Jun 17 2025
It’s today’s fast and stressful business world, where everything needs to be done as fast as possible, and sometimes we need people working 24/7 to meet deadlines, which has led us to this point where we rely more and more on automation. And sure, while automation does help save time and cost, that doesn’t mean that automation is good for every single task or process. It definitely isn’t.
Now, we aren’t saying that you shouldn’t use automation; we’re saying you should, but not for everything.
Automation can replace a lot of things, but when it comes to (human) connection, creativity, and personalization, that's where human input is still very much necessary, and if you automate such tasks, it’ll only lead to poorer efficiency and higher costs – which you want to avoid.
Below, we’ll cover six areas where automation is neither useful nor beneficial; and these six are only some prime examples. If you aren’t sure what to do instead of automation, don’t worry – we’ll also provide you with a solution for each of these six points.
Templates and autoload messages may help, but first contact with a client is about building trust, not speed. Potential clients may sometimes see an automated message as cold, generic, or tone-deaf, which leads to – you’ve guessed it – ignored emails, failed deals, and ghosting.
This happens especially if a potential client has made an extra input in giving personal or complex details in a form.
Instead: Definitely use automation, but only to notify a team member to follow up with an email or make a short call. This keeps the system operational fast, but it retains the human element.
A brand goes beyond just a logo. Brand is the experience customers have with your company. Incorporating automation in every branded deliverable will put everything on the fast track, but will also create some template fatigue.
When you have a potential high-value client or you are preparing for a conference, you cannot let everything go to automation. Situations like this require a unique presentation that generic printouts or automated email decks lack, if you want to leave a good and lasting impression.
Rather than using automation for everything, you can let it handle all the tedious behind-the-scenes stuff. For example, presentation folder printing is an investment of both time and materials, but it enhances the brand with something that feels very real and deliberate. When you have important meetings or interactions, this ‘extra’ step makes all the difference.
No AI or script can ever calculate everything when things go wrong. An automated response in a crisis might be seen as uncaring or fail to address the issue. Especially if the recipient is already in an emotional state or if the issue is dynamically changing.
Instead: Use automation to delay/redirect communication to the right person. In times of crisis, people seek clarity, responsibility, and compassion, something which cannot be provided by machines.
Employee performance and team feedback are emotional, developmental, and full of complex interactions. Sending an automated performance review undermines trust, even if the facts are accurate.
Instead: You can automate tasks such as scheduling or data gathering, but be sure to deliver the report yourself. Even a 10-minute live feedback session creates more value than an auto-generated report.
Marketing promotions, design sign-offs, branding decisions, all of these are subjective opinions and best run on collaborative back-and-forths. Automation is good for managing project schedules or asset collecting, but the moment it starts making calls on the creative side, everything starts falling apart. That aspect of business would definitely stay ‘human’.
Instead: Use automation for tasks such as setting up templates or organizing assets. But, again, the final decision/step should be human-made. Insight, creativity, and instinct can’t be automated, not yet anyway – these are purely human. During brainstorming sessions, unexpected ideas or tone changes happen due to spontaneous input, something no algorithm can completely replicate because of how unpredictable it is.
Cold email campaigns and lead scoring may also be automated to some extent, but once the lead is warm or reaches the decision phase, a personal touch matters. Nobody wants to feel like they are just another one in a line on a spreadsheet.
Instead: Segment your funnel; break your lead into different categories. Automate lead nurturing and qualification, but flip to individualized outreach for top accounts. A quick Loom video, handwritten letter, or customized pitch will close deals more effectively than any automated drip sequence.
Even the most well-meaning and efficient automation could backfire if you try using it to replace personal connections.
If you recognize any of these signs, that likely means your automation setup is causing more harm than good:
1. Lower Quality of Response
If your email open rate is still high but your responses drop, your message is likely coming across as automated. Potential clients might be reading but not responding.
2. Negative Customer Feedback
"I got an automated message" or "Nobody reached out to me" are both red flags. They signal that you're losing control of your customer journey.
3. Team Disconnect
When workers don't trust the system or feel disconnected from outcomes, automation may be doing too much. Morality and buy-in matter.
Automation is a powerful tool, no one’s debating that, but like any tool, it’s just a tool. And a tool is only as good as the human/person using it. It's only as smart as how YOU use it. It’s the knowing when we humans should step in and do the task ourselves, what matters the most.
Have machines work the heavy jobs, just don't have them speak on your behalf when your presence is where value is best created.
From https://luhhu.com/blog/essential-tech-solutions-you-need-for-your-new-office with anchor get hard copies of important files
From https://luhhu.com/blog/what-cool-things-can-you-do-with-zapier with anchor folder
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