There's an AI tool for that

Four years ago, I wrote a blog post outlining my take on small business software solutions. Forbes published an interesting article about this a few months ago, including a helpful list of "A few tools to try."

As Forbes notes, a recent report from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council indicates that 67% of small businesses they surveyed anticipate using AI in their business in the next three years. Further, as you've undoubtably noticed, software companies are rapidly adding AI to their offerings.  

Revisiting my prior post about software solutions for small businesses, many of my suggestions are similar:

  • It is easy to sign up for too much software, thinking that it will be the fix that you need. Remember that even if a software application meets a business need, you still have to figure out how to use it, fit it into your current processes, and continually invest time and money into it. This is your reminder not to go for the shininess factor. Assess your needs and options. 



Artificial Intelligence presents an amazing opportunity for efficiency in your business, but before implementing solutions, I believe it is vital to assess what implications it has for your company culture, your employee satisfaction, and the nature of your internal operations.

Another similar concern holds with software automation in general:

  • When you choose AI, are you throwing out important human aspects of your offerings and operations, or are you enhancing them? 
  • Are your choices to use AI in line with your company's values and mission?

Excelling during these transformative times in technology:

You may consider running a poll among your employees (if you have them) to identify areas where AI could be of use to your internal operations or your product offerings. I almost always recommend involving employees in what the future of your business looks like. All the while, you, as the leader of your business, must be a cornerstone of business values and culture. 

At Operate Well, I pride myself on helping clients take a holistic look at where their business is headed and how technology can best support them to succeed in the short term and the long run. 

If you are interested in booking a consultation about how AI can help you and what that looks like in the big scheme of things for your business, please click here. You can also find out more about my services at https://www.operatewell.com/software-solutions.

Cheers,
Marissa Mosunich
info@operatewell.com
www.operatewell.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catching up with Operate Well

In the winter of 2020/2021, I launched Operate Well Consulting to help make small business owners’ lives easier. Throughout 2021, I learned a ton and was privileged to meet and work with many entrepreneurs, consultants, and small business owners. While my LLC remained active between 2022 and 2023, I took a hiatus from working with my clients while focusing on gaining experience at a firm, LTD Global. This opportunity was incredibly beneficial for my professional learning. As Program Manager, I gained more project management experience, worked with larger organizations, especially non-profit organizations, and learned more about integral aspects of operations, including accounting, billing, forecasting, and customer success management. I am grateful for all I learned at LTD Global and the opportunity to contribute to a team. In August of this year, I had the opportunity to return to school - this time for an online Master of Arts in Organizational Development and Leadership with Fieldin...
Read more

Considering Consultants

We’ve all had guides in our lives - people who have steered us in the right direction or perhaps the wrong direction.  As you reflect on those guides, what comes to mind? When were those people most helpful, and when were they not?  Things like, “They taught me how to fish,” “They encouraged me to think critically,” or “They lead by example” might come to mind. Perhaps you can also think of a few people who gave you advice that was not helpful or even harmful.  What did you find worked for you? What didn’t?  Now consider people whom a company may have hired as consultants. What struck you as the most impactful moments with these professionals? For some, a well-crafted PowerPoint presentation might come to mind, but looking deeper, why did that PowerPoint presentation make such a difference? Perhaps it captured the essence of an issue that you have been trying to solve, in a way that others have not. Or perhaps it spoke to a clearer path forward that led you and your ...
Read more