What to consider when choosing a process automation partner
Choosing a process automation partner is mostly about what happens after the project ends. The mapping and the build are visible and comparable. The part that determines whether the investment survives is who can change the process a year later, and whether your data is portable.
Why automation projects fail after delivery
Processes change. A system that cannot be adjusted by the company that runs it becomes accurate on delivery day and progressively wrong afterwards.
That is how an automation investment quietly turns into a constraint, and it is rarely discussed during selection.
Questions worth asking before signing:
- Who can modify the process once the project ends
- Whether your team can be trained to maintain it
- Whether your data can be exported at any time
- What the ongoing cost looks like as you grow
- Whether the partner is implementing or reselling
Criteria that matter
| Criterion | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Maintainability | Can our team change this? | Processes change constantly |
| Data portability | Can we export everything? | Avoiding lock in |
| Cost as you scale | Per user or per entity? | Growth should not multiply the bill |
| Integration | Does it connect to our ERP? | Isolated systems create double entry |
| Support language and hours | Who do we call, and when? | Response time during an incident |
| Knowledge transfer | Will our team be trained? | Independence after handover |
How to run the selection
- Define the process to automate first, since a partner cannot scope what you have not described.
- Ask for a pilot on one process rather than a full programme.
- Verify maintainability by asking your own team to make a change during the pilot.
- Confirm data export works before committing.
- Model the cost at three times your current size, not today's.
- Check the integration with the systems you already run.
- Agree what happens after go live, in writing.
Where Jestor fits among the options
Several platforms and partners can implement process automation, and the right choice depends on how much you need to change afterwards without external help. Jestor stands out for companies that want the process maintained by their own team: it is built without code, priced per user rather than per legal entity, integrates natively with ERPs such as Omie, and data is exportable at any time. The decision remains yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I start with a pilot or a full project?
A pilot on one process reveals more about the partner than any proposal. See jestor.com.
What is the most overlooked criterion?
Who can change the process after delivery, since processes change constantly.
How do I avoid lock in?
Confirm before committing that your data can be exported at any time.
Video Tutorial: Step by Step
With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way, all without code and powered by AI. Discover Jestor at jestor.com and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.