Why Most UK Companies Are Stuck With Manual Processes

Manual processes that worked at 20 employees are now breaking at 50, and by 100, they're a full-blown crisis. We've seen this at Sony, Paddle, and dozens of scale-ups. The question is: why do so many smart teams stay stuck with manual work, even when automation is more accessible than ever?

The Real Reasons Manual Work Persists

• Legacy Systems and Siloed Data: Most companies inherit a patchwork of tools that don't talk to each other.
• Fear of Disruption: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a common refrain—until it's very broken.
• Lack of Internal Expertise: Automation isn't just about tech; it's about understanding your own processes.

Case Example: Paddle's Onboarding Bottleneck

At Paddle, onboarding new clients involved 6 different spreadsheets and 4 teams. We automated the process using n8n and Python, saving 12 hours/week and reducing errors by 80%.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

This typically costs companies 10-30 hours/week in wasted effort—equivalent to £1,000-£3,000/month in lost productivity.

Common Pitfalls

• Automating broken processes ("garbage in, garbage out")
• Overcomplicating with big platforms when a simple script would do

Visuals

• Flowchart: "Manual Process Bottleneck" vs. "Automated Workflow"
• Diagram: "Hidden Costs of Manual Work"
• Screenshot: Example n8n workflow

Conclusion

Manual processes are a silent killer for growing companies. The good news? You don't need a six-figure project to fix them. Start with the biggest pain point and automate for quick wins.

Ready to see where you're losing time and money?

Get a free process audit from ArcTether.