Published October 12, 2026 · Pipeline & Process Editorial
Ten candidates to evaluate
Not every task should be automated. Prioritize frequent, rules-based tasks with measurable manual effort.
A practical small business example
Consider inquiry acknowledgements, lead assignment, callback reminders, meeting reminders, no-show follow-up, proposal reminders, contact tagging, task creation, customer check-ins and dormant-opportunity reviews. Each needs consent, ownership and a stop condition.
Questions to ask before changing software
- Who owns this step when an automation fails?
- What data or permission is needed before a message is sent?
- How will we measure whether the process improved?
- What will this workflow cost to operate and maintain?