Process automation is the use of technology to execute repetitive tasks and complex business processes, reducing the need for manual human intervention. It works by orchestrating software, systems, and data to create streamlined, automated workflows. The ultimate goal is to improve operational efficiency, reduce errors, and allow human workers to focus on higher-value activities.
Automating processes significantly boosts productivity by removing bottlenecks and reducing manual errors. This leads to faster cycle times and greater operational efficiency. As a result, businesses can see substantial cost reductions and better utilize their staff on higher-value, strategic tasks.
Beyond efficiency, automation enhances both employee and customer experiences by creating smoother workflows. It also improves compliance by ensuring processes are followed consistently, creating transparent data trails for monitoring. This operational resilience makes businesses more agile and better equipped to innovate and grow.
Process automation leverages a diverse toolkit of technologies to orchestrate and execute tasks. These tools work in concert, from mimicking human actions to making intelligent decisions, to create seamless automated workflows. The core technologies driving this transformation include:
While often used interchangeably, process automation and robotic process automation (RPA) serve different strategic purposes.
While process automation offers significant rewards, implementation is fraught with challenges. Organizations often face both technical and organizational hurdles that can undermine success. Proper planning is crucial to navigate these potential pitfalls and realize the full benefits of automation.
The future of process automation is moving beyond simple task bots toward intelligent, end-to-end orchestration. Driven by AI and the need for greater agility, the focus is shifting to holistic and adaptive solutions. These key trends are making automation more powerful and accessible across the enterprise.
Will automation replace our jobs?
The goal is to augment human capabilities, not replace them. Automation handles repetitive, low-value tasks, freeing employees to focus on strategic, creative, and complex problem-solving that requires human ingenuity and adds more significant business value.
How does process automation differ from basic scripting?
Process automation orchestrates complex, end-to-end workflows across multiple systems. Basic scripting automates isolated, linear tasks within a single application, lacking the integration and intelligent decision-making capabilities required for enterprise-wide process management.
What's the first step to get started with process automation?
Start by identifying a high-impact, low-complexity process that is repetitive and rule-based. A successful pilot project can demonstrate value quickly, build momentum, and secure buy-in for broader automation initiatives across the organization.
Data appending is the process of adding new data fields to your existing database records to enrich and complete your information.
The Dark Funnel describes customer buying activities that are untrackable by companies, such as private chats and word-of-mouth referrals.
Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measures the mean annual growth of an investment over a specified period of time longer than one year.
Docker is a tool that packages applications and their dependencies into isolated environments called containers for easy deployment and scaling.
MOFU, or Middle of the Funnel, is the crucial evaluation stage in the buyer's journey where leads compare solutions to their known problem.
Video messaging involves sending short, personalized video clips to prospects or customers, replacing traditional text-based communication.
A Software Development Kit (SDK) is a set of tools that allows developers to create applications for a specific software package or platform.
Customer buying signals are the actions, behaviors, or statements a prospect makes that indicate they are moving towards a purchase decision.
Customer centricity is a business approach that puts the customer at the heart of every decision, aiming to build loyalty and long-term value.
Shipping solutions are services or software that streamline the logistics of getting products to customers, from label printing to final delivery.
Gated content is premium online material, like an ebook or webinar, that users can only access after providing their contact information.
Low-hanging fruit are the most obvious and easy-to-tackle tasks or goals that provide a quick, valuable return for minimal effort.
Omnichannel marketing creates a seamless, unified customer experience by integrating a company's various communication and sales channels.
A headless CMS is a back-end content repository that delivers content via API to any front-end, decoupling the content from its presentation layer.
Learn about B2B data enrichment, including benefits of B2B data enrichment, implementing B2B data enrichment strategies, B2B data enrichment vs. data cleaning.
Learn about buyer intent data, including sourcing and interpreting buyer intent data, & key metrics in buyer intent analysis.
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a system of distributed servers that deliver web content to users based on their geographic location.
A soft sell is a low-pressure sales tactic that uses subtle persuasion and relationship-building to gently guide customers toward a purchase.
Learn about B2B marketing channels, including maximizing B2B channel effectiveness, & exploring digital vs. traditional channels.
