Before you hit ‘go’ on your AI dreams, there are a few questions you need ask yourself—and trust us, answering them is key. Think of it as the groundwork for a solid AI foundation, so you don’t end up with regrets, wasted cash and an ‘uh-oh, what now?’ moment. We’ve seen way too many projects hit the rocks just because no-one asked the right questions first…
So, to set yourself up for success from the start, here’s what you need to consider:
Are you already using AI?
If you’re feeling the pressure to ‘do something with AI’ you might be surprised to learn you’re probably already on the bandwagon! Ever used a translation app, meeting assistant or note-taker? That’s AI in action!
So, if you’re already using AI, give yourself some credit—you’re practically an early adopter! Instead of jumping to something brand new, ask: ‘How can I build on the AI tools I already use?’
Is AI in your tech stack?
Take a peek under the hood of your current tech tools. Major players like Salesforce, HubSpot and Microsoft already have AI and machine learning baked in. Sometimes, it’s just waiting for you to click ‘enable.’ Explore these tools—they can be a safe way to dip your toes into the AI pool without making a huge investment.
If you’re unsure about the value of these features, or if you can use them safely, we’re here to help. Sometimes you just need to talk it through with someone who’s seen it all before.
What’s the big picture goal?
It might seem like a basic question, but what’s your endgame? Think big picture, what’s your organisation striving for? Gen AI isn’t a magic button, but it’s use should align with your overall goals and support your team’s objectives. Take a step back and make sure you’re clear on the main mission, so AI can be a true asset, not a distraction.
Are your goals crystal clear?
Once you know the ‘big why’, get specific about your AI goals. What do you actually want it to do for you? Some ideas:
- Reduce supporter churn by predicting when donations might drop off
- Boost order value by serving up smart upsell suggestions to customers
- Increase conversions with tailored, engaging content for each user
Are all stakeholders on board?
Who’s impacted by this AI adventure? Who’s excited, and who’s maybe a bit freaked out? Getting everyone’s buy-in takes time, but it’s worth it to avoid roadblocks further down the line. Remember, AI can be a little scary for some folks (hello, job security fears), so handle these conversations with empathy and be ready to address real concerns.
Office politics and different priorities will always be part of the equation. Take the time to get everyone on the same page. Trust us; it’ll save you a headache later.
Is it measurable?
For any project to truly shine, you’ve got to know how you’ll measure success. And if things aren’t going well, you need to know that too, so you can adjust your strategy. What metrics will show whether AI is paying off? Here are a few ideas:
- Time to complete task
- Email engagement
- Churn rate
What does success look like?
Last but definitely not least, what’s your actual target? You need something to aim for. Whether it’s a specific number or a ‘better-than-before’ benchmark, have a target that everyone agrees on. Otherwise, you might end up with half your team celebrating, while the other half wonders what all the fuss was about.
Overcoming the overwhelm
There’s a lot to think through before jumping in. None of it’s exactly easy, but taking the time to get it right will save you way more in the long run. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed download our AI guide – it’s for people who don’t know where to start but are feeling the pressure to get going. In the guide we go through these questions, plus take a look at the hype and the truth about AI, the ethical considerations, the potential pitfalls and how to actually start.
This is not a case study
It’s more of a cautionary tale about what happens when you don’t ask, and answer, those all-important questions before starting a major project. Maybe this was a client, maybe it wasn’t – we don’t kiss and tell!
Why were we called?
An organisation got in touch with us because they were seriously fed-up. They’d just spent millions of pounds implementing a new tech platform. And, well, let’s just say it wasn’t doing what they’d hoped it would.
What had gone wrong?
They’d been looking at their implementation project as a tech project, simply replacing one system for another ‘better’ one. They’d well over a million unique visitors to their site per month and wanted to know what they’d been looking at in order to plan a bespoke comms journey, or better still a hyper-personalised journey using AI. They’d spent a lot of time and money transferring their data from one system to another, without first asking if the data required was available to be used in the way they wanted to. It wasn’t. So, it didn’t matter how many bells and whistles the new platform had, they couldn’t use it in the way they wanted.
How did we fix it?
The old adage of ‘you’re only as good as your data’ is true. What this organisation really needed to do was some in-depth work mapping user IDs to customer IDs, to work out who was looking at what on their site, with consent of course.
Once they knew that, they could create engaging customer journeys, maximising income and engagement opportunities. They may not even have needed to implement a new system at all. But we still helped them achieve all this, plus trained them on their new system, so they knew what else they could do with it – if they’ve paid for it, they may as well get the most out of it! We now work with them side-by-side as a partner, helping them win, grow and keep customers.
The impact
There’s no shame here, we’ve seen variations of this scenario so many times. And because of that, we don’t want to see it again. We really, really, don’t want you to waste your time or money! It’s bad for business and it’s bad for morale.
That’s why we’re upfront about our approach; we work with our clients as a consultative partner. We need to understand your business aims inside out, and if there’s anything you’re not crystal clear about – we’ll help you get there. That’s the only way you’ll truly get the most out of your data and tech. We’re absolutely outcome obsessed; once we know what it is you’re trying to achieve, we’ll make sure that everything we do will help you get there.
