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SOP-00: Core Principles

The Automation Surgeon's Foundational Framework
Version 4.0
Owner Founder
Purpose This document serves as the single source of truth for the Automation Surgeon brand, strategy, service offerings, and core operational principles. It is the foundational document from which all other SOPs derive their context.

1. Guiding Principles & Mission

  • Mission: Microsoft Partner with 40+ successful projects specializing in email deliverability, mail migration, Azure/M365 setup, PowerShell automation, and Azure AI solutions. We transform operational challenges into competitive advantages through official Microsoft Partner expertise and intelligent automation.
  • Mindset: We embody the "Surgeon, not a Laborer" philosophy. Every engagement is approached with diagnostic precision, strategic foresight, and a commitment to building robust, enterprise-grade solutions engineered for long-term success.
  • Specialization: Our services are focused exclusively on AI-powered automation, custom software integration, and process orchestration, using the right tools for your business - from n8n to custom Azure solutions. This is a distinct discipline and does not constitute general Managed IT Services.

Value Proposition: "Microsoft Partner with 40+ successful projects: from $1K email fixes to $50K Azure AI solutions. Partner ID: 7036966. 8x Microsoft Certified. 100% Job Success Score on Upwork. We deliver measurable ROI through Microsoft Partner-backed email deliverability, mail migration, Azure/M365 setup, PowerShell automation, and Azure AI solutions."

Strategic Operations Framework: For the complete strategic playbook on building an M365-native solopreneur enterprise with enterprise-grade infrastructure, see SOP-48: M365-Native Solopreneur Enterprise Playbook.

2. Our Engagement Philosophy

We deliver transformation through a tiered engagement model designed to meet clients where they are and guide them toward operational excellence.

2.1. Tier 1: AI-Powered & Operational Treatments

Purpose: Potent, fixed-scope solutions designed to cure specific operational disorders - from AI-native intelligent systems to proven operational workflows.

Investment: $1,000 - $3,000 per treatment Timeline: 1-2 weeks delivery Best For: Companies with clear operational pain points requiring immediate, measurable relief

These treatments include both advanced AI-native solutions (leveraging Azure AI services) and comprehensive operational treatments that streamline every part of your business. Tool selection is based on your specific requirements - we choose the right approach whether that's n8n, Azure Functions, Logic Apps, or hybrid solutions.

2.2. Tier 2: Professional Automation Projects

Purpose: Flexible custom projects that combine multiple treatments, add custom integrations, or extend existing treatments beyond standard scope.

Investment: $3,000 - $10,000 per project Timeline: 2-4 weeks Best For: Organizations requiring multi-system integration or complex business logic that goes beyond a single treatment

These projects provide the bridge between individual treatments and full custom AI solutions, offering flexibility to address unique requirements while maintaining project efficiency.

2.3. Tier 3: Custom AI Solutions

Purpose: Bespoke intelligent systems that become core competitive advantages, leveraging Azure AI services and custom development.

Investment: $15,000 - $50,000 per project Timeline: 4-12 weeks for development and deployment Best For: Companies requiring sophisticated business intelligence, predictive analytics, or custom AI-powered applications

These systems are built primarily on the Azure stack (Azure Functions, AI Services, Logic Apps) and deliver intelligent, self-optimizing processes that provide strategic competitive advantage.

2.4. Tier 4: Enterprise Transformation

Purpose: Company-wide digital transformation initiatives requiring comprehensive process re-engineering and strategic technical architecture.

Investment: $25,000 - $100,000+ per project Timeline: 8-16 weeks for full implementation Best For: Organizations pursuing enterprise-wide process transformation or competitive differentiation through technology

These engagements combine multiple custom AI solutions, infrastructure modernization, and strategic consulting to deliver measurable business impact.

2.5. Tier 5: Managed AI Platform (AaaS)

Purpose: Fully managed hosting, monitoring, and optimization of any automation solution we build - whether n8n-based, Azure Functions, Logic Apps, or custom AI systems.

Investment: $1,500 - $5,000 per month Timeline: Ongoing partnership with continuous evolution Best For: Organizations who want to focus on their business while we handle all infrastructure, monitoring, maintenance, and enhancement

We host on our Azure infrastructure, manage all operations, and continuously optimize your automation systems with daily backups, performance monitoring, and proactive improvement.

