An AI tool is not a starting brief. A useful brief explains a recurring task, the information involved, the checks needed and what a better result would look like. Start there before comparing products.
Watch one task from beginning to end
Pick a recurring task and watch it happen from beginning to end. Who starts it? What information do they need? What happens when something is missing? A short conversation with the person doing the work can reveal more than a long list of possible tools.
An illustrative example is invoice handling: receiving the document, checking required details, preparing an entry and asking someone to approve it. Map the steps separately. Do not send sensitive documents in an initial website enquiry; an anonymised example is enough to explain the task.
Decide whether AI is needed
Moving a confirmed booking between supported systems can follow predictable rules. Interpreting a varied document or preparing an enquiry summary may need a different approach. Important decisions may still belong entirely to a person.
The Buksi case study shows connected booking channels and operational workflows. That is an example of automation in context, not evidence that every booking step needs AI.
Use the simplest approach that meets the requirements. Where AI is considered, define how its output will be checked rather than treating a confident response as proof of accuracy.
Design for the exceptions
The normal path is only part of the workflow. Decide what happens when information is incomplete, a connected system is unavailable, or the output is uncertain. Give someone ownership of the exception queue.
List the account permissions, data handling questions, provider costs and actions that require approval. Technical implementation is not a substitute for any specialist privacy, security or legal review the task needs.
Agree on what better means
Choose a measure connected to the original problem: time spent on the task, corrections needed, or time to respond. Record a starting point and run a small pilot before expanding.
Include the time spent reviewing outputs and fixing failed runs. A faster first step is not a useful saving if it creates more work downstream. Compare the pilot with the original workflow, including its running costs and responsibilities.
Start with a review, not a commitment to a build
An AI opportunity review helps compare a shortlist of options and define a first test. Explore AI consulting and guidance if you need help choosing an approach, or AI and workflow automation when an implementation is ready to scope.
← Back to insightsAutomate a well-understood task first. Make the exceptions visible and keep the people doing the work involved.