We operate in a full SaaS environment with 20+ apps to run our firm. Most organizations use Slack only as a communications application for internal comms (and external comms in our case). We wanted to use Slack to rid of emails and phone calls once and for all. But we knew that in order to drive full-endorsement of Slack without falling back to email, we had to create more value-add for staff beyond messaging. So we set out to turn Slack into our firm’s operating system.

Meet Archie the Assistant. 🧔. Archie isn’t a real person but is a bot in Slack. Archie plays a key role in helping our organization share information within Slack without the need for logging into multiple applications daily. We love Archie so much that he’s jokingly referred to in the first-person now.

Who is this for?

  • Startups

  • Medium-businesses

  • Digital-savvy entrepreneurs

Keep reading if you’re…

  • Using Slack and interested in other features of Slack

  • Tired of working in a rats-nest of SaaS applications

  • Implemented Slack and haven’t seen a reduction in email volumes

TLDR: We are using bots in Slack to share when we receive money, need to make bill payments, need to qualify a lead, start a client onboarding process, and send office messages to build office culture. This reduces the time spent in other applications and transforms Slack from a communications application to a business operating system.

Archie’s Job Description

Archie is a person of many skills and as such, we rely on him to take care of many tasks in the firm. We wears multiples hats to keep the business flowing — receptionist, sales coordinator, and accounting coordinator. Archie has been programmed with the following tasks:

Share when a customer pays or new bill is entered. One of our Bookkeepers takes care of our books and as Co-Founders, we don’t review the books daily. Anytime we receive money or new bill is entered (and thus needs payment), Archie will post in Slack and presto — we’re aware of the day-to-day accounting and there’s no need to login into Quickbooks Online. Escalations on old receivables or paying vendors can be completed with all the information posted to Slack.

Shares when there’s a new lead. Purposecpa.ca embeds a form created through our CRM software. Great, leads are coming in. So how you get notified of a new lead without going into your CRM everyday? Perhaps a email notification? But we’re trying to reduce email reliance. Archie posts all the information in Slack. There’s nothing confidential collected nor shared, but we’re given basic information like contact, system, pain points. No need to login into the CRM to review the lead’s information before qualifying and scheduling.

Shares when a lead closes and it’s time to onboard a new client. When a lead signs a contract, Archie will notify us and tell us it’s time to onboard a new client. Archie creates instant transparency and accountability throughout the firm as new leads are signed up and onboarded. Archie allows us to skip the team meetings and project kick-offs typically used to announce such news.

Keeps the mood light with timely messages. Every morning at 9am, Archie sits at his digital reception desk and sends a morning message as we walk (re: login) into the virtual office for the day. And without fail, Archie tells us to have to enjoy the weekend every Friday at 4pm as we leave for the day. This may sound trivial, but Archie is the gel that maintains the workplace rituals that we take for granted in a physical office. Archie’s timely messages are reminders and opportunities for everyone to build friendships.

Supervise Birthday Bot and Slack Bot. In addition to Archie the Assistant, Birthday Bot and Slack Bot are used to remind us of staff birthdays, work anniversaries, company milestones, and holidays. Okay, there’s no actual supervision but Archie is a busy man and needed some help anyways. Besides, who doesn’t like more bots in your business?