Barely 10% of Belgian micro-businesses (2–9 employees) employ an in-house ICT specialist, compared to 58% of medium-sized companies (source: Statbel / FOD Economie, 2024 survey). That's exactly the gap automation closes: you don't need to hire an IT team to stop re-typing the same data between two tools.
This guide sticks to the facts: what the market data says, the difference between RPA and modern automation, which tool to pick (n8n, Make, Zapier), what it costs, and concretely how we can help.
What the data actually shows
- Only a third of Belgian micro-businesses use cloud services, versus 67% of companies with 50 to 249 employees (source: Statbel / FOD Economie, 2023). The smallest companies remain the least equipped, not the ones needing it least.
- 58% of employers worldwide expect robotics and automation to transform their business by 2030, and 73% plan to accelerate that shift (source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025).
- In the US, today's automation technologies could already handle 57% of work hours (source: McKinsey Global Institute) — a scale, not a promise for your specific business, but a clear signal of where the market is heading.
RPA vs. modern automation: what's the difference?
RPA (Robotic Process Automation) means software "robots" that mimic a person's clicks across several applications — useful only when a system offers no other way in. We start from the API instead: when a tool offers one, we connect it directly through n8n or Make, which is faster and cheaper to maintain than a robot clicking on your behalf.
n8n, Make or Zapier: which tool?
- n8n: can be self-hosted, so you keep full control of your data. Flexible for custom logic.
- Make: a visual interface that's quick to set up, for launching an automation within days.
- Zapier: the widest library of integrations, handy for quickly connecting a very specific tool.
There's no single best tool: the right choice depends on your budget and how sensitive your data is. We mainly build on n8n and Make, with Airtable for structured data.
How a project runs
- Analysis: together, we identify the tasks with the highest automation potential.
- Design: tool selection, flow logic, edge case handling.
- Deployment: we build and test in your real environment, documentation included.
- Support: we stay available to adjust the system as your needs change.
What about your ERP or CRM?
We regularly integrate CRMs and ERPs — HubSpot, Odoo, accounting tools, Google Workspace, Notion, Slack. If your system exposes an API or webhook, which most do, a two-way sync is possible.
What it costs
Our projects start at €1,500, depending on how many systems are involved and how complex the logic is. We always start with a free 45-minute audit, then a fixed-scope proposal.
Common mistakes
- Automating a process that's already broken, instead of clarifying it first.
- Trying to automate everything at once, rather than two or three well-chosen flows.
- Neglecting data security: encrypted connections, GDPR compliance, and self-hosting n8n if needed.
How we can help
Botelho Solutions is a small, Belgium-based team: you speak directly to the person building your automation, not to a sales layer. We know your accounting tools, your GDPR obligations and the public support available in your region.