Answer

Which process should I automate first?

The one with the highest weekly volume, the clearest right answer and the lowest consequence when it is wrong. In most Hungarian SMEs that is inbound enquiry handling: calls, emails and web forms. It runs dozens of times a week, a mistake costs a correction rather than money, and it frees 2–15 hours a week.

Last updated: 22 September 2026

Rank your candidates in one table

Write four columns: how often per week, minutes per occurrence, how bad a mistake is, and how many systems it touches. Multiply the first two for hours, then push anything with severe consequences or four-plus systems down the list regardless of hours.

Good first candidates by business type

The pattern is the same everywhere: the channel that generates the most repeat work is the one to automate first.

01Service businesses: missed calls and appointment booking
02Webshops: order status questions and returns
03B2B trade: order intake from email and supplier documents
04Contractors and manufacturers: quotes and site documentation
05Accounting and offices: incoming invoices and document filing

The trap to avoid

The process that annoys you most is rarely the best first project. Annoyance correlates with complexity, not with volume. Pick the boring high-volume one first; it builds the connections that make the annoying one cheaper later.

Asked next

What if two processes are equally good?

Choose the one whose owner is most willing to be involved. Enthusiasm from the person who does the work shortens the project more than any technical advantage.

Should we automate our worst process to fix it?

No. Automation makes a bad process faster, not better. Fix the obvious defects first, then automate what remains.