Do you need an agent, an automation, or an app?
We choose the approach around the work you want to improve. A script can remove a repeated step. Search can help your team find an answer. An agent can prepare context-dependent work. We define the permissions and review points before launch.
Wetherby Ridge, July 2026: 4,075 orders on the board, 2,344 customer emails sent, 332 pillars nested into 47 cut sheets, seven scheduled jobs a night. The reply assistant is a separate agent workflow.
The short answer
A managed agent uses approved business information to choose a next step or prepare work within agreed permissions. We keep decisions about money, disputes, and customer commitments with a person. Under a managed agreement, we monitor and maintain the covered system. The agreement defines support and the changes included.
For fixed, repeatable work, a script or rules-based automation may be enough. Search and knowledge tools can help people find information without delegating the next action. We consider an agent when the workflow needs to interpret changing inputs and select an action. Further reading: a study of 50+ agentic builds in Rewired, 2nd ed., McKinsey/Wiley, ch. 5.
Different approaches, clear permissions
We separate the approach from the permissions. These categories describe how the work happens; they are not a ranking. A workflow may combine more than one.
- Automations
- Work that follows agreed rules: an order sync at 4am, a reconciliation, or a batch of production files. We define inputs, checks, and exception handling. A useful automation can handle one task or connect several steps.
- Managed agents
- Work that requires context and a choice of next action, such as preparing a customer reply or researching an account. We limit access and actions, keep outputs reviewable, and agree where a person approves the work. Managed support follows the agreement.
- Apps
- A place for people to see and act on the work: a production queue, order tracker, search interface, or customer portal. We connect the screens to the information and actions the job needs. Apps can include automations and AI tools.
Managed support is available across these approaches. We agree which systems we operate, how issues are handled, and which improvements are in scope.
Compare the work and the review points
| Automations | Agents | Apps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inputs | Records with defined rules | Documents, messages, and context | Records and user input |
| Decisions | Rules agreed with you | Model-selected steps within limits | User choices and app rules |
| Outputs | Files, updates, and notifications | Drafts or permitted actions | Views and actions for users |
| Review | Logs, checks, and exceptions | Reviewable outputs and action logs | Validation and user review |
| Useful for | Repeated steps and system handoffs | Context-dependent preparation | Finding, reviewing, and acting on work |
Structure adapted from the agent-usage spectrum in Rewired, 2nd ed. (McKinsey/Wiley), ch. 22.
We do not offer unrestricted agents that run a business without oversight. We define allowed actions, exception handling, and review points with your team. The aim is to reduce repeated work while keeping people responsible for consequential decisions.
How we work with your tools and team
Cloud tools can be part of the solution. Hosting and agent platforms provide useful building blocks. We can configure and connect those tools around your workflow. Managed operation is a separate responsibility we agree with you.
Keep useful work already in place. We can extend an existing script, automation, or app rather than replace it. The right scope may be a focused connection, a new interface, or a managed workflow.
Name the people responsible. Software does not take over accountability. We agree who reviews outputs, who handles exceptions, and what support we provide. Response hours and responsibilities belong in the agreement.
The mix at Wetherby Ridge
Wetherby Ridge is an active managed manufacturing client selling made-to-order steel across two storefronts. The work combines automations, a reply assistant, and customer-facing tools. This is one client's mix, not a formula for every business.
- Order capture and reconciliation across both storefronts: automation. 6,350 orders reconciled into one production tracker, cumulative through 2026-09-02.
- Cut-file generation: automation. The recorded comparison was ten to fifteen minutes by hand per file versus hundreds of files in seconds. A person approves files before cutting.
- Seven scheduled jobs overnight: automations. July 2026: syncs, status updates, and reporting, finished before the shop opened.
- The email reply assistant: agent. The assistant prepares replies from the customer's question and order context. Money, refunds, and delivery commitments go to a person.
- Track My Order and the voice line: apps. Customers can check recorded order status without asking the shop floor. Questions outside that information go to the team.
Wetherby Ridge gained 500+ hours of skilled labor through 2026-09-02. We chose the tools for the order, production, and customer-service work. We assess other workflows on their own requirements.
Start with the work, not the technology
Tell us about your company, your tools, and the work slowing your team down. Get a starting plan by email with opportunities to explore and next steps to discuss. A starting point for discovery, not a final scope or quote.
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