What is an AI audit for a small business?
An AI audit is a close look at how your business runs. It starts with one call. Then we spend a few days to a week reviewing what we learned and writing your plan. A second call goes over the results. The plan ranks each AI idea by how much it helps and how hard it is. You can try a smaller version yourself with our free guide.
Read the guide to running an AI audit →
What can AI automate in a small business?
Jobs that happen the same way every time, like appointment reminders, invoices, and payment follow-ups. AI can also read and draft things, like sorting new inquiries or writing quotes, as long as a person checks the work. Hard calls, like handling a complaint, stay with people.
See how to sort your tasks →
Should I hire an AI person or use an outside partner?
It depends on whether AI is part of what you sell, how much AI work you have, and whether someone on your team has the skills and time. Fortune reported on an MIT NANDA study that found AI tools bought from a vendor or built with a partner worked about 67 percent of the time. Tools built inside a company worked about a third as often. Like most studies, it has limits. An audit can show you which way fits.
Read what the failure-rate studies show →
What kinds of businesses do you work with?
Mostly small and mid-sized businesses that are already up and running. Service businesses, agencies, and B2B companies are who we work with most. If your people do the same task again and again, AI may be able to help.
Do I need to know anything about AI to work with you?
No. Tell us what slows you down, and we'll work out whether AI can help. We explain everything in plain words.
What makes True Meridian different from a typical agency?
We look before we build. Many agencies show up with a tool to sell. We start with an audit, so you can see what would really help. You keep the plan even if you never hire us to build anything.
Where does an engagement usually start?
With the AI audit: one call, a few days to a week while we write your plan, then a second call to go over it. You don't have to build anything after.
How long does a typical project take?
An audit is one call, then a few days to a week for us to review and write your plan, then a second call to go over the results. Builds take 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the project. You get a timeline before we start, and we check in with you every week.
What happens after a project is launched?
You get written instructions and a walkthrough so your team can use what we built. If you want more help, our Education workshop is a good next step.
What's included in the AI audit?
A call with you, a review of how your work gets done today, a written plan with a ranked list of AI ideas, and a second call to go over the results.
How do you quote larger build projects?
After the audit, we send one fixed price and a timeline. We don't bill by the hour, so there are no surprise charges.
Is it safe to use AI with customer data in Canada?
It depends on the tool and the data. Canada's privacy law, PIPEDA, still applies when you put customer information into an AI tool, and Quebec's Law 25 may apply too. You stay responsible for that information. Sort your data by how private it is. Check each company before you use its tool. Keep sensitive details out of any tool that hasn't passed your check.
Read the PIPEDA-compliant AI checklist →
How fast should I reply to a new inquiry?
Faster than most businesses do. A Harvard Business Review study of 2,241 US companies found that only 37 percent answered a web inquiry within an hour. The average answer took 42 hours. Companies that tried to reach a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify it as a real prospect as companies that waited one hour longer.
Read the speed to lead guide →
What is the best way to follow up on a quote?
A simple plan: check that the quote arrived on day 2. Answer likely questions on day 5. Ask about their timeline on day 10. Send a short closing message on day 21. Stop as soon as they reply, and compare your results to how many quotes you usually win.
Get the quote follow-up templates →
Is there a free intro call?
Yes. Send us a message and we'll set up a short call to see if an audit makes sense. It's free, and there's no obligation.