04 · Innovation Lab
Workflow Automation Explorer
One quote request, two processes. Send it through the manual version, then the automated one, and inspect the record at every step.
Illustrative: A demonstration on synthetic data. Not a real system or result.A generic business process with synthetic data and illustrative timings. Not a specific employer's system.
Time to quote9.3 working daysvs 17 min
Human touches7vs 1
Handoffs2vs 0
Times data is retyped3vs 0
The two processes, step by step
Before: manual
- Customer emails for a quote. Unstructured request. Key details are missing or buried.
- Inbox is triaged by hand. Waits for whoever checks the inbox. No owner yet.
- Rep re-keys details into a spreadsheet and the CRM. Typed twice. Typos and duplicates creep in.
- Rep emails operations for pricing. A second queue. The customer hears nothing.
- Ops calculates price in a spreadsheet. Manual math. Old price lists in circulation.
- Rep builds the quote document. Third time the same data is typed.
- Quote emailed, reminder set. The rep emails the PDF and sets a personal calendar reminder to follow up.
- Follow-up depends on memory. Invisible pipeline. Lost deals look like 'no response'.
After: automated
- Customer submits a structured quote form. Required fields + validation at the source.
- CRM creates and de-duplicates the lead. Match on email domain + company; merge, don't duplicate.
- Score and route to the owner. Score ≥ 60 → owner + 1-hour SLA task.
- Quote configured from price rules. One price book. Freight by zone. Discount bands by account tier.
- Rep reviews and sends. Approval only if discount > band.
- E-sign quote delivered. The customer receives a branded quote with e-signature and a link to ask questions.
- Follow-up runs itself. No open in 2 days → task. No signature in 7 → call.
- Outcome feeds reporting. Every stage change is reportable.
The pattern: capture structured data once at the source, let rules make the routine decisions, keep a person on the exceptions, and make every stage reportable. The same pattern sits behind the Salesforce automation and inventory projects.