Frequently Asked Questions

Version: 2.0
Last Updated: 2025-10-25
Owner: Marketing
Status: Client-Facing FAQ

General Questions

What is business automation?

Business automation is connecting your existing business systems (like Xero, HubSpot, Shopify, Asana) so they work together automatically. Instead of manually entering the same customer information into your CRM and then into your accounting software, automation does it for you instantly and perfectly every time.

How is this different from doing it myself with Zapier or Make?

DIY Platforms (Zapier, Make):

• You build and maintain workflows yourself
• Good for simple workflows (2-3 steps)
• Requires technical comfort with automation tools
• Limited support when things break
• Monthly cost ($50-$500/month)

Zixly Service:

• We build, test, and maintain workflows for you
• Handle complex multi-step workflows
• Includes business process consulting
• Ongoing support and optimization
• One-time implementation cost ($3K-$40K) + optional monthly management

Best for: Most SME owners don’t have time to learn automation tools - they just want their admin work to disappear. That’s what we do.

What makes Zixly different from IT consultants?

Traditional IT Consultants:

• Focus on technology and infrastructure
• Speak in technical jargon
• Hourly billing (unpredictable costs)
• Months-long projects

Zixly:

• Focus on business outcomes (time saved, errors reduced)
• Speak business language, not tech talk
• Fixed-price projects (predictable costs)
• 1-12 week turnaround
• Business process consulting included

Do I need to be technical?

No. You need to know:

• What systems you use (Xero, HubSpot, etc.)
• What takes time in your business
• What frustrates your team

We handle all the technical work. After implementation, using the automation is as simple as using any other business software.

Service Questions

What services do you offer?

1. Business Automation Starter ($3K-$5K): Connect 2-3 systems with core workflows
2. Complete Business Automation ($8K-$15K): 5-8 systems with comprehensive workflows
3. Enterprise Business Suite ($20K-$40K): Unlimited systems with industry-specific customization
4. Monthly Management ($500-$2K/month): Ongoing monitoring, optimization, and new workflows
5. Consulting Services ($150-$250/hour): Business process advice and troubleshooting

How much does it typically cost?

Most common projects:

• Small business (5-15 employees): $3,000 - $5,000
• Growing business (15-50 employees): $8,000 - $15,000
• Established business (40-100 employees): $20,000 - $40,000

Monthly management (optional): $500 - $2,000/month

ROI: Most clients see payback within 3-6 months through time saved and errors eliminated.

How long does implementation take?

• Starter: 1-2 weeks
• Complete: 4-6 weeks
• Enterprise: 8-12 weeks

Why it takes this long:

• Understanding your unique business processes
• Building and testing workflows thoroughly
• Training your team properly
• Ensuring everything works correctly before go-live

Do you offer ongoing support?

Yes, three options:

1. Included Support Period: 30-90 days depending on tier (monitoring, bug fixes)
2. Monthly Management: $500-$2K/month (monitoring, optimization, new workflows)
3. Pay-As-You-Go: $150-$250/hour for occasional needs

Most clients choose: Monthly management after the included support period ends. It typically pays for itself through continuous optimization.

Technical Questions

What systems can you integrate?

Accounting: Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, Reckon

CRM: HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Zoho CRM

Project Management: Asana, Monday.com, Trello, ClickUp

E-commerce: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce

Communication: Email (Gmail, Outlook), Slack, Microsoft Teams

File Storage: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive

HR/Payroll: Employment Hero, KeyPay, Deputy

Scheduling: Calendly, Acuity, SimplyBook.me

And 100+ others. If it has an API or supports webhooks, we can probably integrate it.

Is my data secure?

Yes. Your data is as secure as your existing systems.

How it works:

• We connect to your systems using OAuth (same security as when you login)
• Data flows between your systems automatically
• We don’t permanently store your business data
• All connections are encrypted (bank-level security)
• Hosted in Australia (Australian data residency)

You control:

• You can revoke access anytime
• You can see audit trails of what happened
• Your data stays in your business systems (Xero, HubSpot, etc.)

Compliance: Australian Privacy Act compliant, can sign NDA if required

Can I export everything and leave?

Yes. You own everything.

What you get:

• Complete documentation of all workflows
• Diagrams showing what connects to what
• Access to everything (workflows continue running)
• Option to manage yourself or hire another provider

No vendor lock-in. Many clients choose to stay because monthly management ($500-$2K/month) is cheaper than hiring someone to manage it, but you’re not required to.

What if one of my systems changes or updates?

That’s what monthly management covers:

• We monitor for API changes from vendors (Xero, HubSpot, etc.)
• Update workflows when systems change
• Test regularly to catch issues before they impact you

Without monthly management: You’ll need to hire us or someone else to fix when things break due to system updates.

Business Questions

What types of businesses do you work with?

