{"id":3627,"date":"2025-05-07T07:02:20","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T07:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/07\/how-i-built-a-business-automating-workflows-with-ai-agents\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T07:02:20","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T07:02:20","slug":"how-i-built-a-business-automating-workflows-with-ai-agents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/07\/how-i-built-a-business-automating-workflows-with-ai-agents\/","title":{"rendered":"How I Built Business-Automating Workflows with AI\u00a0Agents"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    How I Built Business-Automating Workflows with AI\u00a0Agents<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    <!-- no image --><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><mdspan datatext=\"el1746588221730\" class=\"mdspan-comment\">AI agents<\/mdspan> and automation are no longer just a trend\u200a\u2014\u200athey are transforming how companies operate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a previous article, I shared several case studies of AI Agents supporting the sustainability roadmaps of small, medium and large companies.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/10BhFUsdPJqUyb4IMWTbFfw.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603505\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">AI Agents for Sustainability\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is part of a <strong>4-month exploration<\/strong> of how agentic AI can drive business digital transformations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It all began when I discovered no-code tools like <strong>n8n<\/strong>, which allow you to design and automate powerful workflows with just a few clicks.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1S4yuPtPHIe7w2x2D_-VN2w.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603513\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of Workflows Designed with n8n\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My co-founder summed up the opportunity perfectly:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cWe need a method to deploy simple and efficient solutions to scale our offer of analytics and automation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we got to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We built case studies and prototypes to show how these AI agents can help customers accelerate digital transformation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, AI agents for workflow <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/tag\/automation\/\" title=\"Automation\">Automation<\/a><strong> represent over 60% of our revenue.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, I want to share the inside story of our explorative journey and how we turned this opportunity into a business so you can learn to replicate our approach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Far from buzzwords and clickbait articles, we will take a pragmatic approach to explaining how these tools can bring added value to businesses without selling dreams.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, we will cover<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>What types of examples and case studies we shared<\/strong> to attract customers<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>The problems prospects brought to us<\/strong> (and how we listen to their needs)<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>How do we sell these solutions <\/strong><em><strong>(<\/strong>ROI arguments and business impact)<\/em>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve been wondering how to turn automation and AI agents into a profitable service, this article is a good inspiration to start investigating.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Case Studies Brought Customers to Our\u00a0Door<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learning by\u00a0doing\u00a0<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I want to learn a new tool, I create <strong>case studies.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When OpenAI released its first GPT API, I started exploring LangChain <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/leveraging-llms-with-langchain-for-supply-chain-analytics-a-control-tower-powered-by-gpt-21e19b33b5f0\/\">with a case study shared in this blog.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0Cmbnp7yFIuxI_ATL.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603507\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/leveraging-llms-with-langchain-for-supply-chain-analytics-a-control-tower-powered-by-gpt-21e19b33b5f0\/\">Example of the case study I used to explore LangChain in 2023<\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s my favourite way to turn curiosity into hands-on expertise.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, my blog contains over <strong>70 case studies<\/strong> covering analytics for supply chain optimisation, logistics cost reduction, and sustainability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So when I discovered AI-powered workflow automation with n8n, I <strong>replicated this proven process<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Learn the basics of the tool<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Pick an example of an operational or business problem from the multiple projects I conducted in the past.<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Build a prototype and measure its impact<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Publish a case study<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My n8n creator profile became a playground to connect business and operational problems with real-world solutions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1S6gBhoTios2iSZhqeBWSeg.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603510\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samir Saci n8n <a href=\"https:\/\/n8n.io\/creators\/samirsaci\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">creator profile<\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach sharpened my skills and became a boost to attract customers looking for practical solutions to their problems.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to select your first case\u00a0study?<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started by focusing on the <strong>most significant pain points<\/strong> I had seen during my 9+ years in logistics\u200a\u2014\u200aacross 3PLs, FMCG companies, and luxury brands.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What manual processes were draining productivity and limiting capacity?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One example that came to mind was from the <strong>distribution operations<\/strong> of a fashion company in China.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0T6QPkLNqsmX3GmaF.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603517\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CAD model of the reception area of the warehouse\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by\u00a0Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pallets, shipped from Europe, were delivered by a truck in the morning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, we were not connected to the supplier via <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/what-is-edi-electronic-data-interchange-92f7215bb699#:~:text=Electronic%20Data%20Interchange%20(EDI)%20is,EDI%20%E2%80%93%20(Image%20by%20Author)\">Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We had to rely on email exchanges to know what we would receive.