Technology allows small businesses to be more competitive in today’s fast-paced economy, and AI is no exception. As a small business owner, AI can improve efficiency, save on costs and help your business stay competitive in times of mounting inflation. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers these tips about AI and small businesses:
Solve Problems & Safeguard Data
Tracking traffic and flight delays can help you to avoid delivery and travel issues. Monitoring floodplains can help you prepare for or avoid disaster damage. Rate optimizers can help lessen shipping costs. AI can even help you find cost-effective ways to mitigate your business’s environmental impact.
Look into security software or vendors that use AI technology. The ability to automate security functions can help security professionals process more data at a faster rate. The ability to quickly react to an attack and apply a security patch can make all the difference to your small business.
Better Business Decisions
AI can help you analyze your small business data and identify common themes. Use your client data to make better strategic decisions. Data-inclusive tools can also help you compare your business to similar businesses and find gaps you can address or advantages you can use.
Repeat Tasks
Use a voice assistant to program monthly meetings. Set calendar reminders that remind employees of important work deadlines. Sort your email into inboxes by task. Update to-do lists or restock inventory without stopping what you’re doing. AI can also be used to record and summarize your team meetings. You can also generate reusable templates that reduce time and improve communications.
Create Business Content
Get help editing photos or videos, drafting a business plan or writing job postings and blogs. AI can also use your original marketing content to develop e-commerce product descriptions, generate and schedule social media posts across multiple platforms or develop engaging content based on trending hashtags and topics. To keep your budget down, make variations you can use on different sites or over several months.
Collaborate & Brainstorm
Get ideas for a logo design that uses your company colors, or develop a marketing plan that meets your budget. If you work alone, AI can help you collaborate on business solutions. You can also use it to find problems in upcoming projects, such as hidden costs or possible financial risks.
Improve Customer Service
Add a website chatbot that can answer common questions or complete an order. Automate your phone service to route calls to the correct department. Fine-tune ads to better target your customers’ interests and needs. Write courteous, thoughtful replies to online reviews.
Keep in Mind
While AI has many benefits for the workplace, it’s important to remember that using it can assume a certain amount of risk. If you are using free AI tools or software in your small business, have another person review all AI-produced products. This step will help ensure AI is being used ethically, securely and in a manner that accurately represents your business. You may also want to consider a consultation with an attorney to make sure you are using AI in accordance with local laws and business practices. You will also want to consider:
- Intellectual property: AI sources content from the web. Ensure anything you produce doesn’t infringe on patents, copyrights or trademarks.
- Security risks: Try not to feed any sensitive data or proprietary information. This will help keep it out of the data pool that the system uses when producing content. Watch for phishing campaigns that might have been written using AI.
- Customer trust: Tools that recognize AI-generated content may mark it as spam or not generated with the recipient’s knowledge. This could create customer resistance to future outreach efforts. Ensure a person assesses all the messages and outreach campaigns AI generates.
- Ethical concerns: Monitor and review content to make sure it reflects your business’s culture and principles. While there are currently no federal or state laws that require businesses to disclose the use of AI, it is becoming an expected best practice. Consider drafting a public statement that discloses how your small business uses AI.
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