What an admin does that a bot cannot
Read an angry message and de-escalate it. Spot that a regular customer deserves an exception. Chase a supplier, rearrange a schedule, notice something is off. If your enquiries are mostly unique and sensitive, a human is not optional.
What automation does that a hire cannot
Answer in four seconds at 2:47am, on public holidays, during lunch, and while your admin is on MC. Never forget the price list, never get tired of the same question, and cost the same whether it handles 40 conversations or 400.
The order that works
Automate the repetitive 80 percent first: price, hours, availability, booking. Then, if volume still overwhelms you, hire for the judgment work only. Businesses that hire first often pay a salary for someone to type the same five answers, which is the most expensive autoresponder in Malaysia.