Insight

Most small businesses do not have an AI problem. They have a bookkeeping problem, a customer enquiry problem, or a quoting problem, and someone has suggested AI might fix it. A good consultant starts there. Here is what to look for when you are deciding who to bring in:

• They start with your business, not with tools. The first conversation should be about what is slow, expensive or error-prone in how you operate. If it opens with a product demo, they have already decided what to sell you.
• They can tell you when AI is the wrong answer. Ask them directly for an example where they advised a client not to use AI. Anyone who cannot answer is selling, not consulting.
• They have built and run something, not just advised on it. Ask to see a working system they delivered and what it costs the client to run today. A strategy deck is easy to produce. A tool that still works six months later is not.
• They explain where your data goes in plain language. Which vendor sees your customer records, what happens if that vendor changes its pricing or terms, and whether there are options that keep the data with you. If the answer is vague, assume the worst.
• They quote running costs, not just build costs. API usage, subscriptions, and the maintenance needed when a model changes or gets retired. Most small business AI projects fail on the ongoing bill nobody mentioned.
• They propose a small, fixed piece of work first. One clear outcome, a defined scope, and a price. An open retainer to "explore AI" is a good deal for the consultant and rarely for you.
• They are clear about who owns what at the end. Prompts, workflows, integrations and the accounts they sit in. Too many small businesses find the automation lives in a consultant's personal login after the engagement ends.
• They know more than one platform. A consultant who only knows ChatGPT, or who resells one vendor's product, will recommend that regardless of fit. Ask what else they considered and why they ruled it out.

None of this means you need a large firm or a long engagement. Some of the best outcomes we have seen come from a few days of honest consulting that ends with "do this one thing, and do not bother with the rest". The point is to hire someone who will give you that answer even when it means less work for them.

Still have questions? Give us a call, book a quick meeting, or send us a message to understand more without any pushy sales tactics.