# The 5 Processes Every Business Should Automate First

DevFeed: [The 5 Processes Every Business Should Automate First](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-5-processes-every-business-should-automate-first-39942.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://mende.io/blog/the-5-processes-every-business-should-automate-first/>)

Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende)

Published: 2026-01-30T05:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Tobias Mende](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/tobias-mende.md>)

Topics: [Automation](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/automation.md>), [n8n](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/n8n.md>), [Processes](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/processes.md>)

Tags: [automate](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/automate.md>), [automation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/automation.md>), [automation-productivity-n8n-business-process-efficiency](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/automation-productivity-n8n-business-process-efficiency.md>), [crm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/crm.md>), [email](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/email.md>), [incremental](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/incremental.md>), [n8n](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/n8n.md>), [risk](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/risk.md>), [slack](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/slack.md>), [workflows](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/workflows.md>)

## AI overview

This article recommends starting business automation with small, frequent, rule-based, low-risk processes rather than a large transformation project. It presents five candidate processes and illustrates lead response automation using a contact form, CRM, confirmation email, and Slack or email notification.

## Source excerpt

The 5 Processes Every Business Should Automate First Most businesses I work with know they should automate more. They have heard the promises. They might even have an n8n instance running somewhere with one or two small workflows that someone set up a while ago.