Across your business plan, there are many jobs and processes that AI and automation can have a huge impact on.

And don’t feel guilty about using this technology. Because between managing finances, handling customer inquiries, and trying to grow your company, there never seems to be enough hours in the day for small business owners.

Advancements in AI and automation can help simplify tasks, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. All of these savings and enhancements allow you to focus on growing your business.

As accountants, we want our clients to succeed. That’s why – as business owners ourselves – we’ve written this guide to help businesses become more efficient. Here’s what AI and automation can help you with.

Automating repetitive admin tasks

One of the biggest time-drainers for small business owners is administrative work. From data entry to scheduling, these tasks can take up valuable hours that could be better spent elsewhere. Here are some examples of the different areas that could be positively impacted in terms of repetitive tasks:

• Payroll processing: AI-driven tools like Gusto and ADP automate payroll calculations, tax deductions, and direct deposits.
• Appointment scheduling: AI-powered tools like Calendly or Microsoft Bookings eliminate back-and-forth emails by allowing customers to book appointments based on real-time availability.
• Trello (Free version) – AI-enhanced project management tool for organising tasks and team collaboration.
• Notion AI (Free with limited credits) – AI-driven productivity tool for taking notes, organising projects, and automating workflows.
• Zapier (Free plan) – Connects different apps and automates repetitive workflows between them.

Enhancing customer service with AI chatbots

Providing excellent customer service is key to retaining clients. But responding to inquiries 24/7 isn’t always possible for small businesses. AI chatbots offer an efficient and cost-effective solution.

Instant customer support can be supported by chatbots powered by AI, such as Drift or Tidio. These can handle common customer queries, reducing response times and free up your team for more complex tasks.

AI tools can analyse customer preferences and behaviour to provide tailored recommendations, improving customer satisfaction.

And AI chatbots can also engage website visitors, collect relevant information, and direct hot leads to your sales team, streamlining your sales process.

Tools that can help:

• Tidio (Free version) – AI chatbot for handling customer inquiries and live chat on websites.
• Drift (Free plan) – AI-driven chatbot for customer engagement and lead generation.
• Zendesk AI (Free trial) – AI-powered customer support automation for handling tickets and FAQs.

Marketing and social media automation

Marketing is essential for business growth, but it’s also time-consuming. AI marketing tools can help small businesses automate and optimise their marketing efforts.

Social media scheduling on LinkedIn and other sites is made easier with platforms like Buffer and Hootsuite. They allow you to schedule posts in advance, analyse engagement, and they even suggest the best posting times.

Content creation is done in seconds with Copy.ai and Jasper. They help generate blog posts, email marketing content, and social media captions.

Platforms like MailChimp and HubSpot allow you to send personalised email newsletters based on customer interactions, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Tools that can help:

• Canva (Free plan) – AI-powered design tool for creating social media graphics, presentations, and marketing materials.
• Buffer (Free plan) – Schedule and automate social media posts across different platforms.
• Hootsuite (Limited free plan) – Automates social media management, scheduling, and analytics.
• Mailchimp (Free tier) – Email marketing automation for sending newsletters and promotional emails.
• ChatGPT (Free version) – AI-powered assistant for generating content, answering questions, and brainstorming ideas.
• Microsoft Copilot (Basic version in Microsoft 365 apps) – AI assistance integrated into Word, Excel, and Outlook for drafting emails, summarising data, and automating tasks.
• Google Bard (Gemini) – AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT, useful for answering queries and helping with research.

Sales and lead generation

Generating and converting leads is crucial for business growth. AI-driven sales automation tools help businesses optimise their sales processes and improve efficiency.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools like Salesforce and HubSpot use AI to analyse customer data, predict sales trends, and automate follow-ups.

AI can identify and prioritise high-potential leads, ensuring your sales team focuses on prospects most likely to convert.

There are also tools out there to personalise outreach emails, schedule follow-ups, and analyse responses to optimise sales efforts.

Tools that can help:

• HubSpot CRM (Free plan) – AI-driven CRM for managing customer relationships and automating sales processes.
• FindThatLead (Free credits) – AI-powered email finder and lead generation tool.
• Reply.io (Free trial) – AI-driven sales automation for outbound emails and follow-ups.
• Wave Accounting (Free) – Automates bookkeeping, invoicing, and expense tracking.
• Zoho Invoice (Free version) – AI-powered invoicing software for small businesses.
• Clockify (Free plan) – Time-tracking tool that automates timesheets and productivity tracking.

Embracing AI and automation for business growth

Integrating AI and automation into your business operations, will reduce manual workloads, save time, and increase efficiency. All while cutting costs.

Investing in AI and automation isn’t about replacing human input but rather enhancing productivity and enabling small business owners to focus on strategy, innovation, and customer relationships.

The future of small business success lies in working smarter, not harder.