Small businesses across Australia are constantly searching for ways to leverage AI technologies and improve their daily operations through more efficient workflows. Local SMEs function on significantly lowered staffing capacities, meaning that the workload and the amount of pressure can be intense. AI has been helping to transform businesses through automating repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on growing the business whilst highly-developed software takes care of everything in the background! From saving time on routine admin tasks to creating personalised marketing and taking care of stock management, AI helps to ease the stress of the everyday workplace and introduce initiatives that make workplaces more enjoyable to work in!
AI has been actively transforming Australian businesses, with around 42% of small-to-medium-sized establishments already using AI. And figures don’t show signs of slowing down! Within the next 5 years, that number is expected to grow to over 80%, showing just how powerful an impact AI is having on certain industries. This is exactly where DoubleDesk comes in! Being the first of its kind in Australia, our team at DoubleDesk has helped countless SMEs integrate smarter AI solutions into their everyday operations.
So, if you are looking for information on AI business assistants for your small business, this guide will break down everything you need to know before getting started. Let’s answer the question of what an AI business assistant is.
With AI becoming increasingly popular, more and more Australian small businesses are turning to AI business assistants to help ease the workload and take the pressure off their employees. Just think how many times you answer the same questions every single day, or how many times you have to be creative and come up with a content marketing strategy that actually works. Well, there are actually answers to this! On average, between 10 and 20 hours per week are spent on completing manual repetitive admin tasks, which is the equivalent of spending 13 to 26 full workweeks on work that doesn’t actually generate revenue or contribute to business growth.
Whilst these figures might sound shocking, many small businesses are struggling from this problem. And this is exactly where an AI business assistant can help! AI works directly for you, taking over tasks that drain businesses of productivity. To get a real insight into what an AI business assistant can actually do, here are some of the tasks below:
And the best part about an AI assistant tool? You can personalise it to suit your business! At DoubleDesk, our business assistants come with conversational integrations and personalisations, allowing you to essentially create an “extra” employee who handles all of the repetitive work behind the scenes.
Aside from automating daily repetitive tasks, AI business assistants maximise performance for small businesses operating in such niche and competitive markets! Because staff have the opportunity to focus on more meaningful, human-centred tasks that actually generate revenue and help the business grow, customer service is often improved.
Picture this! You are a busy plumbing business that opens at 8 am Monday to Friday. At 7:30 am a customer calls, enquiring about a routine drain maintenance service. No one answers. They call again at 7:45 am, still no answer. At this point, they are getting frustrated. They decide to wait until 8 am, hoping that their final call will finally get through. And because your main admin employee is running a couple of minutes late that morning, that call, once again, goes cold. That missed opportunity leads to the customer turning to an alternative business. A conversion, lost.
This happens more times than you may think! And the good news? An AI business assistant will be your automated employee around the clock, answering questions 24/7, 7 days a week. This is another reason why so many small businesses turn to AI, because every opportunity matters when you have a tight budget to work with.
Customers who have access to a service at all hours of the day will be more likely to become a confirmed conversion. And this matters the most to Australian SMEs.
Whilst many small businesses jump at the opportunity to integrate AI into their everyday workflows, others are still quite hesitant and sceptical. Many business owners don’t fully understand how and what to use the AI for, and on the other hand, employees are worried that AI is going to take over their jobs and replace them overnight. And whilst these are genuine concerns to have, they are simply not true or realistic.
The key to successfully integrating AI into a small business is to understand what exactly is taking up the most time. Is it routine admin tasks such as answering phone calls or scheduling appointments? Or are you struggling to complete reports and track performance over time? Whilst every task is important for a small business to succeed, you don’t necessarily need to have a human employee completing them; that is what AI is for!
And this directly ties into the second misconception of replacement. AI isn’t here to take over; it is here to help employees focus on generating revenue for your business through meaningful customer engagement, complex problem solving, and decision making — something that AI simply can’t do. Whilst AI is great for analytics, it lacks the human empathy required to keep customers happy and satisfied. That is what humans are for!
So, whilst having concerns about AI is completely understandable, taking the time to do your research and communicate with your team can make all the difference!
AI business assistants have been helping to transform the way in which Australian small businesses operate on a daily basis. From automated routine tasks such as admin and scheduling appointments to acting as a 24/7 employee, AI helps businesses optimise their workflows and create a more relaxed and productive environment for employees to work in.
So, if you are on the search for a brand-new AI business assistant integration, look no further than DoubleDesk! DoubleDesk is the leading AI company in Australia, providing unique solutions to help small businesses achieve their full potential and grow for the long term. With countless positive client testimonials and success stories such as this one by Linda S. at Amber’s Beauty Studio, who said “It’s reassuring to know DoubleDesk is there to look after calls while I am busy, handling each enquiry in a way that reflects me and my salon, even when I’m unable to get to the phone”, we are truly committed to helping SMEs transform their workflow in a way that suits them!
Ready to get started? With competitive rates and personalisation options, there is an AI business assistant from our team at DoubleDesk to suit anyone and everyone! Get in touch with us today via our free demo, or contact us directly through our client information form on our website.