Churn, also known as customer attrition, is the rate at which customers stop doing business with a company over a given period.
A conversion path is the journey a visitor takes to complete a desired goal, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing.
User interaction is any action a user takes within a digital interface, like clicking a button, scrolling a page, or filling out a form.
A freemium model offers a product's basic features for free, enticing users to upgrade to a paid version for more advanced capabilities.
Sales development is the process of identifying and qualifying potential customers to create a pipeline of sales-ready leads for closers.
AI in sales uses smart technology to automate repetitive tasks, analyze customer data, and help sales reps close deals more efficiently.
Sales Operations Management streamlines sales processes, tech, and data analysis to help sales teams sell more effectively and efficiently.
Learn about B2B demand generation strategy, including key elements of demand generation, & crafting your demand generation plan.
No Cold Calls is a sales strategy that replaces unsolicited calls with warm outreach to prospects who have already demonstrated interest.
Channel partners are third-party firms that help market and sell a company's products or services, acting as an indirect sales force.
Learn about B2C2B, including how B2C2B transforms sales, key strategies for B2C2B success, & differences between B2C2B and B2B2C.
Funnel optimization is the process of improving each stage of the customer journey to maximize conversions and drive revenue growth.
Inside sales is a remote sales process where reps sell products or services via phone, email, and other digital tools instead of in person.
A Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is a concise statement that clearly communicates the unique benefit a customer gets from your product or service.
DevOps is a culture and set of practices that merges software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten development cycles.
Internal signals are data points from your own systems, like website visits or product usage, that indicate a customer's buying intent.
Conversational intelligence (CI) is AI technology that analyzes customer conversations to find insights that help sales and support teams improve.
Price optimization is the process of finding the ideal price for a product or service to maximize profitability or other business objectives.
A Content Management System (CMS) is software for creating, managing, and modifying website content without needing specialized technical skills.
End of Day (EOD) refers to the close of business hours. It's a common deadline for tasks and reports to be completed before the workday ends.
Learn about break-even, including calculating your break-even point, importance of break-even analysis, & break-even analysis vs. profit margins.
Mobile compatibility ensures your site or app works flawlessly on mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, for a seamless user experience.
A marketing automation platform is software that automates marketing actions. It helps manage tasks like email campaigns and lead nurturing.
Private labeling is when a company rebrands a product made by a third-party manufacturer and sells it as their own.
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method that lets you specify which mail servers can send emails on behalf of your domain.
An email cadence is a scheduled sequence of emails sent to prospects over a specific period to nurture leads and drive engagement.
Sales enablement content refers to the materials and tools that empower your sales team to engage prospects and close deals more efficiently.
A Unique Selling Point (USP) is the distinct feature or benefit that sets your product, service, or brand apart from the competition.
Network monitoring is the continuous process of tracking a computer network's performance and health to detect and resolve issues proactively.
Email personalization uses subscriber data—like their name, interests, or past behavior—to create highly relevant and targeted email campaigns.
Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) is a query language used to search your organization's Salesforce data for specific information.
Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is the percentage of recurring revenue kept from existing customers, including upsells, downgrades, and churn.
Lead conversion is the process of turning a prospect into a customer by getting them to complete a desired action, such as making a purchase.
User testing involves observing real users interact with a product to identify usability issues and improve the overall user experience.
Mid-market companies are businesses larger than small businesses but smaller than large enterprises, often defined by revenue or employee size.
Scalability is a company's ability to handle increased workloads or market demands without a drop in performance or a spike in costs.
Guided selling simplifies complex sales by giving reps step-by-step instructions and data-driven recommendations to close deals faster.
Learn about behavioral analytics, including implementing behavioral analytics successfully, & key metrics in behavioral analytics.
Sales metrics are quantifiable data points that track and measure a sales team's performance against specific goals and objectives.
Geo-fencing creates a virtual boundary around a real-world location. It triggers actions on a device when it enters or exits this area.
The Target Buying Stage identifies a prospect's position in the buying journey, from initial awareness to the final decision to purchase.
The C-suite, or C-level, refers to a company's most senior executives. Their titles usually start with 'Chief,' such as CEO, CFO, or CTO.
