Like a lot of business owners, you've probably started playing with AI. Maybe you've used it to draft an email or summarise a document, or wondered whether it could take care of some of the admin.
You may also have wondered whether your bookkeeper is the right person to ask. After all, if AI does more of the work, they'll be doing less of it.
That's a fair thing to wonder. Here's how I see it.
Doing the best for you comes first
My guiding and core principle has always been to do the best for the client. That hasn't changed with AI.
Hanging on to work for the sake of it can't fit with that. If there's a better way for you to get something done, you deserve to know about it - and I'd rather you heard it from us.
Trying AI isn't the same as having it work
Here's what I'm seeing. Lots of businesses are trying AI. Far fewer have the time to sort it out and get it working effectively.
It's exactly the same as implementing new software. Anyone can do it, but you have to spend the time - setting it up properly, testing it, and fixing what doesn't work. When you're running a business, that time is hard to find.
That's where we come in. Our value is in being able to guide you through it.
AI needs to know your processes, in detail
To get AI working well, you have to guide it with the specifics of what your processes actually are. Not roughly - in detail. Who does what, in what order, and what happens when something doesn't fit.
That's often where businesses get stuck. Processes have grown over time, they live in people's heads, or they change depending on who's doing them that week. That's very normal.
Your bookkeeper sees those processes every day. We know where your invoices come from, how bills get approved, and where things fall over at month end. So we're well placed to help you get them clear and consistent, so AI can actually follow them.
Walking alongside you
We're not here to hand you a system and walk away. We'd rather walk alongside you on your AI journey - working out where it can help, getting your processes ready, and supporting you and your team as things change.
I now spend a good proportion of my day working in AI rather than jumping between apps. It's taken away a lot of the onerous parts of my work and left more time for the higher-level thinking. That's what AI has the potential to do for your business too.
As always, we work on a loose scope and an hourly rate, so you only pay for the help you actually use.
If you've been playing with AI and would like a hand getting it working, get in touch.