Small businesses are turning to artificial intelligence to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and improve customer engagement across various operational areas. JUSTICE OKAMGBA writes
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for tech giants; today, small businesses are increasingly adopting AI tools to streamline operations, cut costs, and enhance productivity.
According to industry experts, AI solutions are transforming how businesses approach customer service, workflow automation, predictive analytics, and more. They say the right AI tools, tailored to a business’s specific needs, can significantly boost operational efficiency.
Research by McKinsey & Company estimates that AI could contribute up to $4.4tn in productivity gains across global industries. This estimate, experts note, is based on the adoption of AI technologies that automate routine tasks, enhance decision-making, and improve workflows.
A report on global trends revealed that the AI productivity tools market, valued at $6.95bn in 2023, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.7 per cent through 2030. The report indicated that AI is helping businesses automate operations, reduce labor costs, and enable teams to do more in less time.
Customer support and engagement
Head of Marketing at SkyTechBPO, Jack Dorsey, said virtual assistants powered by AI, such as chatbots, can handle repetitive tasks and deliver immediate customer support.
He explained that they streamline customer service operations, schedule appointments, provide real-time information, and free up human agents to focus on complex issues.
SME Advisor Rajiv Bakshi also highlighted that AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants enable 24/7 customer interaction, increasing satisfaction while reducing the workload for service teams.
Technology analyst Daryl Mcgowanan pointed to tools like Answer Bot by Zendesk, which automates replies to frequent customer inquiries, and Amy by x.ai, which assists with meeting scheduling and reminders.
AI software specialist Dawood said ChatGPT has helped him automate responses to customer emails and queries, noting that it has saved him over three hours daily.
Workflow automation and task management
Dorsey emphasised the value of workflow automation tools in streamlining tasks such as data entry, document handling, and approval processes.
“These tools reduce human error, save time, and enhance operations,” he stated.
Bakshi identified robotic process automation as a crucial technology for businesses, allowing them to offload manual processes and focus on more strategic initiatives.
He added that tools like process mining help businesses visualise and analyse workflows to spot inefficiencies and make improvements.
Dawood cited Zapier as one of his most effective tools, explaining that it helps him automate repetitive tasks like transferring information between apps or triggering follow-up emails.
He described it as a solution that enables small business owners to build complex workflows without coding skills.
Mcgowanan said, “UiPath is a widely used RPA tool that allows businesses to automate routine processes and reduce the chance of error.”
Predictive analytics and business intelligence
Dorsey noted that predictive analytics tools can analyse large datasets to forecast outcomes and identify trends.
He said this can help businesses make better decisions, optimise resources, and discover patterns that lead to higher productivity.
Bakshi described predictive analytics as a key element in anticipating market behaviour and customer needs.
He said businesses leveraging these tools are able to plan more effectively and respond faster to changes.
Mcgowanan identified Salesforce Einstein as one such tool that helps automate processes and improve decision-making through AI-powered analytics.
Natural language processing and content creation
According to Dorsey, natural language processing tools have grown in popularity for tasks such as text summarisation, sentiment analysis, and translation.
He explained that NLP improves content creation and customer communication by making it easier to understand and process language-based data.
“NLP is especially helpful in analysing unstructured information from sources like social media or customer reviews, allowing businesses to gain insights into how their customers think and feel.”
Dawood shared that he uses ChatGPT and Jasper AI regularly for content writing.
He said these tools have helped him draft social media posts, email newsletters, and blog content in a fraction of the time it used to take. Jasper, in particular, he said, has been useful for creating marketing and sales copy that performs well.
Daryl McGowan also noted that Grammarly, an AI-powered writing assistant, supports businesses in producing clear, grammatically correct content.
Sales, marketing, and personalisation
According to Dorsey, AI-powered personalisation tools have the ability to analyse customer behaviour and deliver tailored recommendations, offers, and messages that increase sales efficiency and marketing performance.
Dawood said Copy.ai helps him generate product descriptions and ad copy quickly, noting that the tool has significantly improved the quality and quantity of his marketing materials.
McGowan added that Hootsuite Insights helps businesses track and analyse their social media performance, offering real-time data to shape effective campaigns.
Data analytics and visualisation
AI-powered analytics tools allow businesses to turn raw data into actionable insights. Dorsey said this class of tools supports decision-making by providing easy-to-understand reports and visualizations of key business trends.
He explained that such insights help managers adapt quickly and increase performance in various departments.
Bakshi said businesses that integrate machine learning with analytics can uncover trends that are otherwise difficult to detect, leading to better forecasting and operational efficiency.
Cybersecurity and risk management
Dorsey highlighted that AI-based cybersecurity tools are becoming essential for protecting businesses from evolving threats. He said these tools are capable of detecting vulnerabilities and responding to incidents in real time, minimizing potential disruptions to operations.
Image and video recognition
Bakshi mentioned that image and video recognition tools can be used in manufacturing to support quality control.
“These technologies reduce human error by automatically identifying defects or inconsistencies during production.”
Dawood shared that Pictory AI has helped him convert text into short videos, which has been particularly useful for content marketing.
He explained that video editing, which previously took hours, now takes only minutes.
