Automations are a great addition to your business. They offer enormous potential to save you time, money, and energy. But like all big decisions in business, they require a well-thought-out strategy. The key is to focus on automating the right tasks in the right way.

Getting it wrong costs more than you think

One of the biggest myths about automation is that it always saves you time and money. Not true.

Badly done automations can be costly -and result in expensive inefficiencies. Research shows that about 50% of all AI Automation projects to date have failed. These business report manual workarounds, system chaos, wasted subscriptions and frustrated teams as some of the impacts of these failures.

Why so many automation projects fail?

Automations fail due to a mix of strategic missteps and operational oversights. Common pitfalls include unclear goals (and processes), poor data quality, lack of user buy-in, and failure to define success metrics. Many businesses overengineer solutions, skip change management, or try to automate too much at once, leading to complexity and low adoption.

Without proper planning, iterative rollout, and ongoing maintenance, even the best tools can underdeliver or break down over time.

How to get it right?

Solve real problems, start small, design with people in mind, and build for adaptability.

1. Start with a clear, specific problem and build from there.

2. Focus on small, high-impact wins that save time, reduce errors, or boost efficiency.

3. Involve end users early so the solution fits real workflows and gets adopted.

4. Ensure your data is clean, accessible, and well-structured, since AI depends on it.

5. Define success metrics upfront (e.g. time saved, cost reduced, output increased) and track them.

6. Roll out automation iteratively, not all at once—test, learn, and improve.

7. Train your team, support change management, and plan for ongoing maintenance, because business processes evolve.

Know when an automation is worth doing?

To know if an automation is worth doing, look at how much time the task takes you each week. (If the math breaks your brain - check out our Automation ROI Calculators).

If it’s taking 30+ minutes per week, it’s worth automating. If it’s 1–2+ hours per week, it’s a no-brainer. The best candidates are repetitive, rule-based tasks that you’re doing manually—like data entry, lead follow-ups, or reporting. Also consider tasks that don’t take long individually but add up fast over time. If it’s something you always forget to do or dread doing, that’s a red flag too. A strong automation doesn’t just save time—it reduces mistakes, creates consistency, and frees you up to focus on more valuable work.

As a general rule, automation should feel like flow, and minimize friction. When it’s done right—it more than pays for itself.

NEW Easy Automation Alert!

Need assistance?