Buying criteria are the specific requirements and standards a customer uses to evaluate products or services before making a decision.
An electronic signature is a digital method for getting consent on electronic documents. It's a legally binding way to sign agreements online.
A qualified lead is a prospect vetted as a good fit for your product. They match your ideal customer profile and show genuine interest.
The Challenger Sales Model is a sales approach where reps challenge a customer's thinking by teaching, tailoring, and taking control of the sale.
CRM integration connects your CRM software with other tools, creating a unified system for all your customer data and business processes.
CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software is a sales tool for creating accurate, configurable quotes for complex products and services.
A decision-maker is an individual with the authority to make significant choices for a company, especially regarding purchases or strategy.
Customer segmentation is dividing customers into groups based on shared traits. This allows for more targeted and effective marketing efforts.
Account-Based Sales Development (ABSD) is a focused strategy where SDRs target key stakeholders within specific, high-value accounts.
Responsive design is an approach where a website's layout adapts to the user's screen size, providing an optimal experience on any device.
Process Builder is a Salesforce automation tool that lets you create 'if/then' business processes with a user-friendly visual interface.
A sales coach is a mentor who trains and guides sales reps to enhance their skills, boost performance, and ultimately close more deals effectively.
Segmentation analysis is the process of dividing a broad market into smaller, distinct groups of consumers with similar needs or characteristics.
The decision stage is where a well-researched buyer chooses a vendor. They compare specific products and pricing before making their final purchase.
Marketing intelligence is gathering and analyzing data about your market, customers, and competitors to inform strategic marketing decisions.
A sales quota is a time-bound sales goal for a rep or team, measured in revenue or units sold, to be met within a specific period.
Data hygiene is the practice of ensuring your customer data is clean, accurate, and up-to-date by removing duplicates and correcting errors.
Revenue Operations (RevOps) is a business function that aligns a company's sales, marketing, and customer service teams to drive predictable revenue.
Customer Success is a business strategy focused on proactively helping customers achieve their goals with your product or service.
Intent-based leads are potential customers whose online actions—like searches or content engagement—signal a clear interest in buying a solution.
A weighted sales pipeline forecasts revenue by assigning a closing probability to each deal, giving a more accurate picture of potential income.
A sales enablement platform centralizes content, training, and analytics to help sales teams engage buyers and effectively close deals.
Sales objections are reasons or concerns raised by a potential customer as to why they are hesitant or unwilling to make a purchase.
Inbound lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers to your business with valuable content and tailored experiences.
A warm email is a message sent to a prospect with whom you have a pre-existing connection, like a mutual contact or a prior interaction.
“Always Be Closing” (ABC) is a sales mantra meaning every action a salesperson takes should be with the ultimate goal of closing the sale.
CRM enrichment is the process of adding third-party data to your existing customer profiles to make them more complete and accurate.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a digital marketing strategy that uses paid tactics to increase a website's visibility in search engine results.
A sales demonstration is a presentation showing a prospect how a product or service works and how it can solve their specific problems.
Learn about B2B data erosion, including causes of B2B data decay, strategies to combat data erosion, & measuring the impact of data erosion.
Accounts Payable (AP) is the money a company owes its suppliers for goods or services bought on credit. It's listed as a current liability.
Product recommendations are a marketing strategy that uses customer data to suggest relevant products, boosting sales and customer engagement.
Deal closing is the final step in a sales cycle. It's when a prospect signs a contract and officially converts into a paying customer.
Warm outbound is a sales strategy for contacting prospects who've shown interest in your brand through prior engagement, like website visits.
A sales stack is the suite of tech tools—from CRMs to prospecting software—that sales reps use to close deals faster and more efficiently.
Learn about B2B sales channels, including types of B2B sales channels, strategies for effective channel selection, & integrating technology in B2B sales.
Integration testing is a software testing phase where individual modules are combined and tested together to verify their interaction.
“End of Quarter” (EOQ) refers to the final weeks of a business quarter when sales teams rush to meet quotas, often leading to a flurry of deals.
Multi-threading allows a single CPU core to run multiple independent threads (or tasks) at the same time, boosting efficiency and performance.