In 2025, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly turning to automation to stay competitive. A recent survey found that 64% of SMBs are already using or planning to use AI tools within the next two years, driven by the need to improve efficiency amid economic challenges.
Moreover, in the UK, 44% of SMBs plan to invest £2.6 billionin automation technologies this year, with projections indicating that 64% will adopt automation by the end of 2024.
Automation isn't just about mastering new tools today. It's about transforming how you operate. By automating routine tasks, you can free up time to focus on growth and strategy. In this article, we'll explore 10 processes you can automate in 2025, providing practical steps to implement each one.
1. Automating Customer Support with AI Chatbots
Nowadays, AI chatbots have become a cornerstone of customer support for SMBs globally. Approximately 47% of organizations are currently using AI chatbots for customer service. These chatbots handled around 67% of routine customer service inquiries, freeing human agents to focus on more complex issues. Such automation not only improves efficiency but also reduces operational costs.
However, the benefits of AI chatbots extend beyond cost savings. They can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%, and businesses using AI chatbots report a 24% increase in customer satisfaction. On that same note, 64% of internet users consider 24/7 availability the best feature of chatbots. This around-the-clock service ensures that customers receive timely assistance, regardless of time zone.
Moreover, AI chatbots contribute to improved productivity. A study involving over 5,000 customer support agents found that access to AI assistance increased worker productivity by 15%. This enhancement allows support teams to manage higher volumes of inquiries efficiently. By building AI agents and integrating AI chatbots, SMBs can offer faster, more reliable customer service, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
2. Streamlining Invoicing and Billing Workflows
Managing international payments gets messy fast thanks to the potent mixture of different currencies, tax rules, and compliance standards across countries. If you’re still using spreadsheets or manually sending invoices, you're wasting time and increasing the risk of error. Automating this workflow helps you stay organized and pay faster, without chasing paperwork across time zones.
Automating invoice processing can significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency. According to a report by Ardent Partners, manual invoice processing costs an average of $12.44 per invoice and takes up to 16.3 days to process. In contrast, using an accounts payable automation tool can reduce the cost per invoice to $3.12 and processing time to just 3.8 days on average. Additionally, businesses employing automated systemshave seen a 90% reduction in errors on invoices.
For SMBs, these improvements mean more than just faster processing, they directly impact the bottom line. Automating invoice workflows can reduce processing time by up to 70%, freeing staff to focus on strategic tasks rather than repetitive data entry. This efficiency accelerates payment cycles and also positively affects cash flow management, enabling businesses to reinvest in growth opportunities and maintain healthier financial operations.
3. Automating the Hiring and Recruitment Process
Companies implementing recruitment management system systems have reported up to a 70% reduction in cost-per-hire, primarily by automating tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling. Additionally, organizations using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) report 60% shorter hiring cycles, allowing for quicker placement of candidates and minimizing productivity losses due to open positions.
Beyond efficiency, automation enhances the quality of hires. AI tools can analyze candidates' skills and experiences to ensure better matches, leading to improved employee retention and lower turnover costs. On that note, surveys have found that 67% of modern companies use AI to screen candidates and speed up the process. These benefits not only hasten the hiring process but also contribute to building a more stable and committed workforce, which is crucial for the sustained growth of new and existing startups.
An Employer of Record such as Multiplier or Remofirst can further streamline this process by handling compliance, payroll, and onboarding logistics across multiple regions, ensuring a seamless transition from recruitment to employment. By partnering with an EOR, small businesses can expand their talent pool internationally without the complexities of setting up legal entities in each location.
4. Automating Email Marketing Campaigns
Automating your email marketing can significantly boost your hiring outreach. In 2024, automated emails accounted for 37% of all email-driven sales, despite representing just 2% of the total emails sent. These emails also deliver 320% more revenue than their non-automated counterparts. By setting up automated sequences, such as welcome messages, interview reminders, and follow-ups, you can maintain consistent communication with candidates without manual effort.
The return on investment (ROI) for email marketing is substantial. For every dollar spent, businesses can expect an average return of $36 to $40. In the e-commerce sector, this ROI can reach up to a whopping 45%.
For SMBs, these advancements in email marketing automation can lead to substantial gains. Automated emails account for 31% of all orders, highlighting their efficiency in driving conversions. In addition, businesses using automation have experienced a 14.5% increase in sales productivity and a 12.2% reduction in marketing overhead, allowing for more strategic allocation of resources. These improvements enable SMBs to compete more effectively, maximizing outreach and revenue without proportionally increasing their marketing expenditures.
5. Scaling Content Creation
Scaling content creation doesn’t have to mean burning out your team or sacrificing quality. With automation tools, you can produce more without drowning in the process. In fact, marketers using AI-driven writing assistants report producing content three times faster than traditional methods. That speed lets you stay consistent, which is crucial since companies that publish 16+ blog posts per month get 3.5 times more traffic than those that post four or fewer.
Automation also helps you stay on-brand and on-schedule. For example, there are tools that can help you with blog post structure by suggesting headings, formatting guidelines, and even SEO keywords based on your brand’s tone, saving you hours of back-and-forth editing.
Similarly, there are tools that repurpose long-form pieces into bite-sized posts or social captions reduce content creation time by nearly 50%, freeing your team to focus on bigger-picture strategy.
