Client Context
A business energy provider partnered with Scale Factory to enhance their automation capabilities, transitioning from unsupported Python scripts to a sustainable and manageable automation framework that could streamline business processes and improve efficiency.
The Challenge
The client faced a major operational challenge when their partnership with a third-party provider was unexpectedly terminated. This left them with unsupported automation scripts, built in a niche tool, that were critical to two key business processes—yet they lacked the in-house expertise to manage or maintain them.
Compounding the issue, limited documentation and staff turnover meant there was little understanding of what these automations were doing. As a result, key customer-facing processes had to be handled manually, creating inefficiencies and operational risks.
Beyond stabilising their existing automations, the client sought to expand their automation capabilities with a focus on supportability, scalability, and improved efficiency. Their challenges included:
- Manual processing of customer transactions and account configurations, leading to inefficiencies and errors
- Inconsistent application of rules and policies, increasing compliance risks and unnecessary costs
- Data inaccuracies and discrepancies going undetected, impacting financial integrity and decision-making
By addressing these challenges, the client aimed to modernise operations, reduce manual effort, and enhance the overall customer experience.
The Approach
Scale Factory conducted a tailored ten-day discovery phase to address the client’s specific requirements. The approach included three key steps:
Review
- Analysed the client’s short-, medium-, and long-term objectives.
- Evaluated current processes to identify key requirements and success metrics.
- Recommended an appropriate toolset and detailed “To Be” solutions for each process.
- Provided detailed effort estimations and ensured the organisation could support the solution in-house post-development.
Feasibility Study
- Assessed the effort required to automate three manual processes and migrate two Python-based processes to a scalable enterprise solution.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to identify pain points and optimise processes.
- Recommended solutions while ensuring transparency and stakeholder involvement throughout the process.
Business Case
- Delivered a comprehensive business case outlining the feasibility of each automation initiative.
- Presented proposed solutions and their potential return on investment, along with key financial and non-financial benefits.
- Recommended tools capable of supporting both UI and API automation at an accessible price point.
- Emphasised governance, documentation, and education to empower the organisation to independently manage future changes effectively.
Outcomes & Impact
- Identified three manual processes suitable for automation and demonstrated how the two Python-scripted processes could be hosted on a low-code/no-code platform.
- Recommended Microsoft Power Automate as the enterprise solution, citing its cost efficiency and seamless integration with the client’s Microsoft ecosystem.
- Enabled the client to independently automate two of the five reviewed processes by providing clear, step-by-step walkthroughs.
By addressing these challenges and delivering scalable, maintainable solutions, the client is now equipped to streamline operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve substantial cost savings of over £800k through the automation opportunities we identified.
