The bands
| Score | Band | What it means | Do this next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–12 | Not yet | Automation would automate confusion. Nothing is written down or in a system. | Do not buy software. One shared spreadsheet for customers and orders; one one-page SOP for the noisiest process. Re-score in 60 days. |
| 13–21 | Foundations first | Some structure exists; the gaps will sink a paid tool. | Fix the lowest dimension (see below). Use the free WhatsApp Business features and a spreadsheet pipeline in the meantime. |
| 22–29 | Ready to pilot | One process can be automated and measured. | Run the finder, price the top result in the calculator, and run a 30-day pilot. |
| 30–36 | Ready to scale | Foundations are in place; you can run two or three automations at once. | Pick the top three from the finder; consider the WhatsApp Business Platform and accounting integration; an assessment is worth the hour. |
Next steps by weakest dimension
- Data & systems
- Build the one spreadsheet: customers, orders, status, next action. Then move the books to software that imports bank and EcoCash CSVs — see the bookkeeping guide.
- Process
- Write the one-page SOP, run it by hand twenty times, and list every exception. That list is the automation spec.
- People
- Name a champion, block two hours a week for a month, and start with the noisiest process, not the most painful. The pilot guide shows the cadence.
- Infrastructure & compliance
- A second internet link and an inverter for the router come before any cloud tool (see connectivity costs). Sort fiscalisation and check whether you need a POTRAZ data-controller licence — the fiscalisation guide covers both.
Why these twelve
They are the twelve things that, in our implementation work, decide whether an automation survives its first month: whether the data exists, whether the process is real, whether anyone has time, and whether the lights and the internet stay on. Zimbabwe's specifics are in the last three: the POTRAZ Q4 2025 report puts internet penetration at 84.55% but mostly on mobile; ZESA has promised to end load shedding by December 2026 but has not yet; and ZIMRA links tax clearance to fiscalisation compliance.
Want a second pair of eyes on the numbers?
Get an automation assessment: we map your processes, run the ROI with your figures and tell you honestly what to automate first — and what to leave alone. Implementation, if you want it, is by AI Automated Solutions.