Primary Industries (80% of clients):

1. Professional Services (Law, Accounting, Consulting, Architecture)
   • Size: 10-50 employees
   • Focus: Timesheet to billing, matter management, WIP tracking
2. Construction & Trades (Builders, Electricians, Plumbers)
   • Size: 5-30 employees
   • Focus: Job costing, progress billing, quote management
3. E-commerce & Retail (Online stores, retail chains)
   • Size: 5-40 employees
   • Focus: Inventory sync, order processing, customer service
4. Manufacturing (Small to medium production)
   • Size: 20-50 employees
   • Focus: Production scheduling, materials procurement, quality control

Best fit: 10-50 employees, using 3+ business systems, spending 10+ hours/week on repetitive admin.

What results can I expect?

Time Savings:

• Starter: 5-10 hours/week saved
• Complete: 15-20 hours/week saved
• Enterprise: 20-30 hours/week saved

Accuracy Improvements:

• 95%+ reduction in data entry errors
• Eliminate duplicate and conflicting information
• Single source of truth across all systems

Business Growth:

• Handle 30-50% more business without additional admin staff
• Faster invoicing improves cash flow
• Better data visibility enables better decisions

ROI Examples:

• Professional services: 9:1 return, 6-week payback
• Construction: 7:1 return, 8-week payback
• E-commerce: 10:1 return, 5-week payback

What if I don’t have time for this right now?

Total time required from you:

During Implementation:

• Kickoff meeting: 1-2 hours
• Weekly check-ins: 30 minutes each (4-12 weeks)
• Training: 2-12 hours depending on tier
• Total: 5-20 hours over 1-12 weeks

After Implementation:

• Using automation: 0 additional time (it just works)
• Monthly management check-in: 30 minutes/month (optional)

Most clients say: “I wish I’d done this sooner - the time investment was worth it 10x over.”

Do you work with businesses outside Brisbane?

Primary Service Area: Brisbane and South East Queensland (in-person available)

Also Serve:

• Gold Coast / Sunshine Coast: Full service
• Regional Queensland: Virtual service (video calls, screen share)
• Sydney / Melbourne: Virtual service, partner with local accountants
• Elsewhere: Case-by-case, depends on project complexity

90% of work is virtual (video calls, screen sharing), so location matters less than you’d think. In-person is nice for kickoff but not required.

Process Questions

How do we get started?

Step 1: Free Assessment (30-60 minutes)

• Discussion of your systems and pain points
• Identify quick win opportunities
• Ballpark investment and timeline
• No obligation

Step 2: Business Process Review ($500, credited to project)

• Deep-dive into your workflows (2-4 hours)
• Specific ROI calculations
• Detailed proposal with exact scope

Step 3: Implementation (1-12 weeks)

• Sign agreement and submit deposit
• We build and test workflows
• Train your team
• Go-live and support

What information do you need from us?

For Free Assessment:

• What systems you currently use
• What takes the most time
• What frustrates your team
• What goals you have

For Implementation:

• Access to systems (login credentials, admin access)
• Description of current workflows
• Key contacts from your team
• Availability for weekly 30-minute check-ins

Can you work with our existing IT team?

Yes. Common scenarios:

1. You have IT staff: We collaborate, train them, hand over management
2. You have outsourced IT: We coordinate with them on technical requirements
3. You have no IT: We handle everything, provide all documentation

What if we need changes after implementation?

During included support period (30-90 days): Minor tweaks and adjustments included

After support period:

1. Monthly management: Includes ongoing changes (1-2 workflows/month)
2. Custom development: $1K-$3K per new workflow
3. Consulting: $150-$250/hour for guidance

Investment Questions

What’s included in the investment?

All tiers include:

• OAuth/API connection setup for your systems
• Custom workflow development and configuration
• Testing with real data from your business
• Team training (2-12 hours depending on tier)
• Complete documentation and diagrams
• Post-launch support (30-90 days)

What’s NOT included:

• Monthly software subscriptions (Xero, HubSpot, etc. - you pay those directly)
• Monthly management after support period (optional $500-$2K/month)
• New workflows beyond the agreed scope (but we can add them)

Are there any hidden costs?

No hidden costs. Fixed-price projects.

What you pay:

• Project cost: $3K-$40K (depending on tier)
• Your existing software subscriptions (Xero, HubSpot, etc.)
• Optional monthly management: $500-$2K/month

What’s included in project cost: Everything listed in proposal, no surprises.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes. Typical payment schedule:

• 30% deposit upon signing agreement
• 40% at midpoint milestone
• 30% upon completion

Monthly management: Billed monthly, can cancel after initial 3-month commitment.

Example: $12,000 project = $3,600 deposit, $4,800 at midpoint, $3,600 at completion

Can I start small and expand later?

Yes. Recommended approach:

Phase 1 (Month 1-2): Starter package ($3K-$5K)

• Prove value with 2-3 key workflows
• Build team confidence
• Learn what works for your business

Phase 2 (Month 3-6): Add monthly management ($500/month)

• Add 1 new workflow per month
• Keep everything running smoothly
• Identify next opportunities

Phase 3 (Month 6-12): Upgrade to Complete ($8K-$15K additional)

• More systems connected
• Complex workflows automated
• Full business visibility

Why this works: Lower risk, prove value incrementally, team adapts gradually

Support Questions

What support do you provide?

