How the first build works
What happens between the first call and a working automation, including what we need from you at each stage.
One task, from start to finish
- Stage 01
The call
Twenty minutes. You describe where the time goes, and we ask about volumes, systems and who handles each step. By the end we can usually identify the three tasks worth automating first. No presentation and no lengthy discovery document.
- Stage 02
We look at one process
A short review of how the chosen task actually runs, rather than how the procedure says it runs. We observe it once, note every step, and set out what we would build and what it costs. That price does not change afterwards.
- Stage 03
We build it
We build against a copy of your real data rather than a demonstration set. You receive a link to follow progress, and you do not need to attend any meetings. You are kept informed at every stage.
- Stage 04
We test it properly
Tested against real cases, including the demanding ones: the order with a missing field, the supplier who formats dates differently, the customer with two accounts. Unusual cases are routed to a person, so every outcome is accounted for.
- Stage 05
It goes live
Live with monitoring from the first day, so that we are the first to know about anything that needs attention. We watch it closely as it settles in.
- Stage 06
You keep it
Documentation in plain English, the credentials, and a walkthrough with whoever needs it. It runs on your systems, and it continues to work whether or not we are involved.
What we need from you
- About three hours of one person's time, spread across the project.
- Access to the systems involved, read only where that is sufficient.
- Someone who can answer questions about how the task works today, usually the person who performs it.
- Someone able to make a decision, available for one short conversation at the end.
That is all we need. We scope each project so that it fits comfortably around the work your team is already doing.
You see the numbers first
Before any building starts, we set out what the automation will save and what it will cost, so the value is clear to you from the beginning. The price we give at that point is the price you pay.
Working this way means you commit with the full picture in front of you, and we build only what we know will earn its place.
Continuity and mentorship
Most clients continue with us monthly once the first automation is running: a regular session with the team, continued development, revisions as the business changes, and monitoring. Others choose not to, which is an equally good outcome, because the automation belongs to them and continues to run.