From first call to
running system.
No surprises.
Every Mechavion engagement follows the same four phases. Defined scope, direct communication, and a system that works when it's handed over — not a deck about what could be built.
Discovery call
"No pitch. No deck. Just a conversation about your operation."
Before any scope is written, we spend 30 minutes looking at your operation together. What does your team do repeatedly? Where does work slow down? What's been tried and didn't stick? If there's a high-value automation to build, we'll find it here. If there isn't, that's the honest answer — and you'll leave with a clearer picture of your operation than you arrived with.
You describe your operation
Walk through how your team works — tools used, recurring tasks, where time gets lost, what's been tried. No preparation needed. Thinking out loud is enough.
Mechavion identifies the drag
LiveDuring the call, patterns get flagged — work that repeats, decisions that follow predictable logic, handoffs that could be triggered automatically. This happens in real time, not in a follow-up report.
Honest assessment
If the automation opportunity is clear and valuable — a scope proposal follows within 48 hours. If it's unclear or low-value, that's said directly. No false urgency, no overselling.
"The honest answer is sometimes that your operation doesn't have a high-value automation opportunity right now. That gets said — directly, in the call."
Operations audit
"Every hour your team spends on operational work gets mapped and valued."
A structured deep-dive into your operation. Every recurring task gets documented — who does it, how often, how long it takes, what tools it touches, and what decisions it involves. The output is a priority-ranked list of automation opportunities, sorted by hours recovered per week. This becomes the blueprint for everything built in Phase 02.
Process mapping
AsyncA structured questionnaire documents every recurring operation — daily, weekly, monthly. Tools, triggers, decisions, edge cases. Completed async so it doesn't interrupt your team's workflow.
Working session
LiveOne focused session to walk through the mapped processes, clarify edge cases, and stress-test assumptions. Where does the logic break? What exceptions exist? What does "done" look like for each process?
Priority ranking
Every automation opportunity is scored by hours recovered per week, implementation complexity, and dependency risk. The highest-value, lowest-risk opportunities get built first.
Audit report delivered
DeliverableA clear document — not a slide deck — covering every process mapped, every opportunity identified, and the recommended build sequence. Yours to keep regardless of what happens next.
System build
"When the tools run out of logic, the backend gets built."
This is where the audit becomes infrastructure. Each system is designed for the specific logic of your operation — not templated from a generic workflow and hoped for. Where off-the-shelf automation tools have the capability, they get used. Where they don't — because the logic is too specific, the data model too complex, or the integration doesn't exist — a custom backend gets built. Full-stack means no ceiling.
System architecture
Before a line of code or a workflow node is written, the system is designed on paper. Data flows, trigger conditions, failure states, edge cases. The architecture gets reviewed before build begins.
Tool layer
Where applicableStandard automation tools (Make, n8n, Zapier, or equivalent) handle the parts they're built for — triggers, routing, simple transformations. Fast to deploy, easy to maintain.
Custom backend
Where neededWhen the logic is too specific for tools — custom API endpoints, data transformation layers, AI pipelines, bespoke integrations — the backend gets built. This is the part most vendors can't do. With a full-stack automation specialist and a backend engineer on the founding team — Mechavion can.
Testing against real conditions
CriticalSystems are tested against real operational data and edge cases — not synthetic examples. If it breaks in testing, it breaks in testing. Not on a Monday morning.
Handover
"Handed over stable. Documented. Not dependent on a monthly retainer to keep running."
Every system is built to be handed over — not to create dependency. Documentation covers what the system does, how it works, what to do when something breaks, and how to modify it without starting from scratch. An ongoing retainer is available if you want to keep building. But it's a choice — not a requirement for the system to keep running.
Handover walkthrough
LiveA recorded session walking through the system end to end — what it does, what triggers it, what happens when it fails, and how to make simple modifications without touching the backend.
Documentation
DeliverableWritten documentation covering system overview, data flows, trigger conditions, failure handling, and maintenance steps. Written for the person inheriting it — not the person who built it.
14-day support window
Two weeks of direct access for questions, edge cases that emerge in real use, and minor adjustments. Most handovers are clean — but real operational conditions always surface something a test environment didn't.
What comes next — your choice
If there's more to build, a retainer is available. If the system is doing its job and you're done, that's a complete engagement. The system runs either way.
Every engagement delivers the same six things.
Regardless of which service you engage — these are the constants.
Operations audit report
Every process mapped, prioritised by hours recovered. Yours to keep regardless of next steps.
Working system
Deployed, tested against real conditions, and running before handover begins.
Full documentation
Written for the person inheriting the system — not the person who built it.
Handover recording
A recorded walkthrough of the system — how it works, how to maintain it, what to do when something breaks.
14-day support window
Direct access for questions and minor adjustments after handover — no support ticket queue.
Independence
The system runs without an ongoing retainer. If you want to keep building — that option exists.
What people ask before they start.
How much does it cost?
Every project is scoped after the audit — scope determines price. There are no packages because the complexity of what gets built varies too much for a fixed menu to be honest. The discovery call is free. The audit report gives you a clear picture of what's involved before any build begins.
How long does a full engagement take?
Discovery is 30 minutes. Audit is 3–5 days. Build is 1–4 weeks depending on complexity. Most clients have a live system within 3–6 weeks of starting. For a single system build without a full audit, it's typically 1–3 weeks from scoping to handover.
What if our operation needs something no tool can handle?
That's exactly the Mechavion use case. When the automation requires custom logic — a bespoke API, a data transformation layer, a backend that doesn't exist off the shelf — it gets built. Full-stack development means there's no ceiling on what can be automated.
What happens if something breaks after handover?
The 14-day post-handover support window covers any issues that emerge in real operational use. Systems are built and tested for stability before handover — but real conditions surface edge cases that testing environments don't. That window exists for exactly that reason.
Do we need to commit to an ongoing retainer?
No. Every system is built to run without one. A retainer is available if you want to keep building — new systems, iterations, expansion. But the system you received works whether or not you continue. That's by design.
Can we start with just one system before committing to more?
Yes — and that's usually the right approach. Start with the single highest-value automation. See it run. Then decide whether to continue. Most clients who see the first system delivered want to build the next one. But the decision is yours to make with evidence in hand.
What's draining your team
this week?
Book a 30-minute discovery call. We'll identify the highest-value automation in your operation — no commitment.