Running a business should be invigorating, not spending all day doing tedious, repetitive tasks. Business owners are turning manual tasks into self-activating programs with automation. If you are reading this, you’re looking for steps needed to take toward eCommerce Automation. Buy your business more time for creativity by learning the basics of eCommerce automation with our simple 3 steps guide.
What is eCommerce Automation?
Small business operators know the constraints of day-to-day operations. From restocking inventory to order tracking, these tedious, inconvenient tasks are crucial to keeping your business afloat. Imagine having an invisible worker handle your business’s daily procedures, marketing, and customer support.
Automation is software implementation to handle manual tasks with minimal human interaction. Businesses of all sizes use eCommerce Automation to scale up their production and save time to focus on what counts: customer acquisition and big-picture thinking. Here are the steps needed to move towards eCommerce Automation and how to set your business on the right track towards exponential growth.
Steps needed for eCommerce Automation
Automation may seem daunting to non-tech savvy business owners, but it’s essential to know that coding is not required to start automating.
If you already have an eCommerce platform, it’s easy to start automating your business workflow. Shopify, BigCommerce, and similar eCommerce giants either have built-in automation functions or a marketplace where businesses can utilize third-party automation software tailored to their needs and growth.
Still skeptical about how easy it could be to adopt this technology with your business? So was Franklin Energy, a 20-year-old energy company that struggled with time and staff management until they reached out to us for a guide with automation. With only 1 line of automation, they could provide exciting promotions and discounts, freeing up time for the sales team. Now, having streamlined its workflow, Franklin Energy moves towards the future of renewable energy.
Follow this 3-step guide to stop worrying and start running your business like clockwork.
Step 1. Identify what needs Automation
While it’s tempting to start automating all procedures, focusing on one primary tedious task is crucial and starting from there. If there’s a task that takes too much time or requires too many people to keep operational, automation can bring back the control you crave. For example, the sales team shouldn’t spend hours handling and shipping one order; it shouldn’t take your whole team to be notified when inventory has run dry.
If you’re still unsure where to start, start small with something as simple as a “Thank you and confirmation” email for your customers after a purchase. Research shows personalization is critical for having repeated customers.
Step 2. Plan out a TCA flow for your task
Once you’ve finished the first step towards eCommerce Automation, focus on TCA flows. At a fundamental level, all automation works as TCA flows, which stands for Trigger – Condition – Action. Business owners are familiar with their customer’s decision-making process. TCA automation operates on the same principle:
- Trigger: The customer makes a decision (creates an order, contacts customer support, sign-up for the newsletter)
- Condition: The decision meets a condition (an order over $50, customer texts hotline, customer has a corporate email domain)
- Action: Take action to capitalize on the customer’s decision (reward with a voucher, reply with stock SMS, tag customer with segmentation group…)
Step 3. Create automated workflows to suit your business’s needs
Businesses can choose their preferred automation software, depending on the company’s scale, eCommerce platform, and budget. We recommend Atom8 – an affordable, all-on-one automation tool available for Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento. Atom8 is perfect for owners with limited technical knowledge, with 100+ pre-built automation templates.
Conclusion
Businesses across the globe with little to no technical knowledge are spearheading eCommerce Automation to cut down on time wasted on monotonous tasks. Start streamlining your production processes, and focus on what matters: providing excellent products and services for customers.
We hope that by pointing out the steps needed for eCommerce Automation, we have enlightened you on the ease of automating workflows. Curious to see how automation can radically change the way your business operates? Check out Atom8 and sign up for a free trial period with full customer support today.
