7 Low-Cost Automations Every Service-Based SMB Should Implement Today
Automation doesn't have to be expensive. Here are seven high-impact automations you can implement for under $3k each.
The 7 automations
1. Recurring invoice automation
Auto-generate and send invoices with payment reminders.
Impact: cuts 4–8 hr/wk
2. Client onboarding drip
Timeline emails + docs sent automatically.
Impact: improved NPS + reduces manual follow-ups
3. Appointment scheduling + reminders
Auto-booking with reschedule flows.
Impact: reduces no-shows
4. Expense capture via receipt OCR
Employees snap receipts; finance gets reconciled entries.
Impact: saves 2–4 hr/wk in bookkeeping
5. Leads routing + qualification
Auto-tag leads by intent and follow-up sequence.
Impact: faster response time, higher conversion
6. Weekly bookkeeping summary
Automated reconciliation suggestions for the accountant.
Impact: cuts month-end close time by 30%
7. Security alerts for suspicious activity
Flag logins, payments above threshold.
Impact: early fraud detection
Implementation steps (for each automation)
- Choose the data source
- Wire into an integration platform (Zapier/Make/Platform API) or serverless function
- Test in a staging environment
- Train staff and monitor KPIs for 30 days
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