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The Top 20 CRM Automations in the World

This is the companion to the audiobook edition. The audiobook walks through twenty automations and the problems they solve; these tables let you see the full map at a glance, find the automation that matches a problem you’re facing, and keep your place as you move through the chapters.

Use the first table when you have a problem and want to know which automations to reach for. Use the second when you want a one-line summary of what each automation does and the benefit it delivers.

Cheat Sheet: Problem to Automation

Start with the problem on the left. The numbers point to the automations that solve it, in priority order.

Business ProblemPrimary AutomationsSupporting AutomationsExpected Outcome
High Marketing Spend, Low Conversion1, 2, 3, 184, 16Stop losing deals in the first 5 minutes; know which campaigns actually work
Leads Disappear After Inquiry1, 42, 3Instant response; enforced follow-up; no deals die in silence
Can’t Tell Which Marketing Works18, 220Real attribution from click to revenue; kill losing campaigns
Sales Complains About Lead Quality3, 21, 18VIPs routed to best reps; noise filtered automatically
Many Leads, Few Conversions3, 4, 51, 2Score and prioritize; enforce follow-up; nurture long-term
Pipeline Full of Fantasy Deals7, 64, 14Remove stalled deals; stage-based playbooks enforce reality
Forecasts Always Wrong6, 714, 20Consistent process; honest pipeline; visible truth
Every Salesperson Works Differently6, 1514Stage-based playbooks; guided adoption; measurable behavior
Deals Marked “Closed Won” But No Invoice9, 817Billing schedules auto-created; delivery triggered; money flows
Revenue in CRM ≠ Revenue in Accounting98, 20Single source of truth; invoices match deals; no manual gaps
Subscriptions Never Start or Stop Wrong9, 1012Auto-created from deals; renewals structured; churn visible early
Project Delivery Chaos After Sale817, 19Scope-driven tasks; templates; vendor assignment automated
Customers Quietly Leaving10, 12, 1311Health signals; onboarding structured; VIPs protected
Renewals Feel Like Negotiations10, 1213Strong Day 1; support visible; relationship not rescue
Selling to Angry Customers by Accident1213, 20Support signals in CRM; SLA breaches visible; timing protected
Don’t Know Who Your Best Customers Are1310, 12, 20RFM segments; VIP treatment automatic; attention allocated correctly
Small Customers Get Same Attention as VIPs1312Value-based routing; SLA tiers; strategic focus protected
Team Not Using CRM14, 15, 164, 6Company channels enforced; guided playbooks; adoption tracked
Activity on Personal Phones, Not CRM1415, 4Communication visible; Smart Account Management; coaching with facts
Can’t Trust Your Own Reports16, 202, 18Data validated at entry; duplicates merged; executive dashboard unified
Duplicate Records Everywhere162Entry validation; AI duplicate detection; automatic merging
Contracts Lost in Email178, 9Document workspaces; e-signature tracking; version control
Sensitive Documents Floating Around1716Secure portals; structured collection; audit trail
Proposals Take Forever to Create176, 8CRM-generated; templates; scope-driven automation
Marketing and Sales Blame Each Other182, 3, 4Attribution clear; outcomes enforced; feedback loop closed
Ad Spend on Wrong Geography / Audience18, 23UTM tracking; callbacks to platforms; real-time visibility
Vendor / Freelancer Chaos After Sale198, 17Structured pool; compliance enforced; assignments tracked
Last-Minute Scramble for Subcontractors198Resourcing triggered at Closed Won; portals; PO automation
Owner Doesn’t Know What’s Really Happening209, 12, 13, 18Executive cockpit; unified dashboards; AI exceptions daily
Ten Systems, Ten Different Stories209, 18CRM + Finance + Support connected; definitions agreed; one truth

Automation Quick Summary Reference

One line per automation: the problem it solves and the benefit it delivers.

#NameWhat It SolvesKey Benefit
1Speed-to-LeadLeads die in first 5 minutesInstant AI response; conversion jumps 20x
2Lead Capture & EnrichmentBlind on who prospects are; can’t track campaignsReal attribution; enriched profiles; email validation
3Lead ScoringAll leads treated equally; best reps waste timeVIPs routed correctly; noise filtered automatically
4First Follow-UpTasks ignored; deals die in silenceEnforced follow-up; visible activity; no ghosting
5Nurture “Not Ready Yet”Lost leads forgotten foreverValue-based journeys; trust built over time
6Stage-Based PlaybooksEvery salesperson invents own processGuided steps; consistent behavior; excellence enforced
7Stalled Deal RecoveryFake pipeline; 72% fantasyTruth exposed; stalls routed by value; forecast honest
8Closed Won → Project“We sold it, now what?”Scope-driven tasks; templates; delivery starts correctly
9Closed Won → MoneyDeals closed but not invoicedBilling auto-created; subscriptions structured; cash flows
10Renewals & Next DealRenewals feel desperate; churn highStrong onboarding; health monitored; expansion natural
11Close/Lost WinbackLost deals = garbageRelationships nurtured; trust built; timing respected
12Account Health & SupportSelling to angry customers by accidentSupport signals visible; SLA breaches flagged; timing protected
13RFM SegmentationEveryone treated the sameVIPs identified; attention allocated; value protected
14Sales Performance & SLAActivity on personal phones; can’t coachCompany channels; Smart Account Management; AI coaching
15Implementation PlaybooksTeam won’t use CRMGuided adoption; onboarding structured; tracking visible
16Data HygieneGarbage data; can’t trust reportsEntry validated; duplicates merged; cleanup ongoing
17Documents & ContractsChaos in email; “Which version?”Workspaces; e-signature; secure portals; version control
18Marketing Sales Alignment“Your fault” vs “My fault”; blind spendingAttribution real; outcomes enforced; spend connected to revenue
19Vendor/Freelancer ManagementLast-minute vendor panicStructured pool; compliance enforced; POs automated
20Executive CockpitTen systems, ten storiesUnified dashboard; AI exceptions; one truth visible
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