How to automate your business without turning it into a Frankenstein
- Manelik Sfez
- Aug 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 28
Most businesses don’t start with automation in mind. They add it later, after the admin becomes overwhelming, after leads start slipping through the cracks, or after they’ve hired too many people just to keep up with repetitive work.
So they plug in a tool. Then another. Then one to fix what the second broke. And before long, they’ve built a digital monster: inconsistent, unmanageable, and unpredictable. Automation shouldn’t feel like that. Done right, it makes your business cleaner, clearer, and more human, not less.
Too many businesses confuse automation with software. But automation isn’t the tool, it’s the logic behind it. The real value of automation isn’t in having five apps that sync with your calendar. It’s in making your business work the way it says it does. In fact, that’s the biggest difference between a website that just says who you are… and one that actually does what you do.
And that’s the core of digital transformation. A digital business isn’t one that uses tech. It’s one that delivers its value—partially or fully—through tech. That starts with automation.
What business automation should actually do
Let’s simplify it. Beyond the hype and for serious businesses, good automation does five things:
Eliminates repetition. No more copy-pasting emails or checking inboxes for form submissions.
Captures and qualifies leads. Instantly, and consistently.
Follows up. Without forgetting, without delay.
Routes data to the right people or systems. So no one has to manually forward requests.
Creates space for real human interaction. Because when the boring stuff is automated, your team can focus on what clients actually value.
Automation is not about replacing people. It’s about reserving people for the moments where they matter most, making the company more responsive, and minimizing the need to hire more people when you scale.
Why most automation setups fail
The pattern is familiar if you try to automate your manual workflows instead of adapting them, or if you patch independent tools from different platforms together, with no business model logic:
No clear architecture
Tools that don’t speak the same language
Flows created by one person, forgotten by the next
No testing, no documentation
Everything works until one thing breaks, then everything breaks
This happens when automation is reactive. The goal isn’t to plug holes, it’s to build a system that doesn’t leak.
Our approach: simple, structured, scalable.
In our agency, we automate around business logic, not technical fascination. Here’s how we build systems that last and evolve smoothly:
Audit first: What’s being done manually? What breaks often? What’s repetitive?
Define key flows: Lead capture, follow-up, client onboarding, meeting reminders, internal hand-offs.
Build light: Use tools that integrate natively or have reliable connectors. Avoid overlapping platforms that introduce complexity.
Make your CRM the hub: It’s your source of truth. All your flows—email, forms, lead scoring, segmentation—should be tied to it.
Document logic: What happens, when, and why. No black boxes.
If your business runs on Post-Its, email folders, random meetings and memory, you’re at risk. And good automation is meant to replace that fragility with stability, repeatability, and clarity.
Why automation is not just for tech companies
This is a myth we hear often: “That’s not for us, we’re a service business.” Or: “Our clients need human contact.”
Good. They should get it. But here’s the thing: automation exists to give you more room for real, human connection. Not less. It automates:
Booking confirmations, not consultations
Follow-ups, not personal relationships
Reminders, not conversations
A great example? When a lead books a strategy session, the confirmation email is automated. The session itself is not. You walk into that conversation fully prepared, because the system handled the rest.
How to start automating without creating a monster
Here’s a step-by-step to begin without chaos:
Start with one process
Pick something repeatable: inquiry follow-up, proposal delivery, event registration.
Map it on paper
Step by step. Who does what, and when?
Choose the lightest tool
Don’t over-engineer. Use what integrates well with what you already have.
Test it like a client
What happens when something fails? Can it recover?
Document it
So the logic survives staff changes, system updates, or sleep deprivation.
Automation doesn’t need to be heavy. It needs to be clear.
Automation should make your business lighter. Not harder to manage.
When it’s done well, automation is invisible. You don’t notice it because everything works. Clients feel like they’re being followed up personally. Your team knows where everything is. You don’t wake up wondering what slipped through the cracks. And best of all? You get to spend your time on the part of your business that actually requires you. Automation isn’t about removing humans. It’s about removing noise.
About the author
Manelik Sfez, founder of the Swiss brand consultancy Ultrabrand, brings 25 years of international business, marketing, and brand strategy experience to the table. He has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands throughout his career. From luxury goods to global retail, financial services and technological and industry giants, he has guided companies through brand-led transformations that have enabled significant business growth.
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