It's perfectly reasonable for small business owners to feel cautious about embracing AI. With the daily demands of managing customers, finances and operations, finding time to investigate new technology can seem overwhelming.
However, many AI solutions have been created specifically to streamline these very tasks, potentially making the day-to-day running of a small business easier and more efficient.
From helping to manage customer relationships to automating repetitive admin tasks, improving marketing campaigns or detecting cyber threats, AI can act like a digital assistant that works around the clock.
Whether you’re a consultant, designer, tradesperson or online retailer, AI can help you achieve more with less effort – and often, less cost.
Why AI knowledge is so important for small businesses
While AI brings opportunity, ignoring it can carry real risks, with potential consequences for those that are slow to adapt:
Missed customer insights
AI tools can analyse customer behaviour and feedback at scale in ways that humans simply can’t. Without these insights, it’s more difficult to make smart, data-driven decisions.
Reduced productivity
Everyday tools like chatbots, scheduling assistants and automated invoicing can save teams hours each week. Without them, valuable time can be lost to repetitive tasks, which could have been spent more productively elsewhere.
Increased security risks
AI-powered cybersecurity tools detect and respond to threats in real time. Without them, small businesses are more exposed to phishing and data breaches.
Skills gap for the future
As AI becomes a part of everyday business, digital confidence will define success. Teams that don’t understand AI may find it harder to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.
How Vodafone is using AI to improve customer experience
Vodafone has enhanced its customer service by integrating Microsoft’s Copilot and generative AI through two main channels: an improved AI chatbot for customers and an intelligent assistant for agents.
The upgraded SuperTOBi chatbot, powered by Azure OpenAI, provides faster and more accurate natural responses, handling millions of queries and handing over complex cases to human agents with helpful summaries.
For staff, the SuperAgent tool provides quick access to information and supports quality assurance by assessing interactions for compliance and training needs. In turn, showing how a balanced ‘co-piloting’ model can get the best from both humans and technology.
These AI tools have led to higher first-time resolution rates, improved customer satisfaction and retention and increased productivity. What’s more, they will continue to form a significant part of Vodafone’s strategic partnership with Microsoft over the next decade.
AI Divide: Just 13% of Brits hit top scores in first nationwide AIQ review
Launched by Vodafone as part of Get Online Week, the new ‘AIQ’ quiz and research reveal a burgeoning AI skills gap.
Test your knowledge with Vodafone’s AIQ Quiz
To help you get started, Vodafone has launched the AIQ Quiz. By gauging your team’s grasp of AI topics, it will better assess their confidence and understanding of AI, while seeing how they score against the national average.
Once you’ve taken the AIQ quiz, we recommend visiting the V-Hub by Vodafone for free resources on topics like AI, cybersecurity and digital marketing. It’s a space built to help small businesses feel more confident about using technology.
You can also explore business.connected, a partnership between Vodafone Business and Enterprise Nation, offering free online training courses, webinars and mentoring to help small business owners sharpen their digital skills.
This includes the new business.connected podcast, which reveals how some of today’s top entrepreneurs are using AI to benefit their own businesses.
Together, these platforms offer a simple way to move from ‘AI curious’ to ‘AI capable’. In turn, you can start using smart tools that make your business more productive, secure and competitive.
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