Solution: Smart scoring and routing based on fit criteria

Implementation:

• Score leads based on budget, timeline, and fit

• Route high-scores to senior sales

• Medium scores to nurture campaign

• Low scores to polite decline template

Results: Sales productivity up 40%, conversion rate up 25%

Workflow 4: Invoice & Payment Automation

The Problem: Chasing payments kills cash flow and relationships The Solution: Automated invoicing with smart follow-ups

The System:

• Project milestone → Invoice auto-generated

• Payment reminder → 3 days before due

• Overdue sequence → Escalating reminders

• Payment received → Thank you + next steps

Outcome: 45% faster payment, 80% less time on collections

Workflow 5: Customer Feedback Loop

The Problem: No systematic way to gather and act on feedback The Solution: Automated NPS surveys with action triggers

Process:

• Project completion → NPS survey

• Score 9-10 → Request review/testimonial

• Score 7-8 → Ask for improvement ideas

• Score 0-6 → Alert management immediately

Benefit: 4.8-star average rating, 50+ testimonials gathered automatically

Workflow 6: Social Media Content Distribution

The Problem: Inconsistent posting, platform juggling The Solution: Create once, publish everywhere automatically

Setup:

• Content created in central repository

• Auto-resize for each platform

• Schedule across all channels

• Performance tracking in one dashboard

Tools: Buffer or Hootsuite + Canva API Result: 5X more content, 75% time saving

Workflow 7: Meeting Scheduler & Follow-Up

The Problem: Back-and-forth emails to book meetings The Solution: Self-service booking with automated prep

The Flow:

• Share booking link (Calendly/Acuity)

• Pre-meeting questionnaire (auto-sent)

• Reminder with agenda (24 hours before)

• Post-meeting summary (within 1 hour)

• Follow-up tasks created automatically

Impact: Zero scheduling emails, 95% show rate

Workflow 8: Proposal Win/Loss Tracking

The Problem: No visibility on why deals won or lost The Solution: Automated tracking with insights dashboard

System:

• Proposal sent → Timer starts

• No response → Automated follow-up sequence

• Decision logged → Trigger feedback request

• Data feeds dashboard → Identify patterns

Insight: Discover your true close rate and improvement areas

Workflow 9: Team Task Assignment

The Problem: Work falls through cracks, unclear responsibilities The Solution: Smart task routing based on skills and capacity

Implementation:

• New request → Auto-categorised

• Assigned based on expertise and workload

• Deadline set according to SLA

• Progress tracked automatically

• Alerts for delays or bottlenecks

Tools: Monday.com or Asana + Make.com Benefit: Nothing forgotten, balanced workloads

Workflow 10: Knowledge Base Updater

The Problem: Documentation always out of date The Solution: Auto-capture and organisation of knowledge

Process:

• Support tickets → FAQ candidates identified

• Client questions → Knowledge base articles

• Process changes → Documentation updates

• Team notifications → What's new digest

Result: 60% fewer repeat questions, faster onboarding

Implementation Roadmap

Month 1: Foundation

• Start with Workflow 1 or 2 (biggest pain point)

• Document before automating

• Test thoroughly with small group

Month 2: Expansion

• Add 2-3 more workflows

• Train team properly

• Gather feedback and refine

Month 3: Optimisation

• Connect workflows together

• Build reporting dashboards

• Calculate ROI and celebrate wins

Tools & Investment

Essential Stack:

• Make.com or Zapier: £50-200/month

• CRM (HubSpot/Pipedrive): £50-150/month

• Document automation: £30-50/month

• Total: Under £400/month for complete transformation

ROI Calculation:

• Time saved: 20 hours/week × £50/hour = £1,000/week

• Error reduction: £500/week in prevented mistakes

• Faster sales cycle: £2,000/week in accelerated revenue

• Monthly value: £14,000

• Annual impact: £168,000

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Automating too early: Fix the process first

2. No backup plan: What happens when systems fail?

3. Forgetting the human touch: Some things shouldn't be automated

4. No documentation: Bus factor of one is dangerous

5. Analysis paralysis: Start simple, iterate fast

Your Next Steps

1. Identify your biggest time-waster

2. Choose the corresponding workflow from above

3. Map your current process

4. Build and test automation

5. Monitor and optimise

Remember: You don't need to automate everything at once. Even implementing 2-3 workflows will transform your operations.

Need help implementing these workflows? Download our complete templates and setup guides.

[Download Automation Templates →