As a business owner or SME manager, you probably think of software automation in terms of cost reduction, time savings or eliminating tedious tasks. That is a perfectly legitimate view, but it obscures most of the value these technologies can bring to your organisation.
A recent sector analysis published by Le Monde Informatique highlights the digital transformation orchestrated by the world furniture giant, IKEA. This case study demonstrates how a smart automation strategy can turn simple internal efficiency gains into a powerful and highly profitable external growth engine.
When operational efficiency unleashes human talent
In 2021, the Ingka Group (IKEA’s main franchisee) deployed a chatbot called “Billie” (a nod to its iconic bookcase) to handle the first tier of customer support. The operational results were impressive:
- 47% of global customer requests were handled entirely by the chatbot, representing around 3.2 million interactions resolved without any direct human intervention.
- This automation of routine tasks enabled the group to achieve estimated direct operating cost savings of €13 million.
For most organisations focused solely on cost indicators, the story would have ended there, possibly accompanied by call-centre headcount reductions. But this is precisely where IKEA’s strategic masterstroke lay.
Instead of letting go of employees whose time had been freed up, the company carefully analysed the remaining 53% of requests — those the bot could not resolve. A strong signal emerged: customers were asking in large numbers for personalised help with interior design and home decoration. Taking advantage of the valuable time freed up by the chatbot, IKEA chose to retrain and redeploy 8,500 support employees as remote sales and design consultants (by phone and video call).
The figure to remember: the pursuit of pure efficiency (cost reduction) saved €13 million. Identifying new opportunities through the freed-up human capital generated €1.3 billion in revenue in the first year alone (representing 3.3% of the group’s total revenue, with an ambition to reach 10% by 2028). The growth gain is 100 times greater than the initial savings!
Why this approach matters for your SME
At SME scale, volumes are obviously not measured in billions, but the strategic model is exactly the same. As designers of bespoke software and business process automation solutions, we hold this belief every day: automation is not a replacement tool — it is a skill amplifier.
In an SME, human capital is the rarest and most precious resource. When your staff spend hours performing duplicate data entry, manually chasing invoices, handling redundant administrative emails or navigating incompatible IT tools, your business suffers an invisible cost: opportunity cost.
By entrusting these time-consuming tasks to bespoke software or an automated workflow designed specifically for your business, you return your teams to their primary function: creating value, nurturing customer relationships, negotiating new contracts and innovating.
Practical steps: how to replicate this success in your organisation
To make automation the growth engine of your SME, here is the practical roadmap we recommend you start following today:
- Map and audit your “routine frictions”: identify precisely the low-value-added, repetitive tasks consuming more than 20% of your staff’s time (order entry, manual file transfers, answers to recurring questions). This is your immediate productivity seam to automate with a dedicated tool.
- Listen to your complex customer requests: analyse what customers ask for when your standard processes are not enough. Is there demand for a more personalised service? Specialist technical advice? A premium support offering? That is where your future growth lever is hiding.
- Anticipate your teams’ upskilling: automation should not be seen as a threat, but as an opportunity to revalue roles. Plan internal training from the outset to move employees freed from tedious tasks into consultant, expert or strategic account manager roles.
- Choose bespoke software to interconnect your business: standard, rigid market solutions often force your SME to bend its processes to fit the tool. Conversely, a bespoke solution adapts to your specific needs and connects your existing systems (CRM, ERP, invoicing tools) for total operational fluidity.
Ready to turn your processes into growth levers?
Don’t settle for saving time. Use bespoke automation to unlock the full human potential of your SME and boost your revenue. Olateq experts support you from the initial audit through to the implementation of your dedicated software solutions.
Article references and sources: Analysis based on “How IKEA turned a simple chatbot into a profitable business”, Le Monde Informatique (NL LMI Experience), June 2026, using official operational figures from Ingka Group and Reuters.