Build Production-Grade Automation for Critical Processes
Custom-coded automations are the most reliable alternative for complex processes. They replace fragile multi-step workflows with a single, monitored codebase.
This approach is for business-critical operations that cannot fail silently. It's for workflows with conditional logic too complex for visual builders or data volumes that make per-task pricing unfeasible. It requires real engineering, not just connecting boxes on a screen.
We built a document processing pipeline for a 12-person recruiting firm processing 400 applicant resumes monthly. Their manual data entry took 6 minutes per resume. The custom system we deployed uses the Claude API to extract data in 8 seconds with higher accuracy.
What Problem Does This Solve?
Many businesses start with point-and-click automation platforms. They are great for simple, linear tasks. But when a process is core to the business, these tools introduce unacceptable risk. Their pricing models, often based on task counts, penalize volume. A lead management workflow with 5 steps running 200 times a day consumes 1,000 tasks daily, leading to a surprisingly high monthly bill for a single process.
A regional insurance agency faced this. Their new claims process involved OCR on a PDF attachment, a lookup in their policyholder CRM, and assignment to one of 6 adjusters based on territory and current caseload. Visual builders failed on the last step; their simple routing could not handle the dynamic caseload-balancing logic. Their generic OCR module also had a 15% error rate on industry-specific forms, requiring manual correction.
These platforms are fundamentally stateless. A network error halfway through a multi-step workflow can leave records in an inconsistent state across two different systems. They lack the sophisticated retry logic and dead-letter queues needed for a process that absolutely must complete, creating silent failures that are only discovered during a quarterly audit.
How Does It Work?
We begin by mapping the entire business process into a technical specification. We then build a single, unified service using FastAPI that orchestrates every step. This centralizes the logic, making it observable and easier to maintain than a sprawling diagram of interconnected apps.
For the insurance agency's claims process, the core logic was written in Python. We used the Claude API for its structured data extraction on complex PDFs, which cut the form field error rate to under 1%. The complex caseload balancing, impossible in their old tool, became a 20-line Python function that queries a Supabase table for active assignments. This ensures work is distributed evenly among the 6 adjusters.
We deploy the FastAPI service on AWS Lambda, where it runs as a serverless function. This model means you only pay for compute time when a claim is processed. The agency's previous $400/month automation bill dropped to under $30/month in AWS costs. The end-to-end processing time for a new claim, including the OCR and all API calls, is now under 12 seconds. We use httpx for all external API communication to handle asynchronous operations efficiently.
Every execution is logged with structlog for structured, queryable output. We configure alerts that trigger a PagerDuty notification for critical failures, such as an invalid response from the CRM's API or a processing time that exceeds 60 seconds. This provides immediate visibility into system health, a feature absent in most off-the-shelf automation tools.
What Are the Key Benefits?
Live in Production in 3 Weeks
From kickoff to a deployed, production-ready system in 15 business days. No lengthy implementation cycles or vendor onboarding meetings.
No Per-Task Fees, Ever
A fixed-price build with predictable, low monthly hosting costs on your cloud account. Your bill is based on compute time, not task counts.
You Own the Code and Infrastructure
You receive the full Python source code in your private GitHub repository and full ownership of the AWS account. There is no vendor lock-in.
Real-Time Alerts, Not Silent Failures
We configure structured logging and alerts for critical failures. You know immediately if a process breaks, instead of discovering it days later.
Connects to Any API, Not Just a Pre-Built List
We write custom API clients using httpx to connect directly to your CRM, ERP, and industry-specific platforms, even if they lack official support.
What Does the Process Look Like?
Week 1: Scoping and Access
You provide API keys and a walkthrough of the existing process. We deliver a detailed technical specification outlining the proposed architecture.
Week 2: Core Logic and API Build
We build the core business logic in Python and wrap it in a FastAPI service. You receive access to a staging environment to test the endpoint.
Week 3: Deployment and Integration
We deploy the service to your cloud infrastructure and connect it to your live systems. You receive the complete source code in your GitHub repo.
Weeks 4-6: Monitoring and Handoff
We monitor the system in production for two weeks post-launch. You receive a final runbook with operational instructions for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is the cost and timeline determined for a project?
- Cost is based on complexity, not volume. The primary factors are the number of external systems to integrate and the complexity of the data transformations required. A project connecting two modern APIs with minimal data cleaning is a standard 2-week build. A project involving legacy systems or complex PDF parsing may take 3-4 weeks. We provide a fixed-price quote after the initial discovery call.
- What happens when an external service like our CRM API is down?
- The system is built for resilience. API calls use exponential backoff, retrying several times before failing. For critical processes, we configure a dead-letter queue on AWS Lambda. If a task fails permanently after all retries, it is sent to this queue for manual review. This guarantees that no incoming data is ever lost due to a temporary outage of a connected service.
- How is this different from hiring a freelance developer?
- Syntora offers a productized service, not just hours of coding. You work with a founder who has built these specific AI-powered systems repeatedly. The engagement includes discovery, architecture, build, deployment, monitoring setup, and a detailed runbook. A generalist freelancer may deliver code, but rarely provides the production-ready monitoring and documentation required for a business-critical system.
- What kind of business is NOT a good fit for Syntora?
- Syntora is not a fit for businesses that need simple A-to-B connections, which are well-served by existing platforms. We are also not equipped for projects that require formal compliance certifications like HIPAA or SOC2. We build for small to mid-sized businesses that need production-grade engineering for a core process but do not have an in-house engineering team.
- Do you handle the cloud infrastructure setup?
- Yes. We set up all necessary resources in your own AWS account. You retain full ownership and control over the infrastructure and billing. The setup is codified using standard tools, making it reproducible and documented from day one. We provide clear instructions on how to grant us the limited access needed for the build, which can be revoked at any time.
- What does the optional monthly maintenance plan cover?
- The maintenance plan covers proactive monitoring, break-fix support, and security updates for software dependencies. It also includes a small allowance for minor logic changes, like updating a routing rule. It does not cover new feature development or integration with new systems, which are scoped as separate fixed-price projects. The goal is to ensure the system remains reliable as your other tools evolve.
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