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⚡️ Automations + AI ⚡️
Automations turn a company into an enterprise. While setting them up might seem like more work, they boost efficiency and manage countless tasks seamlessly.
The strategies and tools in this issue will guide you through integrating automation into your daily processes. By doing so, you can streamline tasks, enhance productivity, and elevate your business operations.
In this AI Report:
💻 Case Study: No-Code AI Automation Boosts Revenue $134K+
🤖 A Key Way to Use AI to Succeed: What is Automation?
📚 Further Reading and Supplemental Resources
Read Time: 11 Minutes
CASE STUDY
💻 No-Code AI Automation Boosts Revenue $134K+ in a Year
An agency serving home services businesses faced a classic growth challenge: More leads were coming in than their staff could handle.
Response times lagged up to 3 days as the same team juggled both fielding leads and working in the field. Over 300 potential deals slipped through the cracks.
Operations manager Ryan Blackburn knew they needed a better system. When Zapier released its no-code AI chatbot builder, he had a lightbulb moment!
Using Zapier's ChatGPT integration and Zapier Tables to store lead data, Ryan built a custom AI assistant. It could engage leads in real-time, answer questions, and book consultations. All without needing a single line of code.
The impact was immediate. Response times dropped from days to seconds. The automation took over 30% of consultation bookings. And in the first year, the agency saw over $134,000 in additional revenue.
"The appointment bot keeps the process moving toward a closed deal," Ryan reports. "No more 300 missed calls and missed deals."
To further refine the AI's performance, Ryan used Zapier Tables to give it more context. By storing a lead's info and conversation history, the chatbot could tailor its responses and create a seamless experience.
"This structured conversation flow allows the chatbot to control the conversation with the lead, significantly reducing the margin of error. As a marketer, I understand that my clients are time and staff-constrained. The more I can assist with the AI appointment booking bot, the more effective their processes will be."
Ryan Blackburn, Operations Manager
🔑 Key Takeaways
Automate the Bottlenecks: Identify the repetitive tasks that are holding back your growth and look for ways to automate them with AI.
No-Code, No Issue: You don't need to be a developer to implement powerful AI. No-code tools put the latest advancements within anyone's reach.
Reliable and Scalable: Unlike human staff, a well-designed AI system will perform its task the same way every time, no matter the volume.
Context is Key: The more relevant data you can provide to an AI, the better it will perform. Look for ways to capture and integrate information to supercharge your automations.
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A KEY STRATEGY TO SUCCEED
1) What is Automation?
Arguably all software is an automation. but when talking about AI automation we really mean one specific thing.
💡 AI Automation
At its core, an AI automation is a no-code method that connects various tools and manipulates data using artificial intelligence. It's a broad term, but there are a few key aspects to understand:
Automated - The process happens without your intervention, often triggered by a specific event or schedule.
Custom - This isn't a pre-built tool, but rather a custom approach that slots directly into your company's unique workflows.
No Code - You don't need to be a software developer to create powerful automations. Most platforms have intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces that make it quick and easy.
AI Accelerated - By incorporating AI into the automation pipeline, you can dramatically expand the capabilities. AI can read, write, research, and intelligently process data in ways traditional software can't.
💡Which Automation Platform Should You Use?
There are dozens of AI automation platforms available, each with their own strengths. Picking the right one is key. Let's break down three of the top options:
Zapier is the biggest and most well-known automation platform. It delivers excellent AI features, allowing you to use AI in any "Zap".
Zapier also has an integrated chatbot builder and "Interfaces" for creating more interactive automations. Their extensive documentation and tutorials make it easy to start.
Best for: Most business users who want a balance of power and ease-of-use.
Make.com is the most powerful no-code automation platform. It supports a huge number of integrations and logical operations, making it great for implementing complex automations.
Make.com leverages OpenAI to add AI capabilities to your automation. While not as beginner-friendly as Zapier, it provides more granular control.
Best for: Technical users and operations teams who need to build intricate workflows.
Bardeen is a newer player in the automation space, but it's quickly gaining traction. Its focus is on delivering quick wins and enabling rapid development.
Bardeen operates as a Chrome extension, allowing you to create automations with simple point-and-click interactions. Rather than rigid logical flows, it puts more emphasis on flexible AI agents that can dynamically adapt.
Best for: Individuals looking to boost their productivity quickly and easily.
⚡ AI-powered no-code automations are game-changers for businesses looking to scale.
FURTHER READING
🎧️ Podcasts & Talks
"Automation to Intelligence: What to Automate?" — Learn how businesses should identify automation opportunities and when to integrate them.
"AI, Automation, and the Economy" — Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs provides a broad historical perspective of the past, present, and future of automation.
📖 Books
"The New Automation Mindset: The Leadership Blueprint for the Era of AI-For-All" — Practical advice to implement AI automation, laser-focused on real-world examples and concrete results.
"Fully Automated Luxury Communism" — A radical yet plausible view of the future in which AI may automate just about everything.
📲 Influencers
Helena Liu — Founder of Product Camps and ExamsPM, Helena Liu helps businesses enhance efficiency through AI, automation, and project management.
Liam Evans — Co-founder of Unorthodox, Liam Evans helps entrepreneurs reach their first six figures with AI automation.
📃 Articles
"AI Is Making Economists Rethink the Story of Automation" — An exploration into how new AI models challenge the optimistic view of technology's impact on jobs.
"How AI And Automation Are Transforming The World" — Khurram Akhtar discusses the profound impact of AI across various sectors, including transportation, healthcare, education, and media.
📹️ YouTube Tutorials
"Beginner's Guide To AI Automation" — Corbin Brown demonstrates how to leverage Zapier to integrate OpenAI with Microsoft 365, automating workflows and enhancing productivity.
"Top 5 Automations That Run My $10M+ Law Firm" — Sam Mollaei, Esq. explains how Zapier automations can boost law firm productivity.
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