Skip to main content

How Backoffice Automation Saves 100 Hours per Month: Startup Success Stories

· 3 min read
Kang Hyojun
How a Startup Saved 100 Hours a Month with Backoffice Automation

Many startups spend more time than expected on backoffice tasks such as management, operations, and manual data input.

In this article, we will explore a startup case study that saved 100 hours per month through backoffice automation and how Hops can help solve these challenges.

Case 1: E-commerce Startup A​

Background: Challenges Faced by A​

Startup A, an e-commerce company, experienced increasing backoffice workload as it grew. The main issues included:

  • Repetitive order processing: Manual data entry and order management using Excel files downloaded from platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce
  • Daily customer support tasks: Compiling customer inquiries and generating reports consumed significant time
  • Manual sales and KPI reporting: Collecting and organizing data for weekly executive reports took over 10 hours per week

Solution: Implementing Backoffice Automation​

Automating Order Processing
  • Order processing automation: Integrated order data with Google Sheets, enabling real-time updates
  • Customer support automation: AI-driven analysis of chat and email inquiries, tagging key issues for quick response
  • Automated KPI reports: Built real-time dashboards for automatic report generation

Changes After 3 Months​

  • Reduced manual work → Saved 5-10 hours per team member per week
  • Faster decision-making → KPI data became instantly accessible
  • Freed up development resources → Allowed the tech team to focus on product improvements

A’s representative stated,
"After implementing automation, we saved over 100 hours per month, and our customer response time improved by more than 30%."

Case 2: SaaS Startup B​

Background: Challenges Faced by B​

Startup B, a B2B SaaS provider, experienced a surge in operational workload as its customer base expanded.

  • Overwhelmed contract management: Handling new contracts and renewals manually
  • Delayed invoice processing: Custom pricing models made invoice generation complex and time-consuming
  • Time-consuming data analysis and customer reports: Monthly customer usage reports were manually compiled

Solution: Implementing Backoffice Automation​

Automating Order Processing
  • Contract management automation: Automated contract processing and integrated Slack alerts for instant notifications
  • Invoice automation: Generated and sent invoices based on customer-specific pricing plans
  • Automated customer reports: Built dashboards to generate customized monthly reports

Changes After 3 Months​

  • 50% reduction in contract management time → Saved 4 hours per team member per week
  • 70% faster invoice processing → Eliminated billing delays
  • Faster report generation → Doubled the speed of delivering reports to clients

B’s CEO commented,
"Backoffice automation significantly reduced our operations workload and improved customer satisfaction by speeding up response times."

Case 3: Fintech Startup C – Automating Internal Approvals for Faster Customer Response​

Background: Challenges Faced by C​

Fintech Startup C operated an internal approval system for customer transactions, but encountered major bottlenecks:

  • Slow approval processing: Requests for transaction modifications, account verifications, and refunds required manual approval through emails
  • Communication gaps in approval workflows: Approval results were manually relayed to the customer support team, causing delays
  • Inconsistent approval criteria: Without a standardized process, decisions varied across different team members

Solution: Implementing Internal Approval Automation​

Internal Approval Process
  • Automated approval requests: The system automatically collected and forwarded relevant data to approvers
  • Standardized approval process: Requests meeting predefined criteria were auto-approved, while others were assigned to the appropriate reviewers
  • Instant customer notifications: Approval or rejection results were immediately communicated to customers via email or SMS

Changes After 3 Months​

  • 70% faster approval processing → Reduced approval turnaround from 2-3 days to under 24 hours
  • Twice as fast customer support response → Approval decisions were instantly relayed to support teams
  • Standardized approval criteria → System-enforced rules ensured consistent decision-making

C’s COO stated,
"With automation, our approval processes became significantly faster, eliminating major customer complaints about delays."

How Startups Can Begin Automating Their Backoffice​

Identify the Most Time-Consuming Tasks​

  • Analyze which tasks take up the most time for your team
  • Focus on automating repetitive and manual tasks first

Use Low-Code Solutions to Get Started​

  • Hops, a low-code admin builder, enables companies to quickly create admin tools
  • API integrations help process data in real time and automate dashboards and workflows

Measure Results & Continuously Improve​

  • Track time and cost savings post-automation
  • Gather feedback from teams to optimize automation further

Automation Is No Longer an Option – It's a Necessity​

As startups scale, backoffice operations naturally become more complex. Without efficient backoffice management, core development resources get drained, and business growth slows down.

Just like A, B, and C, startups can save over 100 hours per month through backoffice automation, leading to greater productivity and business growth.

Having concerns about admin or backoffice development?

From information architecture to screen layout, we'd love to discuss any admin-related concerns you have.
Please schedule a time through this link.