Alright, let’s talk AI. I’d never sit here and claim that artificial intelligence is going to revolutionise your business overnight, but what I would say is that if you’re after a tech solution that plays nice with your existing systems while delivering serious operational grunt, you can trust AI to produce a pretty positive outcome.
But what can AI actually do for businesses, aside from produce a few silly text outputs and some less-than-ideal visuals? Large scale artificial intelligence has a bit of a bad rap due to its slightly-more-than-complicated implementation process, lack of immediate results and a general sense of technobabble around what it actually does. However, when you have the right balance of clearly defined problems to solve, quality data that wasn’t collected during the Jurassic era and an implementation strategy that doesn’t leave your team wondering what the hell just happened, you can end up with a really nice, solidly built system that dramatically enhances your company’s performance. Think of AI as a personal trainer for your business – but one that works 24/7 and doesn’t make you feel bad about skipping leg day!
So, where do we start? Smart businesses will always aim to identify what specifically needs fixing: processes that are taking too long, decisions that could use more data-backing or customer interactions that feel clunky. This approach breaks down what’s actually causing pain points in your business (not to mention where money is being left on the table). Each organisation will have a different mix depending on what they do and where they want to go. However, a good AI strategy has a vested interest in addressing real problems and will develop an understanding of your operations to help shift your thinking to find the perfect set of solutions.
Next up, you’ll need to take a good hard look at your data situation and make a raft of improvements. From collection methods and storage solutions to cleaning protocols and integration capabilities, a good AI implementation will know the dos and don’ts to ensure your systems are optimised correctly while still maintaining security and compliance. After all, what’s the point of having fancy AI if your data is rubbish! And of course, ongoing monitoring is crucial too. Regular audits, performance checks and system updates all help to really move your AI capabilities in the right direction.
Having sorted your strategy and data, it’s time to get to work on implementation. This is where the big boy pants come on! Coordinating teams, managing expectations and translating between tech people and normal humans are all critical functions of AI implementation. Remember, someone needs to act as the intermediary between the developers and the business users, so translation is critical (a skill not everyone has, lol).
Let me give you a proper example. We recently worked with a Melbourne-based retailer who was drowning in customer service tickets – we’re talking 3,000+ emails a month with a team of just four people trying to manage it all. Their response times were blowing out to 72+ hours and customers were getting seriously narky. We implemented an AI solution that automatically categorised incoming tickets, drafted responses for common issues and highlighted VIP customers who needed immediate attention. The result? Average response time dropped to under 8 hours, the team now handles 40% more tickets without adding staff and customer satisfaction scores jumped by 22%. Best part? The whole system paid for itself in just 5 months through reduced customer churn and higher loyalty program sign-ups. That’s not some pie-in-the-sky promise – that’s cold, hard ROI that makes the finance team sit up and take notice.
BUT, listen, AI isn’t for everyone. Honestly, it requires investment, both financially and organisationally, but it makes such a difference when done right. If you want to talk about how artificial intelligence can help put your business on the map in 2025, consider starting small, focusing on clear ROI and building from there. Let’s discuss next steps with how The Faith Agency can assist with implementing AI in your business.