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1AjiXyry-9ZKn6I_lY0VSgw.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603501\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of Email Received with Order Information\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by\u00a0Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This meant warehouse admins had to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Review the emails coming from the customer\u2019s logistics team.<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Manually input order details into the system (PO number, delivery date, SKU ID, quantities)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>What are the pain points\u00a0here?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a <strong>bottleneck <\/strong>for the reception process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, if the orders are not keyed into the system, inbound teams cannot receive the pallets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But more importantly, this manual process <strong>impacts the productivity of admin teams<\/strong> that spend time on tasks that do not provide added value.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/15EFbzZStkWcM3C8ECSeKMw.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603508\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Workflow designed to automate this process with n8n using GPT-4o\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, I used this example to build my first n8n automation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a simple workflow connected to Gmail that automatically analyses all the emails related to inbound orders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A GPT-powered AI node analyses the content of the email to extract the order information.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/06rKeHi3JAKNHPg0l.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603502\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Outputs with Dummy Data\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The output is saved in a spreadsheet ready to be loaded into the system by a script.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information about this workflow, check the complete tutorial here<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Create your AI Agent to Automate Logistics Workflows with n8n\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kQ8dO_30SB0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What happened after I published this workflow?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Problems Clients Brought\u200a\u2014\u200aand How We Solved\u00a0Them<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After publishing, prospects from different industries and countries began seeking help with similar problems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is answering a common problem:<strong> the lack of interconnectivity between systems.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before, companies would rely on manual work to bridge the gaps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, we can deploy <strong>AI agents<\/strong> to automate those bridges.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/04_jRjj30Ewg9PN-r.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603504\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">What is Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Article published in TDS\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A furniture company in the Netherlands contacted us.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A part of their value chain (small suppliers) wasn\u2019t connected via EDI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, they relied on manual processes to send and receive orders.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0-5mLoqwvNhlMndLe.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603511\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of an Electronic Data Interchange message for a purchase order\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After multiple interviews with their IT team, we learned:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The systems could <strong>generate<\/strong> EDI messages<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">But they couldn\u2019t <strong>receive<\/strong> or process incoming messages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1BoUJ-Ygkn6vwUxtBIJVZRQ.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603509\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of EDI Message sent by email\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, we have proposed a <strong>workaround<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The sender would generate the EDI message and send it via email<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">An n8n workflow would collect the email, parse the content and save the outputs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have now removed a significant pain point for the customer by \u201cpartially\u201d automating the process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this example, AI agents provide a great added value: adapting the tool to the format of the EDI message.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"400\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-55-1024x400.png?resize=1024%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603438\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A non-exhaustive list of EDI message types \u2013 (Image by Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This makes the tool more robust and adaptable to the different systems their suppliers are using.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information on implementing this solution (with the template available), check this tutorial.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Template Workflow: Automating EDI Message Parsing\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-phwXeYk7Es?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This solution has multiple advantages:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">It is cheaper and easier to deploy than properly connecting the furniture company to each supplier.<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">This improves the data quality and allows the company to allocate these data input teams to customer service.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was our first victory and proof that we can support businesses with simple solutions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the following projects, we developed a process to qualify customers and standardised the solutions design.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>Define the problem faced by the customer<\/strong><br \/>\u2192 <em>We need to manually input orders received from suppliers.<\/em>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>Find the root cause<\/strong><br \/>\u2192 <em>Absence of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) connections<\/em>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>Design a solution<\/strong><br \/>\u2192 <em>AI-powered workflow automation to parse EDI messages.<\/em>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But, how do we sell these solutions?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">I\u2019ll share our\u00a0<strong>method for selling these automation solutions in the next section<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Sell These Solutions<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After building and testing these automation prototypes, the next challenge was clear: <strong>How do we position and sell these solutions to clients?