How To Put AI To Work In Your Business

Previously deemed a complicated and expensive technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more accessible to small businesses than ever before through easy-to-use programs like ChatGPT and Midjourney. For small business, AI has the potential to level the competitive playing field with larger corporations by optimizing business operations, improving customer engagement, and streamlining marketing campaigns.

According to Asana’s Anatomy of Work Index, employees spend 10% of their week on repetitive tasks, which equates to approximately four hours and 38 minutes per week and over 200 hours per year. It’s clear that AI technology is a game changer for small businesses chasing more efficient processes.

Here are 4 ways you can make AI work in your business

1. Enhancing Operational Efficiency – AI-powered tools can automate routine administration tasks such as data entry, inventory management and rostering. Allowing AI to handle these repetitive tasks can provide more free time to focus on more in-depth business operations. This can help boost productivity within your business and also reduces the risk of errors, leading to more efficient operations.
2. Marketing and Content Creation – Generative AI (GenAI) has significantly transformed the way in which businesses can handle their marketing operations. It can be a very useful tool in creating content for websites, social media, and even marketing campaigns. GenAI can assist in the creation of blog posts, social media plans and post updates, and ad copy, keeping it unique and engaging. AI can also be used to analyse customer data to identify trends and preferences, providing a useful tool in targeted marketing campaigns.
3. Improved Customer Service – Have you ever had a customer email just to ask if you have a particular item in stock? AI-powered chat bots can be added to websites, providing customers 24/7 access to simple enquries. This can be useful as it frees up human staff members to handle more complex customer issues in a timely manner. Chatbots can be programmed to provide personalised answers based on customer data too, contributing to a more satisfying experience.
4. Personalised Customer Experience – Personalised experience is a key factor in building strong customer relationships. Similar in the way Netflix recommends shows based on what users have watched previously, AI can be utilised in businesses to recommend products and services based on previous purchase history or website journey data. Additionally, as we mentioned previously, it is very useful for targeted marketing campaigns, customizing marketing messages to individual customers based on previous interactions they’ve had with the business.

Do you want to explore how AI can be effectively integrated into your business? Join us for our upcoming workshop, “AI Unlocked: Transforming Small Businesses with Generative AI.” This interactive workshop will provide practical tools and strategies to enhance your operational efficiency, marketing, customer engagement, and overall profitability. Register here.

Delivered by Business Foundations as part of the Digital Solutions program.