An AI consultant helps a business find the jobs worth automating and writes a plan. Some also build and hand over the automation. To choose well, ask for a written scope, ask who owns the accounts at the end, ask how your data is handled, and walk away from anyone who guarantees results.
What an AI consultant does
An AI consultant looks at how your business runs, finds the repeated jobs that cost you time, and recommends what to automate and with which tools. Some stop at the plan. Others build the automation, hand it over and stay available to adjust it. Both kinds exist, so ask which one you are hiring.
Questions to ask before you hire
Ask these in the first call and expect plain answers. A good builder explains without jargon.
- Which jobs will you automate, and which will you leave alone?
- Which of my tools will the automation touch?
- Who owns the accounts and logins when the work is done?
- What do I receive at hand off? Is there a written guide?
- How is my customer data handled, and where does it go?
- What does a person approve, and what runs alone?
- What happens if something breaks or needs to change?
- What will you not promise?
What a good written scope contains
A written scope is a short document that says what will be built. It protects both sides. Do not start without one.
- The jobs to be automated, in plain words.
- The tools and accounts the work will touch.
- Who owns the accounts, logins and the finished build.
- What you receive at hand off, such as a guide and a walkthrough.
- How data is handled, and which AI tools see it.
- What is not included.
- No guaranteed results. Nobody can guarantee a ranking, a lead figure or a savings figure.
Red flags
These signs are worth taking seriously.
- No written scope, or a scope that says only “AI strategy”.
- The builder keeps the accounts and logins.
- Vague answers about where your data goes.
- A promise of guaranteed leads, rankings or savings.
- Pressure to sign before you understand the scope.
- A request for passwords or sensitive documents by email.
- A plan that replaces every tool you use when one job needed one fix.
How to compare quotes
Make the quotes cover the same work before you compare cost. A low quote for less work is not a low quote. Prices vary a lot and this guide quotes none. Compare what each scope covers.
| Compare | What to look for |
|---|---|
| The jobs covered | The same jobs in each quote, named in plain words |
| Tools and accounts | Which tools are touched, and who owns each account |
| Hand off | A guide, a walkthrough, and your own logins |
| After the build | Who adjusts it, and how you ask |
| Data | How it is handled, and which AI tools see it |
| How the price is set | A fixed price or by the hour, and what is outside the price |
What our own scope covers
We practice what this guide says. Every project starts with a free 30 minute call by phone or video, with no obligation. After the call, if an automation fits, we send a written plan and one fixed price, and you approve it before work starts. Work begins after both sides sign an engagement letter. You own what we build, including the accounts and logins, and you receive a written guide and a recorded walkthrough. We stay available to adjust the build. We do not guarantee a ranking, a traffic figure, a lead figure or a savings figure.
See how a project works, how we quote, common questions, and our work in St. Charles and the Fox Valley.
Questions owners ask
Is a fixed price better than paying by the hour?
A fixed price means you know the cost before work starts, which makes quotes easier to compare. Paying by the hour can suit open ended advice, but ask for a cap or regular reports. Either way, get the scope in writing first.
Do I need a consultant or a builder?
A consultant advises and writes a plan. A builder also builds the automation and hands it over. If you want a working system at the end, ask who builds it, who owns the accounts, and what you receive at hand off.
What if I do not know what to automate yet?
Describe where your time goes and which tasks get dropped. You do not need a finished idea. A first call is a fine place to start, because finding the right job is part of the work.
Keep reading
Ready to talk? Book a free call. See what we build. All guides are on the guides page.