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Considering that most of our leads come from my content (<a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/author\/s-saci95\/\">Towards Data Science<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SupplyScience\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/n8n.io\/creators\/samirsaci\/\">n8n Creator Page<\/a>), we developed <strong>three sales approaches adapted to the request<\/strong> of the prospect.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1ey21KDUWnacUgJ7tT20IAQ.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603515\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Our sales approach\u200a adapted to the prospect\u2019s request \u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea is to adapt the sales pitch to clear business outcomes and return on investment (ROI).\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Approach 1: Automate to Improve Productivity<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the primary concern of our customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are pressured to reduce costs by improving the productivity of their operators and admin teams.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prospect: <em>\u201cA customer service admin can process 6 orders per hour with our manual process. How many orders can you process with AI?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we have a customer with a case related to productivity, we focus our questions on:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>Defining the current workflow<\/strong>, including every step with a detailed description (data input, outputs, systems used)<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">\n<strong>Estimating the current productivity<\/strong> (number of actions per hour) and the workforce cost ($\/hour)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, an agency focusing on ESG consulting approached us to help them <strong>automate their sustainability regulation monitoring process.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They ask their highly skilled (high hourly cost) ESG analysts to <strong>review the European Parliament\u2019s activity reports<\/strong> and select those related to sustainability.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prospect: \u201cWe want these analysts to focus on tasks with higher added\u00a0value.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We developed a workflow to completely automate this process with an AI agent, providing a high return on investment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ROI = Time Saved \u00d7 Hourly Rate of\u00a0Analysts<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This simple calculation is key to convincing the decision maker that it is worth investing resources and money in implementing your automation.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To our prospect: \u201cThis solution will save you XXX euros per month, you will recover your investment by YYY months.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information about this workflow, check the complete tutorial<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Template Tutorial: EU Green Legislation Tracker\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f_nyArpH6kk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some prospects, the priority is bringing more business; we can also use AI.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Approach 2: Automate for Marketing &amp; Promotion<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In my startup, <a href=\"https:\/\/logi-green.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LogiGreen<\/a>, we were the first users of this kind of workflow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a small structure, we don\u2019t have the financial means to recruit a complete <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/tag\/marketing\/\" title=\"Marketing\">Marketing<\/a> and commercial.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How can we build an automated machine of content distribution to increase our reach?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, we <strong>rely on automation to promote our business\u200a<\/strong>\u2014\u200aa great way to create or curate engaging content.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/04tL0j56hurznbPYr.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603514\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of Automation: A Sustainability Newsletter\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The screenshot above comes from an email generated by our fully automated newsletter.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">You can find links to our website in the header and footer.<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The distribution list includes all our customers and prospects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We use n8n with GPT-4o to automate this solution.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1LI3axo5bL_enbKCFk2xK9g.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603512\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">AI-Powered Workflow Automation\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This simple workflow uses <strong>a classification agent to curate a list of articles related to sustainability <\/strong>coming from multiple sources (EU news, specialised journals, social media).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1bzf9m3JYzxTa1b1w75dpyg.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603516\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of articles that could be shared in this newsletter\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AI agent handles the editorial choices based on the instructions in its system prompt.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-48.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603430\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An example of a system prompt used for the curation of articles \u2013 (Image by Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is an excellent way for <strong>us to create an online community<\/strong>, stay top of mind with our customers, and share engaging content.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To our prospects: \u201cWith this content creation machine, you can occupy the space, provide value and create an online community centered around your business.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are now selling this \u201ccontent creation machine\u201d to our prospects!<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information about this \u201cautomated newsletter\u201d, check the video below<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Template Tutorial: Automated Sustainability Newsletter\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q8VCAUbuat8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some prospects that contacted us said their top priority is not just productivity or marketing.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Approach 3: Automate for Quality and Error Reduction<\/h4>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>They must ensure quality and reduce errors<\/strong>, especially in critical reporting and compliance workflows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, a growing number of companies need to comply with the <strong>Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This requires publishing ESG disclosures in machine-readable XHTML format, embedded with XBRL tags.