3. Ideal Patient Profile (IPP)

3.1. Target Criteria

Company Size: 20-75 employees Revenue: $2M - $10M annually Industry: Professional Services Firms (law, accounting, consulting, architecture, engineering) and Healthcare/Clinics (dental, medical, physical therapy, veterinary, chiropractic, mental health) Symptoms: Email deliverability issues (proposals/invoices not arriving, appointment reminders going to spam), M365 migration needs, document management chaos (contracts/case files/patient records), HIPAA compliance Budget: $1,000 - $5,000 per treatment or project Timeline: 1-4 weeks implementation Decision Maker: Direct access to decision maker (Managing Partner, Office Manager, Practice Manager, Practice Owner)

3.2. Technical Posture

  • Uses Microsoft 365, Azure, or planning to migrate to Microsoft stack
  • Has email deliverability issues or needs mail migration
  • Appreciates enterprise-grade security and scalability
  • Needs PowerShell automation or SharePoint/Teams integration

3.3. Red Flags (Avoid These Patients)

  • Scope creep requests during diagnostic phase
  • Budget constraints below $1,000
  • Internal politics or multiple stakeholders without clear decision maker
  • Unrealistic expectations about timeline
  • No clear symptom or problem to solve
  • "Tool-Focused" Mindset: Patient believes owning the tool is the same as having an effective system and doesn't see the value in architecture or strategic implementation.

4. Service Offerings & Value Ladder

Our services are structured as a five-tier engagement model, designed to meet clients where they are and guide them toward operational excellence. This model de-risks the engagement for the client and creates a natural path toward higher-value, long-term partnerships.

  1. Tier 1: AI-Powered & Operational Treatments - Individual solutions addressing specific pain points ($1K-$3K)
  2. Tier 2: Professional Automation Projects - Multi-treatment bundles and custom integrations ($3K-$10K)
  3. Tier 3: Custom AI Solutions - Bespoke intelligent systems leveraging Azure AI ($15K-$50K)
  4. Tier 4: Enterprise Transformation - Company-wide digital transformation ($25K-$100K+)
  5. Tier 5: Managed AI Platform (AaaS) - Ongoing hosting and optimization ($1.5K-$5K/month)

4.1. Tier 1: AI-Powered & Operational Treatments

Individual, potent solutions with a 1-2 Week Delivery Promise and 14 days of post-treatment support. Each treatment is priced based on complexity, ranging from $1,000 for standard operational workflows to $3,000 for advanced AI-native solutions.

4.2. The Complete Treatment Menu

Our menu includes 6 proven Microsoft-focused treatments plus Azure AI solutions, organized by complexity and business function. Tool selection (Azure Functions, Logic Apps, PowerShell, or hybrid approaches) is determined during the diagnostic phase based on your specific requirements.

Tier 1: Microsoft-Focused Treatments ($1,000 - $3,000 each)

These proven treatments leverage Microsoft expertise to deliver immediate, measurable results.

1. Email Deliverability Fix ($1,000-$1,500) - Symptom: Emails going to spam, low open rates, deliverability issues - Diagnosis: DMARC/SPF/DKIM misconfiguration - Cure: Full email authentication setup and deliverability optimization - Tools: MXToolbox, email infrastructure, DNS management - Expected Recovery: 90%+ inbox delivery rate, 3x email campaign effectiveness - Proven Results: "Fixed 15+ companies' email deliverability with 100% success rate"

2. Mail Migration Services ($1,000-$5,000) - Simple (1-10 mailboxes): $1,000-$2,000 - Medium (11-50 mailboxes): $2,000-$5,000 - Symptom: Need to migrate email systems to/from M365 - Diagnosis: Migration complexity, downtime risk, data loss concerns - Cure: Zero-downtime mail migration with complete data integrity - Tools: M365 migration tools, PowerShell, custom migration scripts - Expected Recovery: Zero downtime, zero data loss, complete mailbox migration - Proven Results: "Migrated 12+ companies to/from M365 with 100% success rate"

3. Azure/M365 Setup & Migration ($2,000-$3,000) - Symptom: Need complete M365 environment setup - Diagnosis: Complex setup requirements, security concerns, integration needs - Cure: Full M365 environment with security, compliance, and integrations - Tools: Azure, M365 Admin, PowerShell, Terraform - Expected Recovery: Enterprise-grade M365 environment in 1-2 weeks - Proven Results: "Set up 12+ M365 environments for companies like [client names]"

4. PowerShell Automation Scripts ($1,500-$2,500) - Symptom: Manual M365/Azure/Windows administration tasks - Diagnosis: Repetitive manual processes, human error, time waste - Cure: Custom PowerShell scripts for automated administration - Tools: PowerShell, Azure Automation, scheduled tasks - Expected Recovery: 80% reduction in manual admin time - Proven Results: "Built 20+ successful PowerShell automation scripts"

5. SharePoint/Teams Integration ($1,500-$2,500) - Symptom: Manual SharePoint workflows, disconnected Teams processes - Diagnosis: SharePoint-to-Azure integration needs, workflow automation gaps - Cure: Automated SharePoint workflows and Teams integrations - Tools: SharePoint, Power Automate, Azure Logic Apps, Microsoft Graph API - Expected Recovery: 70% workflow time savings, zero manual handoffs - Proven Results: "Integrated 8+ companies' SharePoint and Teams workflows"

6. DNS & Email Authentication ($1,000-$1,500) - Symptom: Email security issues, domain reputation problems - Diagnosis: Missing DMARC, SPF, DKIM records - Cure: Complete email authentication and security setup - Tools: DNS management, email security tools, monitoring - Expected Recovery: Enterprise-grade email security, improved deliverability - Proven Results: "Secured 15+ companies' email infrastructure"

Tier 2: MS + AI Hybrid Projects ($3,000 - $10,000)

These advanced solutions combine Microsoft expertise with Azure AI capabilities for intelligent automation.

