How Can SMBs Leverage AI Tools Without Being Overwhelmed?
To stay competitive SMBs will need to adopt AI tools but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed given the speed that the technology is advancing, the number of AI tools that are being released every week, and all of the hype around AI. A strategic and phased approach to implementing these technologies ensuring they provide real value can minimize business disruption. Here are some strategies to follow:
Identify business priorities through an internal needs assessment: This includes reviewing your organization's current practices, workflows, and job roles. Identify areas where AI could be integrated to enhance efficiency, productivity, and decision-making. Additionally, identify the potential impact of AI on an organization's employees and culture, highlighting any areas of concern, or policies that need to be addressed. This can be done through an internal working group, and/or with the assistance of consultants.
Develop a phased implementation plan. Start small and scale up: Don't try to implement AI in all aspects of your business at once. Instead, choose one or two areas to pilot AI tools and learn from the experience. This will help you understand the benefits and limitations of AI in the context of your business, and allow you to make any necessary adjustments before integrating AI tools into critical workflows.
Identify and empower internal champions: Identify one or more employees to have a curiosity about AI and an aptitude for using software systems. Task them with overseeing the adoption of AI tools, invest in their training, and position them as a resource for the rest of the staff. There are online courses on how to leverage AI provided by institutions like MIT that can help with training.
Invest in training for everyone: This may involve providing training courses, workshops, or online resources. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and safe experimentation. Online tutorials on prompting AI systems are a good place to start.
Choose the right tools: Evaluate different AI tools and vendors based on factors such as ease of use, scalability, cost, how established the provider is, and compatibility with your existing systems and workflows. Most AI tools aren’t ready yet as they’re still in their beta or testing phases. Trying them out in non-critical workflows, or as a side resource in critical workflows, will prepare you for when they are ready.
Collaborate with AI experts: Consider partnering with AI consultants or service providers who can help you design, implement, and optimize AI solutions for your business. This can reduce the risk of failure and provide valuable insights into best practices.
Monitor progress and adjust: Regularly review the performance of your AI tools and the impact they're having on your business. Be prepared to make adjustments, as needed, to ensure that your AI initiatives are driving the desired results.
Focus on data quality: Good data is essential for the success of AI initiatives. Invest in tools and processes to ensure that your data is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. This will enable your AI tools to deliver more accurate and actionable insights.
No matter how you cut it, the next few years are going to be very interesting and stressful at times as organizations figure out how to effectively leverage AI tools to stay competitive without being overwhelmed. The key is to adopt a strategic, focused approach and ensure that your employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to make the most of AI. There is a lot of anxiety out there around job losses and job changes related to AI. Having frank and open discussions with your team as things evolve can reduce friction while keeping people productive. Whatever you do with AI tools, always keep the value that you provide to your customers as the main thing. It’s what led to you having a successful business and it’s what will keep your business successful through the transition to an AI-enabled world.
