Why this matters
Much of office and small business work is repetition: answering the same customer questions, sending the same kind of reminder, copying details from one place to another, writing a similar post every week. Every minute saved on routine work is a minute for work that needs a person: solving problems, talking to customers, checking quality. Remote assistant roles and some junior operations roles now mention automation tools in their adverts, but you can start with free tools already on your phone or computer.
Two kinds of time saving
This section has two topics.
- Reusable prompts and templates. When a prompt works well, save it with blanks you can fill in next time. A small library of tested prompts gives you fast, steady results and is something you can share with a team or even sell.
- Automating small repetitive tasks. Using features like quick replies, text shortcuts, email filters and form to sheet workflows, and later simple no code automation tools, to take routine steps off your hands.
Ground rules for automation
- Start small. Pick one task you do often that is boring but low risk, such as answering "What time do you open?".
- Keep a person in the loop. Anything that goes to customers, handles money or affects people should be checked by you, at least at first.