50 business automation solutions for 2023

Business automation has found its way into almost every sector imaginable. As technology becomes more accessible to the modern consumer, businesses are also seeing remarkable technological innovation by the day. 

Technology has reached such an apex that, certainly in our working lives, we can capitalise on multiple tools to perform the duties of numerous people. With one or more programs working simultaneously - and often collaboratively - to accomplish different tasks, businesses can thrive. For example, 77% of marketers that used marketing automation saw increased conversions.

This article will cover a brief introduction to business automation solutions and what specific categories of tools company owners should consider investing in. 

What is business automation?

In simple terms, business automation refers to technology that performs a series of tasks. Quite often, these tasks are repetitive or, in the eyes of many, mundane. The idea is that the technology frees up employees, teams or contractors to focus on more important or higher-value work. 

Many believe that business process automation requires the implementation of specialist technology and continuous monitoring. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Nowadays, many of these platforms are almost immediately accessible to all types and sizes of companies. 

At a basic level, business automation digitises repetitive, manual tasks, removing the risk of human error and improving efficiency. Process automation is another example of how software can make companies more productive and provide teams with valuable insights at the same time. 

On the more advanced side, multiple systems can be integrated across an organisation with the help of machine learning. Machines can analyse data and make decisions based on a set of criteria. For example, customer chat boxes can formulate responses based on the user’s query, or choices they have selected which closely resemble their enquiry. 

Why is business automation important?

Automation is crucial for helping organisations scale and grow. 

The idea of leaving arduous or time-consuming tasks in the capable hands of machines and programmes was likely met with raucous laughter at first. However, expectations are much different now. It doesn’t matter the size of the company in question; there are bound to be tasks and projects which every business owner would much prefer to delegate or push back. Luckily, the sheer range of automation tools available makes it easy for business owners to decide which ones are most appropriate for their needs.

The reality is that many still aren’t aware of the power or capabilities of full business automation. More companies need to utilise a range of different tools and software across more areas of their businesses to truly realise their potential. Whether this is making internal processes and tasks more manageable or finding more agile and intuitive ways of nurturing leads and prospects, automating many of these processes can speed things up significantly.

However, it’s important to realise that certain tools won’t contain all the necessary features or functions you need to accomplish every task. Automating every single process across the organisation would be very hard to accomplish; so companies will likely need to utilise several tools to achieve end-to-end automation. 

What can you automate?

With so many business automation software tools out there, choosing the right ones can be challenging. Company owners and teams want to be as productive in as short a time as possible, in multiple areas of a business. Luckily, most standard and regular business processes can be relatively straightforward to automate.

To make things easier, below are some examples of popular business automation software tools you can consider, relevant to specific business areas.

Project management and workflow

Managing projects, workloads, time, budget and staff effectively can become hard to do consistently, especially as teams grow. What’s more, if you offer complex services, such as regular technical support and consultancy services, you may find you need increased visibility on specific tasks, and perhaps break these down into individual sub-tasks. 

The list of project management software tools below can help you streamline projects, structure and plan more effectively, share files, break down tasks, and much more, to suit your business requirements. 

1. Asana
2. Monday.com
3. Trello
4. Basecamp
5. TrueNorth
6. Teamwork Projects
7. Wrike
8. Notion

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Business owners and directors take lead generation and client relationships very seriously. CRM software eliminates the need for multiple databases, spreadsheets and follow-up notes, condensing them down into a single platform. This, in turn, helps company owners to utilise their time more effectively, consolidate communications, send quotes, add notes and assign tasks to employees based on the ‘stage’ the lead or prospect is at.

9. HubSpot
10. Zoho
11. Pipedrive
12. Zendesk
13. Teamwork CRM

Marketing

Marketing software refers to a plethora of different tools that help companies execute various different marketing campaigns. Marketing tools can be used to tap into audience insights, create deliverables, generate goals, analyse data, and much more. 

However, the term ‘marketing’ encompasses numerous types of activities for businesses. Each type of marketing activity is best suited to certain types of tools - for example, you would likely need a tool to design website banners and another to schedule social media posts on your company's profiles and any digital marketing platforms. 

Social media

14. Hootsuite
15. Buffer
16. BuzzSumo
17. NapoleonCat

SEO and PPC

18. Semrush
19. Ahrefs
20. Moz
21. BIQ
22. Hotjar
23. Google Analytics 
24. Google Search Console

Design, video and content

25. Grammarly
26. Copy.AI
27. Loom
28. Canva
29. PhotoShop
30. Piktochart

Finance and accounting

Accounting and finance software helps companies streamline and automate arduous financial management tasks. Using tools like the below, records can be kept up-to-date automatically, invoices can be generated with ease, forecasts can be conducted, companies can keep track of accounts payable and receivable, and much more. 

31. Xero
32. QuickBooks
33. FreshBooks
34. NetSuite

Human resources

HR software streamlines all the required functions and tasks for hiring managers. Human resources software provides line managers with numerous built-in features they could need, such as employee onboarding, reference checking, sickness and absence, operations, recruitment, strategic planning, and many more. 

35. Ciphr
36. Connecteam
37. BambooHR
38. Employment Hero
39. HR Partner
40. Monday.com
41. Freshteam

Customer experience

Creating a positive customer experience is difficult to do ad hominem, especially without any prompts or practice. Potential or existing customers could interact with your company at various touchpoints, which is where end-to-end customer relations software can help. With these types of tools, you can provide a great onboarding experience, address queries, assign tasks, and provide assistance, further demonstrating credibility and accountability to your customers.

42. Acquire
43. Zoho
44. Zendesk
45. JivoChat
46. Teamwork Desk

Communication

Modern business needs are constantly evolving, with growing numbers of employees having additional freedom to work from almost any location. However, one of the most important things to keep intact is communication. Communication tools like the ones below help to facilitate project workflows, understand issues, collaborate with colleagues, and meet deadlines. There are plenty of business tools to help teams work more effectively and productively. 

47. Slack
48. Teamwork Chat
49. Zoom
50. Microsoft Teams

Advantages of business automation

By effectively utilising a range of automation tools and software, your company can:

• Gain valuable insights into your team’s productivity.
• Discover inefficiencies or bottlenecks.
• Provide ‌tailored support, internally or externally.
• Upscale your services.
• Make more informed decisions and recommendations.
• Free up employees to focus on other tasks.
• Improve your customer experience.
• Confirm the whereabouts of all deliverables.
• Provide peace of mind to yourself and your customers.