Devon & South West business automation

Automate the admin that slows your business down

I help Devon and South West SMEs reduce admin, respond faster to leads and automate repetitive workflows using practical AI and workflow automation.

If enquiries are slipping through, quotes are not being followed up, onboarding is manual or reporting depends on spreadsheets, Anzel Automation helps you build simple, reliable workflows that save time and keep people in control — without handing sensitive customer data to random AI tools.

Free, no obligation. A couple of quick questions when you book help me come prepared.

~20 years in software & platform engineeringPlymouth-based, Devon & South WestFixed-price diagnosticsHuman-in-the-loop by design
The problem

Where SMEs lose time and money

Missed enquiries

Website forms, emails, Facebook messages and calls arrive in different places, so leads get missed or answered too slowly.

Slow quote follow-up

Quotes go out, then get forgotten. With no consistent follow-up, good opportunities go cold.

Manual customer onboarding

New clients are chased by hand for forms, documents, details, payments and next steps.

Copying between systems

Staff retype information between email, spreadsheets, CRM, accounting tools, job systems and calendars.

Repetitive customer replies

The same questions get answered again and again — availability, pricing, documents, booking steps and project status.

Reporting takes too long

Owners and managers rely on manual spreadsheets to see enquiries, jobs, sales, follow-ups and weekly performance.

The fix

Practical automations that remove the bottlenecks

Built around the tools you already use — not unnecessary software replacement.

  • Website enquiry straight into your CRM or spreadsheet, with an instant notification and an AI-written summary.
  • A missed-enquiry follow-up workflow, so no lead slips through the cracks.
  • Quote follow-up reminders and polite, automated nudges.
  • Client onboarding checklists that chase missing documents for you.
  • Meeting notes turned into action points and CRM updates.
  • Invoice, payment and review-request follow-ups.
  • A weekly owner dashboard: enquiries, quotes, follow-ups and anything stuck.
  • An internal admin assistant for repetitive emails and updates — always with human review.
Who it's for

Built for real SME workflows

Trades & construction

Missed enquiries, quote chasing, job admin, spreadsheet chaos, invoice reminders and keeping customers updated.

Professional services

Onboarding, document chasing, meeting summaries, CRM updates, proposal drafting, reporting and client follow-up.

Hospitality & tourism

Guest enquiries, booking follow-up, review requests, FAQ replies, complaint triage, seasonal admin and weekly performance dashboards.

Start here

Start with an Automation Opportunity Map

£750 — a paid diagnostic, not free consulting

A practical, paid workflow review that pinpoints where automation will save time, speed up your response or cut admin.

  • A 60–90 minute workflow review.
  • Three practical automation opportunities.
  • One quick-win implemented while we are at it.
  • A simple written plan you can keep.
  • A fixed-price proposal for any larger work.
  • £500 credited against implementation if you go ahead.
Who you'd work with

Built by a senior engineering leader, not a generic AI consultant

Anzel Lai is a Plymouth-based engineering leader with around 20 years in software and platform engineering across the UK and Hong Kong. He has led engineering teams and built production systems across fintech, insurtech, healthtech, edtech, e-commerce and SaaS — from early-stage startups to scale-ups and unicorns.

His experience spans VP of Engineering and CTO-level leadership, senior platform and services architecture, and hands-on backend engineering — leading replatforming, automation, cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, AI-augmented engineering workflows and reliable delivery systems across AWS, GCP, Python, Go, TypeScript, Kubernetes and modern AI tools.

He is also the creator of Sky, an open-source programming language designed for AI-augmented engineering.

  • Senior engineering and platform leadership experience.
  • Hands-on automation, AI workflow and cloud systems background.
  • Comfortable working with sensitive data and operational workflows.
  • Practical delivery focus: reliable systems, clear handover and human review.
  • Local Devon and South West focus.
How I work

Sensible automation, with human review

Automation should make your business safer and more consistent, not reckless. I build practical workflows with sensible data protection, access control and human review where it matters. I do not encourage copying customer data into random AI tools, or replacing judgement with black-box automation.

  • Use the tools you already have where practical.
  • Keep humans in control of important decisions.
  • Avoid unnecessary access to sensitive information.
  • Document what has been built so your team understands it.
  • Design workflows your staff can actually use.
Prefer to write it down?

Tell me where admin is slowing you down

Not ready to pick a time, or would rather explain in your own words? Share the workflow that costs you the most time and I’ll reply personally — usually within one working day.

Happy to talk instead? Book a 15-minute fit call →

FAQ

Common questions

What does Anzel Automation do?

I help Devon and South West SMEs automate the admin that slows them down — capturing and following up enquiries and quotes, onboarding clients, chasing documents, moving information between systems, and reporting — using practical AI and workflow automation built around the tools you already use.

Where are you based, and who do you work with?

I'm based in Plymouth and work with owner-managed businesses across Devon and the South West — particularly trades and construction, professional services, and hospitality and tourism. Work is remote-friendly, so where you are in the region isn't a barrier.

How do we get started?

Start with a free 15-minute fit call to find one painful, repetitive workflow worth automating. If it's a good fit, the usual next step is an Automation Opportunity Map — a paid review that pinpoints where automation will save the most time.

What is the Automation Opportunity Map, and what does it cost?

It's a fixed-price £750 workflow review: a 60–90 minute session, three practical automation opportunities, one quick win implemented, and a simple written plan with a fixed-price proposal for any larger work. £500 is credited against implementation if you decide to go ahead.

Will I need to replace my current software?

No. Automations are designed around the tools you already use — email, spreadsheets, CRM, accounting and job systems — rather than forcing new software on you.

Is my customer data safe?

Yes. I build practical workflows with sensible data protection, access control and human review where it matters. I don't copy customer data into random AI tools or replace judgement with black-box automation.

How much time could automation actually save?

It varies by business, so there are no guarantees — but most owner-managed businesses have at least one workflow worth investigating, often in the range of 5–15 hours a week. The fit call is about finding yours.

15-minute fit call

Ready to reduce admin and respond faster?

Start with a short, free fit call. We’ll look for one painful, repetitive workflow where automation could save time, improve follow-up or stop enquiries slipping through the cracks. Most owner-managed businesses have at least one workflow worth investigating — often in the range of 5–15 hours a week.

What we’ll cover in 15 minutes

  • The admin or follow-up that’s costing you the most time
  • Where automation would realistically help — and where it wouldn’t
  • One practical next step, whether or not we work together

Pick a time that suits you — I’ll ask a couple of quick questions when you book so the call is useful from minute one.

Prefer to explain in writing first? Send an enquiry instead →