Apply Generative AI Tools for Productivity Improvement

Scenario 1: Automating Order Processing for a Small Retail Business

Business Overview:

A small online retail business receives approximately 100 customer orders every month through an order form (Google Forms). The owner manually processes each order, including checking for new orders, sending confirmation emails, and logging data into Google Sheets. This manual approach is time-consuming, prone to errors, and limits the ability to scale efficiently as order volume grows.

Current Process (Manual Order Tracking & Reply):

• Check for New Orders: The owner manually checks Google Forms for new submissions throughout the day.
• Send Order Confirmation Emails: For each order, the owner manually writes and sends a confirmation email to the customer.
• Log Order Data: Customer and order details are manually copied and pasted into a Google Sheet to track sales and inventory.

Time Required:

• 1 order ~ 10 minutes.
• 100 orders ~ 16.7 hours.

Challenges:

Human Errors: Copying and pasting customer details and order information manually into the Google Sheets introduces the risk of errors, such as incorrect product entries or misrecorded customer data.

Missed Orders: With no automatic notifications, the owner risks missing new orders, leading to delays in responding and processing.

Delays & Inefficiency: Constant monitoring of forms is inefficient, particularly during peak sales periods. This results in delayed responses to customers and slower order fulfilment.

Scenario 2: Automating the Order Processing for a Handmade Crafts Business

Business Overview:

A small business specialising in handmade crafts sells its products online through a custom website. The business receives around 150 customer orders each month, primarily through a custom order form (Google Forms) embedded on its website. Currently, the owner manually handles the order processing workflow, from checking for new orders to communicating with customers and maintaining an inventory record. The process is labour-intensive, and as order volume increases, the owner struggles to keep up with demand.

Current Process (Manual Order Tracking & Reply):

• Check for New Orders: The owner manually checks for new Google Forms submissions throughout the day, without any automated notifications in place. This leads to delays in identifying new orders.
• Send Order Confirmation Emails: For each order, the owner writes personalised confirmation emails and sends them manually, which consumes a significant amount of time, especially during sales or promotional periods.
• Log Order Data: Customer details and order information, such as products purchased, payment status, and delivery addresses, are manually copied from the Google Forms submission and pasted into a Google Sheet, which is used for tracking inventory and monitoring sales.

Time Required:

• 1 order ~ 12 minutes.
• 150 orders ~ 30 hours.

Challenges:

Human Errors: Copying and pasting customer details and order information manually into the Google Sheets introduces the risk of errors, such as incorrect product entries, misrecorded customer data, or missing inventory updates.

Missed Orders: With no notifications, the owner risks overlooking new orders, especially during busy periods or when manually checking forms becomes infrequent.

Time Delays & Inefficiencies: The constant need to monitor forms, send out emails, and log data leads to inefficient workflows. These inefficiencies slow down the business’s ability to process orders quickly and accurately, potentially leading to dissatisfied customers.

1. Identify Areas For Improvement.

2. Proposed workflow with Zapier.

3. Analyse Productivity Data and put in a table format that compare Manual Process vs After Automation with the following rows, Time per order, Time to Process All Orders, Accuracy, and Consistency.

4. Report on Improvements