ActiveHub

Illustrative example — not client work

Process Automation Assessment Example

See how ActiveHub can assess a business process step by step, distinguish routine automation from human judgement, and identify what should be fixed before automation begins.

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Executive recommendation

What should this business automate?

The process contains several repetitive administrative steps that are suitable for automation.

However, the most important decisions in the process still require commercial judgement, context and accountability.

The recommendation is therefore not to automate the process end to end.

Instead:

  • automate structured information capture;
  • automate routine completeness checks;
  • automate routing where rules are clear;
  • automate routine follow-up and status updates;
  • use automation to assist quotation preparation;
  • keep qualification judgement, pricing exceptions and final approval with people.

The process should also be standardised before wider automation is introduced.

A second principle applies throughout the assessment:

Do not automate an inconsistent process before clarifying the rules that govern it.

Recommendation by process step

Process stepRecommendationReason
Capture enquiry informationAutomateStructured capture reduces repeated manual entry
Check whether required information is presentAutomateClear rules can identify missing fields
Initial categorisation and routingAutomate with safeguardsMost cases can follow rules, but exceptions need human handling
Decide whether an opportunity is commercially attractiveKeep humanRequires commercial judgement and context
Request routine missing informationAutomate with safeguardsStandard requests can be automated, unusual cases should be reviewed
Assign internal ownerAutomate where rules are clearSuitable when responsibility rules are explicit
Draft standard quotation contentAssistRepeated content can be prepared automatically, but review remains necessary
Final pricing and commercial judgementKeep humanRequires accountability and business judgement
Send an approved quotationAutomate after approvalSending is routine once approval has been given
Schedule follow-upAutomateTiming rules are straightforward
Record process status and outcomeAutomate where reliableUseful where system events provide dependable status information

Current and recommended process

  • Manual step
  • Automated step
  • Assisted step
  • Human decision
  • Exception / escalation

Current state

  1. Enquiry arrivesManual step
  2. Manual information checkingManual step
  3. Manual qualificationManual step
  4. Manual missing-information requestManual step
  5. Manual assignmentManual step
  6. Manual quotation draftingManual step
  7. Manual reviewManual step
  8. Manual sendingManual step
  9. Manually remembered follow-upManual step
  10. Manually updated outcomeManual step

Recommended state

  1. Structured enquiry captureAutomated step
  2. Automatic completeness checkAutomated step
  3. Routine missing-information request — where appropriateAutomated step
  4. Automatic categorisation and routing — clear casesAutomated step
  5. Human qualification decisionHuman decision
  6. Assisted quotation preparationAssisted step
  7. Human pricing and final approvalHuman decision
  8. Automatic sending after approvalAutomated step
  9. Automatic follow-up schedulingAutomated step
  10. Reliable status updatesAutomated step

Human exception handling throughoutException / escalation

A step to automate

Step 1

Capture enquiry information

Current situation

Information reaches the business in different formats and may need to be re-entered manually.

Automation suitability

High

Recommendation

Automate

Use structured capture where practical so key information can enter the process once.

This could include:

  • customer identity;
  • business name;
  • contact information;
  • service requested;
  • description of need;
  • preferred timing;
  • relevant contextual fields.

Why

The step is repetitive, rule-based and easy to verify.

Automation should reduce repeated manual transcription without removing judgement.

A step to keep human

Step 4

Decide whether the opportunity is commercially attractive

Current situation

Employees decide whether the business should pursue the opportunity.

Automation suitability

Low

Recommendation

Keep human

Why

The decision may depend on:

  • customer fit;
  • available capacity;
  • likely value;
  • relationship context;
  • strategic relevance;
  • risk;
  • timing;
  • unusual circumstances.

These factors often require context that is difficult to reduce to dependable rules.

Automation may present relevant information to the decision-maker.

It should not make the final commercial decision.

Fix before automating

Several improvements should happen before the business attempts wider automation.

  1. Define minimum enquiry information

    Agree what information is genuinely required before an enquiry can progress.

    Avoid asking for information merely because a form can contain another field.

  2. Define qualification rules

    Separate:

    • objective rules;
    • useful indicators;
    • judgement.

    Do not pretend judgement is a rule simply to make automation easier.

  3. Clarify ownership

    Define when ownership can be assigned automatically and when a manager or coordinator should decide.

  4. Standardise quotation structure

    Agree:

    • standard sections;
    • approved descriptions;
    • required review points;
    • where exceptions are allowed.

    This makes assisted quotation preparation safer and more useful.

  5. Establish explicit statuses

    Use a small set of meaningful process states.

    For example:

    • New
    • Waiting for information
    • Under review
    • Qualified
    • Quotation in preparation
    • Quotation sent
    • Follow-up due
    • Won
    • Lost
    • Declined
    • Inactive

    The exact set should reflect the business.

    The important point is consistency.

  6. Define exception handling

    Every automated process needs an answer to:

    What happens when the rules do not apply?

    The answer should usually be a clear human escalation path.

The recommended decision

Want to understand what should actually be automated in your business?

This example shows one way a process assessment can be presented. The scope, format and depth of a real engagement are agreed for the business and the process being assessed.

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