1. Intelligent Email Processing ($3,000-$7,000) - MS Exchange + Azure AI Document Intelligence - Capabilities: Automated email parsing, data extraction, workflow routing - Use Cases: Invoice processing, lead qualification, document management - Expected Recovery: 90% reduction in manual email processing, 99.5% accuracy improvement

2. Smart SharePoint Automation ($4,000-$8,000) - SharePoint + Azure AI for intelligent content processing - Capabilities: Automated document classification, metadata extraction, routing - Use Cases: Document management, compliance tracking, knowledge management - Expected Recovery: 80% reduction in manual document handling, improved compliance

3. AI-Powered PowerShell Scripts ($3,000-$6,000) - Traditional PowerShell + Azure AI for decision making - Capabilities: Intelligent automation that learns and adapts - Use Cases: System administration, monitoring, automated responses - Expected Recovery: 70% reduction in manual admin tasks, intelligent error handling

4. Azure AI Integration Projects ($5,000-$10,000) - MS stack + custom Azure AI solutions - Capabilities: Bespoke AI capabilities integrated with existing MS systems - Use Cases: Custom business intelligence, predictive analytics, intelligent workflows - Expected Recovery: Strategic competitive advantage, measurable ROI within 90 days

Tier 3: Azure AI Agent Solutions ($15,000 - $50,000)

Built on Azure AI Services - Premium Offerings

These sophisticated systems leverage Azure AI services to deliver intelligent, self-optimizing solutions that provide strategic competitive advantage.

1. Azure AI Knowledge Hub ($15,000-$25,000) - Azure OpenAI Service + Azure AI Search - Capabilities: Intelligent company knowledge base, autonomous Q&A, expert system - Expected Recovery: 50% reduction in repetitive questions, 30% faster sales cycles

2. Azure AI Document Processor ($20,000-$35,000) - Azure AI Document Intelligence + Azure Functions - Capabilities: Intelligent document processing, data extraction, workflow automation - Expected Recovery: 90% reduction in manual data entry, 99.5% accuracy improvement

3. Azure AI Safety Officer ($25,000-$40,000) - Azure AI Custom Vision + Azure Functions - Capabilities: 24/7 computer vision monitoring, compliance automation - Expected Recovery: 24/7 automated monitoring, immediate incident alerting

4. Azure AI Dispatcher ($30,000-$50,000) - Azure AI Speech + Azure OpenAI Service - Capabilities: Intelligent voice agent, after-hours lead capture - Expected Recovery: Zero missed after-hours leads, 30% more lead capture

Generic Treatments (Secondary/Complementary)

Available for MS-focused clients who need additional automation:

  • Invoice Follow-up (can work with QuickBooks/M365) - $1,000-$1,500
  • Lead Intake (can integrate with M365/Dynamics) - $1,500-$2,000
  • Client Onboarding (can use M365 tools) - $1,500-$2,000
  • Email to Task (Gmail/Outlook integration) - $1,000-$1,500
  • Website Uptime Monitor (Azure Functions) - $1,000-$1,500

Positioned as "also available" not primary offerings

4.3. Hosting & Implementation Options

Hosting and implementation options are flexible based on the chosen solution and client preference:

Client-Hosted (Default for Tier 1 Treatments): - We deliver the solution (n8n workflows, Azure Functions code, or Logic Apps configuration) - Client hosts on their own infrastructure or cloud subscription - We provide setup assistance and documentation - Deliverables: Solution files, comprehensive documentation, Loom walkthrough, 14-day support

Managed Hosting (Recommended for Tier 2+): - We host on our Azure infrastructure - Includes monitoring, backups, and maintenance - Monthly management fee: $500-$5,000 (see Tier 5: Managed AI Platform) - Option to migrate to client-hosted later if desired

Tool Selection: Our platform-agnostic approach means we choose the right tool for your specific requirements: - n8n: Best for projects requiring 200+ pre-built connectors, visual workflow management, non-technical team operation - Azure Functions: Best for custom business logic, high-performance requirements, complex integrations, AI service integration - Azure Logic Apps: Best for Microsoft-centric environments, enterprise compliance, native Azure service integration - Hybrid Approaches: Combining multiple platforms to leverage strengths of each

Common Add-Ons: - Migration Services (Zapier/Make → New Platform): $500-$2,000 depending on complexity - Data mapping/field normalization: $200-$500 per integration endpoint - Team training (90 min): $300 - Custom analytics dashboard: $500-$1,500 - Advanced monitoring & alerting: Included with managed hosting

Support Options: - 14-Day Support: Included with all Tier 1 treatments (bug fixes only) - Monthly Retainer (10 hours): $2,000 - Managed Hosting: See Tier 5 for ongoing support and optimization