Do I need to automate all my processes?

No. Start with one process that takes up time every week. You can expand later, but the first pilot needs to show whether it works.

Which software can I connect?

Software with an API, or sources Hermes can read directly, may be suitable: a CRM, CMS, project management tool, or document source. We assess whether each integration is useful and safe, including its permissions and limitations.

How long does it take to automate a process?

From choosing a process to a tested first version, typically one to three weeks. More complex integrations take longer.

What if the automation goes wrong?

Hermes asks for confirmation for high-risk actions. Testing is intended to catch errors before rollout, and logging lets you check what happened afterward. Testing does not guarantee that every error will be caught.

What does AI automation cost?

That depends on the process, the integrations, and which steps are fixed or flexible. Voltti therefore provides a custom quote after a pilot discussion; we do not use a standard monthly rate.

AI automation for your business: start with these 5 processes

To start with AI automation in your business, you need one process that takes up time every week, not a strategy document. The figures show that adoption is underway: in 2025, 19.95 percent of EU businesses with at least ten employees and self-employed people used at least one AI technology, compared with 13.5 percent in 2024, according to Eurostat data. For a small or midsize business in Belgium and the Netherlands, the first hurdle is often practical: which process should you choose, and what should you keep in your own hands?

Business process automation with AI — From manual steps to automated workflows.

This article covers five processes worth considering for a first pilot, how to set one up, and where people stay in control. We will not promise time savings nobody has measured. Those only count once you can measure them yourself.

AI automation: which process should you choose first?

Trying too much at once is the trap. If you test five processes at the same time, each gets too little attention. Choose one frustrating task that takes a measurable amount of time, and give it a pilot of its own for a few weeks. Frequent and predictable is a better starting point than rare and exciting. Starting small is not a lack of ambition: Gartner predicts that more than 40 percent of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027 because of rising costs, unclear business value, or inadequate risk controls.

The best candidates:

come back every week or month
have a clear scope, with defined input and a defined result
involve a lot of copying, pasting, or searching
need context that exists only inside your business

These five processes are common candidates for a first pilot across different industries. Here is what they look like as manual work and with an AI agent:

Avoid starting with tasks that rarely occur, tasks where every exception needs a judgment call, and anything that legally requires a human signature. A rare task that demands a lot of judgment can create more discussion than value. Consider it only after an initial pilot has shown that people and the agent can work together reliably in your business.

Process	Manual work	With an AI agent
Weekly report	Open three sources, copy the numbers, and format the report	The agent retrieves data and prepares a draft
Product descriptions	Write, review, and publish each description	The agent edits a draft in your tone of voice
Document review	Read and check every document in full	The agent summarizes and flags discrepancies
Follow-ups and reminders	Track deadlines and send reminders manually	The agent sends them on time, after approval
Updating your CRM	Retype information one field at a time	The agent fills in missing fields

Automating business processes with AI: the 5 processes in practice

A table shows what changes, but not how to get started. Here is how to set up a pilot for each process, including the points where a person decides.

1. The weekly report

The same sources, the same numbers, every Monday. An agent retrieves the data, builds the report in your template, and flags values that differ from the previous week. You check the flagged items and send it. Keep the pilot small: one report, one source, and four weeks alongside your existing process before expanding.

2. Product descriptions and copy

The agent writes a draft in the tone of your existing copy and suggests improvements to structure and wording. At first, you review every piece yourself. Only after that works consistently do you give the agent more room. Publishing permissions are agreed separately; in Voltti's own CMS, the agent sometimes publishes directly, and we review the result afterward and make corrections where needed.

3. Document review

Checking contracts, quotes, and invoices for discrepancies takes care, and few people enjoy it. The agent reads each document, summarizes it, and flags unusual amounts, dates, or clauses. A person decides what to do with each flag; the agent supplies the list.

4. Follow-ups and reminders

Quotes waiting for a reply, overdue invoices, and customers expecting an answer. The agent monitors deadlines and prepares a reminder at the right time. You approve the tone in advance, then the agent sends messages under the agreed rules. Each message is logged so you can review it afterward.

5. Keeping your CRM up to date

Retyping information from emails and forms into a CRM is repetitive work. The agent extracts names, companies, and status changes from the source and fills in missing fields. Each change goes into the log so you can see what the agent changed and reverse it if necessary.

Implementing AI in your business: from pilot to everyday use

A pilot usually follows five steps: choose one process together, identify which steps are fixed and which need flexibility, connect only the necessary systems, test in a bounded environment, and roll out only after explicit approval. Predictable, repetitive steps can use a fixed script; work that differs each time needs a flexible agent that can adapt. We explain the distinction in our article on automating recurring tasks.

Here is how we work ourselves: content work at Voltti starts with a ticket that our own Hermes installation picks up. The agent reads the task, carries it out, and records the verification. It edits directly in our CMS and sometimes publishes; we review the work afterward and correct it where needed. For pilots at businesses in Belgium and the Netherlands, we agree those boundaries in advance: the agent does the work, while people remain responsible for goals, claims, and publishing rules. For a step-by-step account of a pilot, see our approach page.

Start next week with one process, rather than next quarter with a plan for ten. Not sure which to choose? Our services for AI automation for businesses have their own page. If you first want to understand what an agent can do, start with our introduction to AI agents.

For more specific examples, see how an AI agent prepares quotes and SEO with an AI agent.