The verdict in three sentences
In Mbour, Saly and along the Petite Côte, much office work remains repetitive: confirming a booking, chasing a deposit, copying a quote, updating a spreadsheet. No-code tools such as Make, Zapier, Google Sheets and an AI assistant can automate these tasks for 0 to 20 USD a month. Learning to connect them properly takes about 20 hours and can free up 5 to 10 hours a week, or even become a service billed to local SMEs.
The tasks that cost the most time in Mbour and Saly
| Repetitive task | Typical sector | Time lost per week (estimate) | Possible automation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirming bookings and sending access info | Hotels, residences, lodges | 2 to 3 h | Automatic form, email and WhatsApp message |
| Chasing unpaid deposits | Hotels, excursion agencies | 1 to 2 h | Scheduled reminder based on arrival date |
| Writing similar quotes | Agencies, caterers, craftsmen | 2 to 4 h | Template filled by AI from a form |
| Entering supplier invoices | Accountants, firms | 2 to 3 h | AI extraction into Google Sheets |
| Answering the same client questions | All sectors | 1 to 3 h | Quick replies and a reviewed AI assistant |
| Preparing the weekly update | Managers, assistants | 1 h | Self-updating dashboard |
These durations are orders of magnitude observed in small businesses. Added together, they often exceed one working day a week.
What it really costs
| Item | 2026 cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets, Gmail, Forms | 0 FCFA | Enough to start |
| Make, free plan | 0 FCFA | About 1,000 operations a month |
| Make or Zapier, entry paid plan | 9 to 20 USD/month, i.e. 5,500 to 12,500 FCFA | For regular volumes |
| Paid AI assistant | 0 to 20 USD/month | The free version is often enough at first |
| Kolonell "Automate your work with AI" course | 100,000 FCFA, 20 h | Level 4 of the AI track |
| Artificial intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From AI basics to automation |
| Automation service for an SME | 150,000 to 500,000 FCFA | What freelancers charge |
The course Automate your work with AI, without writing code is level 4, intermediate, of the Artificial intelligence track. It is taught in French. It shows how to build custom assistants, connect Google Sheets, Gmail, forms and WhatsApp Business with Make or Zapier, document each process and check that it stays secure. The final project: one complete process of your business automated end to end, plus a portfolio of 8 automations. If you do not yet use AI daily, start with the earlier levels of the track.
What you can sell afterwards
| Service for a Petite Côte SME | Observed price (2026 order of magnitude) | Setup time |
|---|---|---|
| Booking form linked to a sheet and an email | 150,000 to 200,000 FCFA | 1 to 2 days |
| Automatic deposit reminders | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA | 2 days |
| AI-generated quotes from a form | 200,000 to 350,000 FCFA | 2 to 3 days |
| Automatic weekly dashboard | 200,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 2 days |
| Full booking, payment and follow-up process | 350,000 to 500,000 FCFA | 4 to 6 days |
Mini case study
Fatou, 31, is an administrative assistant at a 24-room hotel residence in Saly. She spends about 8 hours a week confirming bookings, chasing deposits and updating a spreadsheet. After the 100,000 FCFA course, she sets up a form linked to Google Sheets, confirmation emails and deposit reminders with the free version of Make. She saves 6 hours a week, about 24 hours a month. Based on her 250,000 FCFA monthly salary for 173 hours, that time is worth nearly 35,000 FCFA a month: the course pays for itself in under 3 months, and a single service sold to another hotel at 150,000 FCFA repays it even faster. This calculation is an estimate.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Everything is done with visual tools: you connect blocks together. You do need to be comfortable with Google Sheets and an AI assistant, which the earlier levels of the track cover.
Are the tools paid?
You can start at 0 FCFA with free plans. For regular professional use, allow 9 to 20 USD a month, about 5,500 to 12,500 FCFA.
Is my client data safe?
The course includes a security part: separate accounts, limited access, no sensitive data sent to AI unless necessary. Senegal's law 2008-12 on personal data applies to your client files.
How long does it take to finish?
The 20 hours take 4 to 5 weeks at 4 to 5 hours a week, online from Mbour or anywhere else.
How do I pay?
The 100,000 FCFA enrolment is paid with Wave or Orange Money. The full track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA.
Take the next step. Enroll in Automate your work with AI, without writing code: 20 h online, 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), Kolonell Academy certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
