24 lessons · 360 minutes total
AI for Small & Medium Business
A structured programme for owners and managers introducing AI without wasting money or breaking trust.
Start from your processes, not from the tools. You finish with a ranked list of AI opportunities, a costed pilot, a usage policy your team will actually follow, and a way to measure whether it worked.
- Who it's for
- Owners, directors, ops and marketing leads in businesses of roughly 5–250 people.
- Format
- 24 lessons × 15 minutes · templates, policy pack and ROI calculator · optional live consultancy
Curriculum
Five modules, from business case to a measured pilot.
1 · The business case, honestly
You can tell the difference between competitive advantage and expensive theatre.
- 01
Where AI actually creates margin
15 minThe four value levers: labour hours, error rate, response speed, and revenue per customer.
- 02
What competitors are really doing
15 minSeparating press-release AI from operational AI, with sector examples.
- 03
The cost of doing nothing
15 minQuantifying drift: quote turnaround, quality inconsistency, staff churn on dull work.
- 04
Why most SME pilots fail
15 minTool-first thinking, no owner, no baseline, no adoption plan. Avoid all four.
2 · Finding the opportunities
You have a ranked, evidence-based shortlist instead of a wishlist.
- 01
Mapping your processes in 45 minutes
15 minA lightweight method for capturing how work really flows, not how the manual says it does.
- 02
Spotting AI-shaped work
15 minRepetitive, text-heavy, judgement-light, high-volume — the signature of a good candidate.
- 03
Scoring and ranking with ICE
15 minImpact, confidence, effort. Turning twenty ideas into three worth funding.
- 04
Setting your baseline
15 minMeasure before you change anything, or you'll never prove the return.
3 · Function by function
You know the proven plays in each part of the business.
- 01
Sales and quoting
15 minLead qualification, proposal drafting, CRM hygiene, follow-up sequences.
- 02
Marketing that stays on brand
15 minContent systems, repurposing, SEO briefs, and brand-voice guardrails.
- 03
Customer service and support
15 minTriage, draft-reply assist, knowledge bases, and when a human must take over.
- 04
Finance, admin and back office
15 minInvoice handling, reconciliation prep, reporting narratives, supplier chasing.
- 05
Operations and scheduling
15 minForecasting, rota drafting, documentation, and quality checks.
- 06
HR, hiring and onboarding
15 minJob specs, sifting fairly, onboarding packs — plus the legal traps in automated screening.
4 · Risk, governance and trust
You can adopt AI without a data incident or a client conversation you regret.
- 01
Your data, their servers
15 minWhat vendors do with your inputs, training opt-outs, and the questions to ask in procurement.
- 02
GDPR and confidentiality in practice
15 minLawful basis, DPIAs when needed, client contracts and subprocessor clauses — in plain terms.
- 03
Writing an AI usage policy
15 minA one-page policy staff will read, with approved tools, red lines and escalation.
- 04
Human-in-the-loop by design
15 minDeciding which outputs need sign-off, and recording that they got it.
- 05
Vendor and lock-in risk
15 minPricing changes, shutdowns, model swaps, and keeping your data portable.
5 · Running the pilot
One change is live, adopted, and measured.
- 01
Scoping a 30-day pilot
15 minNarrow scope, named owner, success threshold agreed before you start.
- 02
Buy, configure or build
15 minA decision tree covering off-the-shelf tools, automation platforms and custom work.
- 03
Bringing the team with you
15 minAddressing job-loss fear directly, choosing champions, training in short bursts.
- 04
Measuring ROI credibly
15 minHours, error rate, cycle time and cost per unit — with the included calculator.
- 05
Scaling or stopping
15 minKill criteria, rollout sequencing, and building the 12-month roadmap.
Start with your whole team.
Team licences from £2,900 (up to 15 seats). Everyone new to AI can begin with AI Without the Jargon while leads take this programme.