"Should we automate this or hire someone?" is one of the most common questions we hear. Here's the framework we actually use.
Automate when the work is...
- Repetitive and rule-based. Same inputs, predictable outputs.
- High-volume. The time savings compound.
- Well-documented. If you can write the steps down, software can run them.
- Low-judgment. Mistakes are cheap and easy to catch.
Hire (or delegate) when the work is...
- Relationship-driven. Clients, partners, hiring — humans want humans.
- High-judgment or high-stakes. One bad call is expensive.
- Constantly changing. If the rules shift weekly, you'll spend more maintaining the automation than doing the task.
The hybrid that usually wins
The best setups aren't either/or. They automate the boring 80% and route the tricky 20% to a person. An AI agent drafts; a human approves. The system does the lookup; the person makes the call.
A quick gut-check
Ask: "If I wrote a 10-step instruction sheet, could a smart intern follow it with no questions?"
- Yes → automate it.
- Mostly, but step 6 needs judgment → automate around step 6, keep a human there.
- No → that's a hire, not a script.
Not sure which bucket your task falls in? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll tell you straight — no pitch.