Several years ago, I wrote a blog post about my kids putting Viagra on our shopping list. Yes, this is true. My kids actually managed it.
At the time we purchased an Echo Dot which was fairly new in the market and my children were very excited by the various features.
When a friend had come to visit, I was showing her this new technology and asked our device to repeat back what was on our shopping list.
“You have five items on your shopping list” It said.
- Washing up liquid.
- Toilet rolls.
- A dog. (The one with the waggly tail)
- Viagra.
- ………
I never heard number 5 to be honest, as you can imagine my surprise.
I was alarmed at how it had actually managed to get on there!
Looking back, I can see how the kids’ speech was not as developed as it is now. Not to mention, that AI was not as developed with speech recognition.
So why am I telling you this?
Because this experience reminds me that AI is just that: artificial intelligence.
Sure, robots are intelligent, but not infallible. And a lot of time the information it provides needs to be reviewed by a human before you can trust it completely. In my case, it was clear that the human factor (my kids) played a major role in the unexpected outcome.
I like cooking and at the time, I would throw words at the dot for our shopping list. This worked well BUT I never had the confidence to add this directly to my shopping list. Imagine the horror had things just arrived at home? Not to mention the expense if it was something that you didn’t need at all.
Fast forward to today, and I’m still using AI in my daily life, although I’ve learned to be a bit more cautious. I still use voice commands to add items to our shopping list, and it is now connected to our shopping account, but I always review the list before pressing the final ‘shopping complete’ button.
This cautious approach is key when you’re starting to integrate AI into your business processes as well.
If you’re hesitant about using AI in your business (like I was!), my advice is to start small. Choose a task you’re comfortable with and gradually expand from there. AI can be a powerful tool, but like any tool, it’s most effective when used correctly and with confidence.
Where can you use AI in your business?
AI is no longer the futuristic concept it once was; it’s here, and it’s practical for businesses of all sizes. Below are some areas where AI can significantly streamline your operations and save you valuable time.
1. Automating your accounting processes
One of the most time-consuming tasks in any business is managing finances, so this is an area where AI can make a big difference. For example, AI can automate the process of inputting purchase invoices into your accounting system, drastically reducing manual data entry and the potential for errors.
If this is your first adventure in this area, the first steps I would take are:
- Set up an app that you are happy with: Choose an app that integrates well with your accounting system and one that provides support (we recommend hubdoc!).
- Capture your invoices: Take photos of your invoices and/or receipts, or use a forwarding address to send them directly to the app.
- Manual setup for the first time: Initially, manually enter the details as you normally would. This helps the AI learn the correct entries and categories.
- Switch to auto sync: When you’re happy with this, switch on auto sync, but have the system publish to drafts first.
- Review drafts: Regularly check these drafts to ensure everything is being processed correctly (just like I do with my shopping lists!).
- Full automation: Once you’re confident in the process (1 to 5 above), switch off the draft function so all invoices are processed directly into your accountin system.
2. Enhancing marketing efforts
AI isn’t just for numbers; it’s also a great tool for marketing. For example, AI can take a blog post or document and repurpose the content for different social media platforms. This not only saves time but also ensures your message reaches a broader audience without additional effort on your part.
3. Streamlining communication
Email can be a time drain, especially when you’re sorting through general conversation to find actionable items – so this is another area where you can benefit from automation. For example, AI can help by summarising emails, highlighting key points, and flagging important tasks, freeing you up to focus on what matters most.
Make AI work for you
The key to successfully integrating AI into your business is to start by identifying where you spend the most time. This could be anything from data entry to customer communication and if you focus on automating these tasks, that will free up significant chunks of your schedule.
It really is as simple as that and not too scary! Especially since we are there to help you navigate the world of tech.
Seriously. Part of our role is to sit down with you, discuss your challenges, and recommend solutions that will genuinely benefit your business. Not only that, but we combine the power of AI with our expertise to ensure that the apps you implement work efficiently, without causing additional headaches down the road.
And speaking of headaches, I think I need to add some pain relief to my shopping list—just in case. “Alexa…!”
Want to find out more? Contact us at [email protected].