During Implementation:

• Weekly progress updates (video call + email)
• Unlimited email support
• Screen sharing for troubleshooting
• Access to project documentation

Post-Launch Support (included):

• Starter: 30 days monitoring and bug fixes
• Complete: 60 days monitoring and bug fixes
• Enterprise: 90 days full support with dedicated contact

Monthly Management (optional):

• Workflow monitoring and health checks
• Bug fixes and optimization
• New workflow development (1-2 per month)
• Priority support (4-hour to same-day response)
• Monthly strategy call

How quickly do you respond to issues?

With Monthly Management:

• Same-day: Enterprise tier
• Within 4 hours: Professional tier
• Within 24 hours: Basic tier

Without Monthly Management (after support period):

• Best effort, usually within 1-2 business days
• Can purchase priority support ($500 minimum)

During Business Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM AEST (extended for critical issues with monthly management)

Do you provide training?

Yes, comprehensive training included:

Starter Package (2 hours):

• Overview of automated workflows
• How to monitor and troubleshoot
• Basic dashboard usage
• Who to contact for help

Complete Package (8 hours):

• Initial overview session
• Department-specific training
• Advanced features workshop
• Administrator training

Enterprise Package (12+ hours):

• Executive overview
• Manager training
• Staff training by department
• Administrator deep-dive
• All sessions recorded for reference

Common Concerns

“I’m worried my team will resist change”

This is normal. Here’s how we handle it:

Change Management Included:

• Start with workflows that make their lives easier (not harder)
• Involve team in identifying pain points (they know best)
• Training focuses on “what’s in it for them”
• Gradual rollout (not everything at once)
• Champions program (identify early adopters)

Most teams love it: Once they see they’re not doing data entry anymore, resistance disappears.

“What if it breaks and you’re not available?”

Multiple safeguards:

1. Workflows are robust: Tested thoroughly, retry logic built in
2. Monitoring alerts us: We often fix before you notice
3. Fallback procedures: Documentation for what to do if something fails
4. Your systems still work: If automation breaks, you can revert to manual temporarily

Monthly management includes: 24/7 monitoring, fast response times, backup team members

“I’m worried about the learning curve”

Using automation is easier than learning your original systems:

For most users: Zero learning curve (automation just happens in background) For administrators: 2-3 hours of training, then occasional monitoring Support available: Email, phone, video calls whenever you need help

After 2-4 weeks: Most clients forget how they did things manually.

“What if I need something you can’t do?”

Honest answer: If it’s technically impossible, we’ll tell you upfront (rare).

Usually: We can find a solution, just might be different approach than expected.

Options if complex:

• Phased approach (build simpler version first, expand later)
• Manual step in middle of automation (better than fully manual)
• Alternative system recommendation (sometimes the tool is the problem, not the automation)

“My business is unique, will this work?”

Every business is unique. That’s why we don’t sell templates.

Our approach:

• We learn YOUR specific workflows
• We build automation for YOUR business
• We test with YOUR actual data
• We train YOUR team on YOUR processes

Industry-specific experience helps but isn’t required. Good business automation adapts to any business model.

Next Steps

How do I get started?

Book a Free Business Automation Assessment:

Email: hello@zixly.dev
Phone: 0412 345 678 (Cole Morton)
LinkedIn: Search “Zixly” or “Cole Morton Brisbane”

What to expect:

• 30-60 minute conversation
• Discussion of your current systems and pain points
• Quick win identification
• Service tier recommendation
• Ballpark investment and timeline
• No obligation, no pressure

What should I prepare for the consultation?

Bring:

• List of systems you currently use (Xero, HubSpot, etc.)
• Examples of repetitive tasks that frustrate your team
• Someone who knows your day-to-day operations
• Questions about automation or our services

No need to prepare:

• Formal process documentation (we’ll help create that)
• Technical specifications
• Budget approvals (we’ll provide ROI calculations first)

What happens after the consultation?

If we’re a good fit:

1. We’ll recommend which service tier makes sense
2. Provide ballpark investment and timeline
3. Offer paid Business Process Review ($500, credited to project)
4. Create detailed proposal with exact scope and ROI

If we’re not a good fit:

• We’ll tell you honestly (sometimes automation isn’t the answer)
• We might recommend different approach or timing
• We might refer you to someone who’s better suited

No pressure sales: We want clients who are excited about automation, not pressured into it.

Ready to stop wasting time on repetitive admin work?

Document Version: 2.0
Last Updated: 2025-10-25
Owner: Zixly Marketing
Review Cycle: Quarterly Next Review: 2026-01-25

Previous Versions:

• v1.0: Initial FAQ (DevOps and SME mixed messaging)
• v2.0: Complete transformation to SME business automation (current)