“I just want a straight answer about AI, without the hype or a sales pitch at the end.”
AI and automation guides for small businesses
Plain-English guides for UK small businesses, each starting with an answer you can use this week.
Straight answers to the questions local business owners ask me most, about AI tools, customer data and automation. Each one is short, practical and aimed at saving you time without putting your data at risk.
All guides
AI for accountants: practical, safe uses in a small practice
AI for accountants in a small UK practice: record chasing, document capture, client emails and meeting notes, kept confidential and checked by a person.
Read the guideSector guides · 12 min readAI in hospitality: what's actually useful for an independent café, pub or B&B?
AI in hospitality for independent cafés, restaurants, pubs and B&Bs: low-risk uses for bookings, reviews, rotas and menus, and what must stay human.
Read the guideData and safety · 13 min readAI policy template for UK small businesses: one page, plain English
A free, one-page AI policy template for UK small businesses whose staff already use ChatGPT or Copilot. Plain English, built on ICO and Acas guidance.
Read the guideAutomation · 13 min readAI receptionist in the UK: what can it really do for a small business?
Thinking about an AI receptionist in the UK? What it can and can't do, telling callers, UK GDPR, handing over to a person, and a neutral checklist.
Read the guideMoney and admin · 12 min readChasing unpaid invoices: late payment interest and automatic reminders
Chasing unpaid invoices from other businesses? How statutory late payment interest works, a worked example and a polite reminder routine for Xero or QuickBooks.
Read the guideAI tools · 12 min readCopilot vs ChatGPT: which should a small business pay for?
Copilot vs ChatGPT for a UK small business: what each one is, where it works, how the business plans protect your data, and a simple way to choose.
Read the guideData and safety · 12 min readIs ChatGPT safe for business? A UK guide to customer data
Is ChatGPT safe for business? A plain UK guide to UK GDPR, personal vs business accounts, what staff should never paste in, and when you need a DPIA.
Read the guideAutomation · 14 min read12 Power Automate examples for small businesses on Microsoft 365
12 Power Automate examples for a small business on Microsoft 365, each set out as trigger and actions in plain English, with the licence each one needs.
Read the guideGetting started · 12 min readSmall business automation: what to automate first, and what to leave alone
Small business automation without the overwhelm: score what to automate first, 18 ideas by area, what to leave alone and how to measure the time saved.
Read the guideAutomation · 11 min readZapier vs Make vs Power Automate: which should a small business use?
Zapier vs Make compared in plain English for UK small businesses: how each works and charges, where your data is stored, and when Power Automate fits better.
Read the guideMost of what's written about AI isn't written for you
If you've tried to read up on AI, you've probably thought one of these.
“Every article I find ends with a sales pitch.”
“Half of it is American and doesn't apply here.”
“I don't know which tools are safe with customer data.”
“I haven't got time to read 5,000 words.”
These guides are written for UK businesses, under UK rules. The facts are checked against official sources, such as the ICO, GOV.UK and the software makers' own help pages.
Where should a small business start with AI?
Start with one job that eats your time every week, not with a tool. Pick something repetitive, like enquiries, quotes or chasing invoices. Try a simple fix with software you already pay for, set clear rules on customer data, and measure the hours saved before you add anything else.
If you'd like help finding that first job, the AI readiness assessment maps where your week goes. Or see all my AI and automation services.
Rather talk it through?
Book a free 30-minute call. No jargon and no hard sell. Tell me what's eating your time and I'll tell you honestly what I'd do about it.