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0YT282l8-ABtDUfBy.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603506\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of XHTML code block for a CSRD report \u2013 (Image by Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These reports must meet <strong>strict formatting and compliance standards<\/strong> to be accepted by regulators.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prospect: \u201cWe have issues with formatting our reports correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To support this prospect, we developed an <strong>n8n workflow<\/strong> that helps sustainability teams and ESG consultants automatically audit these reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their analysts have to email a draft of the report to a specific address.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The attachment is downloaded, and its content is analysed to find missing values and format errors.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1LuUXfK76WQ2PeNScozFlVA.png?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603503\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Simplified version of the workflow\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The output of this audit is sent to an AI agent that will explain, in plain English, the errors found in the report.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"674\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/contributor.insightmediagroup.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-56-1024x674.png?resize=1024%2C674&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-603439\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of audit report generated by the AI agent\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by\u00a0Samir Saci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We position this product as <strong>reducing errors to save time and money.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before having this tool, they relied on a third-party company to check their reports.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By automating the audit process, companies can:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Avoid costly reporting mistakes<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Reduce the risk of regulatory non-compliance<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Accelerate turnaround time on reports<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Free up expert resources to focus on analysis, not formatting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Return On Investment here comes from minimising <strong>rework costs and delays<\/strong> while increasing the reliability of reported data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more details about this automation, check this tutorial (including the n8n template)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Template Tutorial: AI Agent Sustainability CSRD Audit\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/npeJZv5U7og?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will discover that the core block of this audit tool still uses deterministic code (for reliability).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, AI is improving the user experience by providing explanations in plain English.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To our prospects: \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be an XHTML expert to correct the report.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are selling this to our customers: AI provides advanced <strong>analytics-as-a-service<\/strong> capabilities to any company.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past few months, we have transformed automation from <strong>a personal exploration<\/strong> into a promising business offer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By focusing on three key approaches\u200a\u2014\u200a<strong>improving productivity, boosting marketing reach, and ensuring quality<\/strong>\u200a\u2014\u200awe helped companies across industries solve real problems, save time and increase their impact.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t sell dreams with AGI replacing their entire supply chain departments.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opportunity here is enormous. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Businesses seek people who can bridge the gap between operational challenges and automation solutions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you\u2019re curious about starting your automation journey, I will provide frequent updates in this blog.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to implement these solutions for your business, feel free to connect with me on <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/samir-saci\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Me<\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s connect on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/samir-saci\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Linkedin<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Samir_Saci_\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a>; I am a <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/tag\/supply-chain\/\" title=\"Supply Chain\">Supply Chain<\/a> Engineer using data analytics to improve logistics operations and reduce costs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For consulting or advice on analytics and sustainable supply chain transformation, feel free to contact me via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.logi-green.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Logigreen Consulting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/samirsaci.com\/\"><strong>Samir Saci | Data Science &amp; Productivity<\/strong><br \/><em>A technical blog focusing on Data Science, Personal Productivity, Automation, Operations Research and Sustainable\u2026<\/em>samirsaci.com<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/samirsaci.com\/\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/how-i-built-a-business-automating-workflows-with-ai-agents\/\">How I Built Business-Automating Workflows with AI\u00a0Agents<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/\">Towards Data Science<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    Samir Saci<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/how-i-built-a-business-automating-workflows-with-ai-agents\/\">Go to original source<\/a><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How I Built Business-Automating Workflows with AI\u00a0Agents AI agents and automation are no longer just a trend\u200a\u2014\u200athey are transforming how companies operate. In a previous article, I shared several case studies of AI Agents supporting the sustainability roadmaps of small, medium and large companies. AI Agents for Sustainability\u200a\u2014\u200a(Image by Samir\u00a0Saci) This is part of a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[799,62,69,247,83,176,1220],"tags":[1140,98,7],"class_list":["post-3627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ai-agent","category-aimldsaimlds","category-artificial-intelligence","category-automation","category-data-science","category-marketing","category-supply-chain","tag-agents","tag-ai","tag-how"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3627"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3627\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}