6. Managing Inventory with Smart Tools
A study by IBM revealed that businesses using automated inventory management reduced holding costs by up to 25%. Additionally, AI-enabled supply chain management has been shown to improve logistics costs by 15%, inventory levels by 35%, and service levels by 65%.
Implementing smart tools can also enhance inventory accuracy and reduce waste. Automated systems have been reported to improve inventory accuracy by 25-35% and decrease stock outs by 10-35%. Furthermore, retailers relying on automated inventory systems have experienced a 5-10% reduction in food costs due to more efficient stock management.
Such improvements in inventory management translate into substantial operational and financial benefits for smaller companies. AI-driven inventory systems can reduce supply chain costs by over 30%, minimizing overstocking and shortages. On top of that, SMBs incorporating AI in their supply chains have achieved up to a 20% reduction in operational costs. These efficiencies free up working capital and resources, enabling SMBs to reinvest in growth initiatives and maintain a competitive edge in the market.
7. Streamlining Employee Onboarding
Automating employee onboarding can significantly reduce time and costs while enhancing the new hire experience. For instance, companies have reported a 68% decrease in onboarding completion time, from an average of 21 days to just 7 days, following the implementation of automation tools. Similarly, automation has led to a 40% reduction in HR administrative time spent on onboarding tasks.
Beyond efficiency gains, automation also contributes to improved employee retention and productivity. Studies indicate that effective onboarding programs can boost new hire retention by over 80% and increase productivity by 70%. Moreover, automating onboarding processes has been linked to a 16% increase in hire retention rates.
For SMBs, the financial commitment to onboarding new employees can yield massive expenditures. On average, SMBs in the U.S. spend approximately $1,400 per employee on training alone. When factoring in administrative costs, workspace setup, and lost productivity during the onboarding period, the total cost can range from $600 to $1,800 per employee.
Automation tools can lower his strain by cutting down on paperwork and manual data entry, thus decreasing administrative costs by up to 30%. Additionally, by accelerating the time to productivity, automation helps new hires become effective contributors more quickly, reducing the overall cost of lost productivity.
8. Simplifying Social Media Scheduling
Automating your social media scheduling can save you significant time and enhance your content strategy. In 2023, 88% of marketers incorporated social media post scheduling as part of their marketing automation efforts. By automating this process, businesses can save up to six hours each week, allowing teams to focus on more strategic tasks.
Additionally, scheduling tools can improve engagement by ensuring posts reach audiences at optimal times. Strategic content distribution through scheduling tools has been shown to boost conversion rates by 25%. These tools also provide a detailed summary of your content calendar, helping maintain brand consistency across multiple platforms.
9. Automating Lead Generation and Scoring
Today, automating lead generation is a must to secure a sufficient piece of the pie. That’s why in 2024, organizations generated an average of 1,877 leads per month, with 50% of marketers considering lead generation a top priority in their campaigns. A lead generation software for automation can help simplify this process, allowing businesses to capture and nurture leads without skipping a beat.
Implementing automated lead scoring can boost lead management even further. Studies show that businesses using marketing automation to lure prospects experience a 451% increase in qualified leads. By automating the scoring process, companies can prioritize high-value leads, improving conversion rates and overall sales performance.
10. Simplifying Payroll and HR Management
Automating payroll and HR management doesn't just cut costs; it also helps firms stay compliant with ever-changing regulations. According to a pertinent survey, 51% of small businesses say compliance is their biggest HR challenge, but automated systems can significantly reduce the risk of errors and penalties. This is especially crucial since the average SMB spends about $1,000 per year on tax penalties related to payroll mistakes, a figure that can be dramatically reduced through automation.
The benefits of automation extend to employee experience as well. The American Payroll Association has found that automation can reduce payroll processing errors by up to 85%, leading to increased trust and reduced payroll disputes. Additionally, organizations using payroll automation tools experience an average 35% reduction in time spent on payroll processing, allowing HR teams to focus on more meaningful work, such as employee engagement strategies.
What’s more, automating HR tasks, such as onboarding, scheduling, and time tracking, can increase operational efficiency. Businesses that automate these processes report up to a 70% reduction in administrative workload, freeing HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives. This leads to enhanced workforce management and more time for HR professionals to engage in meaningful interactions with employees, ultimately improving overall productivity and company culture.
The financial implications of employee turnover further underscore the importance of payroll automation. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management estimated that the average replacement cost of a salaried employee is six to nine months' salary. For example, losing an employee earning $50,000 per year could cost approximately $25,000 to $37,500, in addition to the replacement person's salary.
11. Using Automation for Data Backup and Security
Manual backups eat up time and leave room for error, while automated systems circumvent both those pitfalls entirely. Businesses using automation for data backup have cut backup management time by up to 20%, thanks to reduced manual input and more consistent scheduling. And with data loss costing companies an average of $5,600 per minute of downtime, automated backups aren’t just convenient, they’re critical.
Automated backups also play a key role in improving compliance and reducing the risk of data breaches. In 2024, data breaches remained a top concern for compliance officers, with 74% citing cybersecurity incidents due to insufficient vendor security as their biggest fear. Implementing automated backup systems can help organizations maintain compliance standards and safeguard sensitive information at the same time.
Furthermore, the reliability of data recovery is bolstered by automation. A survey revealed that 39% of IT decision-makers needed to restore data from backups at least once a month, highlighting the importance of dependable backup systems. Automated backup solutions can improve the success rate of data recoveries, ensuring business continuity and minimizing downtime.
