How to make AI work for your business: A quick 7-step guideline

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool for small businesses, helping to automate tasks, boost customer satisfaction, and drive faster growth. Curious to see what AI can do for your company? Check out our 7-step guide to make AI part of your operations.

AI helps businesses run more smoothly in many ways. It makes companies more flexible, so they can quickly adjust to changes in the market. By automating repetitive tasks, AI also speeds things up, helping teams make decisions faster and deliver results more quickly. This automation makes it easier to scale, as AI can handle more work without losing quality. When it comes to decision-making, AI provides useful data and insights that help teams make smarter choices faster. Plus, it improves personalisation by analysing customer data to create more tailored experiences.

But AI isn’t a plug and play technology. To get the most out of it, you need a clear plan. That means setting clear goals, choosing the right tools, and understanding how to use AI effectively. Here’s a quick 7-step guide to help you bring AI into your business: 

1. Identify key areas for AI integration

Start by finding areas where AI can make the biggest impact. For example, AI can speed up slow and cumbersome processes, like Uber’s use of it to match riders with drivers in real-time, cut wait times, and optimise routes. 

Businesses that place a premium on personalisation, like Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify, rely on AI to analyse customer behavior and suggest products or content that match individual preferences. AI also helps with decision-making by quickly sifting through huge amounts of data to spot trends and patterns that humans might miss. For example, retailers like Target and Walmart use it to predict inventory needs and streamine their supply chains.

2. Set clear objectives

Once you’ve pinpointed areas for improvement, proceed with setting clear goals for your AI implementation using the 'SMART' framework: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of just aiming to 'improve efficiency', try setting a goal like 'reduce customer service response time by 30% within 6 months using AI chatbots for initial inquiries.'

After setting your goals, monitor your progress regularly. Break your main objective into smaller, manageable steps. For example, if you’re working on speeding up response times, check weekly how much faster they are. Track customer satisfaction and how well AI handles common questions to spot any areas that need adjustments, keeping your AI on track to hit your goals.

3. Redesign operations for AI

To get the most out of AI, rethink your workflows. Simply adding AI to a clunky process won’t help much; instead, use it to speed up decision-making and improve operations, while leaving tasks that require emotional intelligence or creativity to humans. Take Siemens, for example: they use AI to match candidates to jobs based on skills, but people still handle interviews and make the final hiring decisions. Similarly, AI chatbots like Zendesk can manage up to 70% of routine customer service requests, freeing up teams to focus on more complex issues that need a human touch.

Another key aspect is gathering feedback. After implementing AI, regularly check with your team and customers to see how well it’s working. For instance, if you’re using AI to personalise marketing, ask customers if they find the suggestions relevant. This feedback can offer valuable insights and help you improve your AI systems.

4. Choose the right AI tools 

Once you’ve redesigned your processes to integrate AI, the next step is choosing the right tools. Start by selecting tools that align with your goals. For example, if you want to improve customer interactions, Intercom’s AI chatbots can help manage queries and provide personalised support.

Next, decide if you need off-the-shelf tools or custom solutions. Ready-made options, like Mailchimp for email automation or Salesforce for customer relationship management, are easy to set up and work for common needs. But if you have more specific requirements, like a custom inventory system, a tailor-made AI tool might be a better fit. 

Lastly, make sure the AI tools you choose work well with your current systems and can scale with your business. HubSpot’s AI tools, for example, integrate easily with various platforms, making growth simpler.

5. Pilot and scale gradually

Before rolling out AI across your entire business, start by testing it in one area. For instance, you could implement an AI chatbot to handle customer questions on your website. This allows you to experiment with AI without committing too many resources upfront. 

Once your pilot project is live, monitor its performance. Track data to see if it’s meeting your goals, like faster response times or improved customer satisfaction. Use this feedback to refine the AI, such as tweaking chatbot responses or improving algorithms for better answers to customer inquiries.

If the pilot is successful, gradually expand the AI tool to other areas of your business. Begin by applying it to similar tasks or departments. For example, if the chatbot performs well on your website, consider using it for social media customer support next. Keep monitoring and adjusting as you scale to ensure consistent performance and improvements.

6. Train and engage employees 

Your AI’s success hinges on the people behind it. Start by building a strong team that includes AI specialists to develop and fine-tune models, IT experts to ensure smooth integration, business analysts to identify AI opportunities, and project managers to keep everything on track.

Encourage your staff to embrace AI by showing them how it can improve their daily tasks. For example, if AI automates tasks like data entry, explain how this will give them more time for creative and meaningful activities. Involve employees in the AI process by asking for their ideas on areas where AI can help. Be sure to give training that fits each member’s role and offer ongoing support as they adjust. For example, companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft invest in AI training for their employees, helping them make the most of the latest tools. This not only improves their skills but also creates a culture of learning and innovation.

7. Work with a trusted partner 

Partnering with an AI expert or vendor can make your AI integration easier and faster. First, think about what you need. For example, if you’re looking to improve customer service, decide if a custom chatbot or a ready-made solution fits your goals better. 

Next, look for a partner with the right experience and a solid track record. Check out vendors who have case studies relevant to your industry to see how they’ve succeeded in the past. Once you’ve picked a partner, set clear goals, deadlines, and ways to measure success. Keep communication open with regular updates and feedback to ensure the AI solution meets your expectations.

The Enterprise Europe Network is here to help you every step of the way with your AI integration. Our business advisers can connect you with top AI experts, including during brokerage events like the Applied AI Conference and the DEICy 2024 Digital Economy, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity 2024. For example, we helped Phytowelt Green Technologies in Germany partner with an AI provider in the Netherlands to create a new bio-fermentation product for food and beauty. We can also guide you in choosing the best AI tools and securing funding, just like we did for My Shoefinder, a small company developing an AI tool for digital shoe sizing. Plus, we keep you in the loop on the latest AI technologies and innovations. Ready to get started? Reach out to your local Network contact point today!