What AI consulting should actually give you
AI consulting is advice on how a specific business should use AI: which tasks to improve, which tools to choose, what data and policies are needed and how to introduce the change without disruption. Good advice is practical and specific. It starts with your work, not with a product demonstration.
We see the same pattern repeatedly. A team is told it must “do something with AI”, buys a tool, and discovers months later that nobody uses it because it solved no real problem or the data behind it was not ready. A short, honest review at the start avoids that waste.
Our position. We recommend AI only where the task is frequent, the rules are reasonably clear and the saving or gain can be measured. Where it is not, we will tell you, and we will not invent a use case to justify a project.
The AI readiness review and roadmap
The review is a fixed-price piece of work with a clear written output. It answers five questions.
- Where could AI help? We map your main processes with the people who run them and list the tasks where AI could save time, improve quality or speed up response.
- What is worth doing first? We rank the opportunities by value, effort and risk, so the first project is one that is likely to succeed.
- Is your data ready? We check where the information AI would need lives, how reliable it is and who owns it.
- What policies and controls do you need? We outline practical rules on acceptable use, confidentiality, accuracy checks and personal information under POPIA.
- What will it cost, and how will we know it worked? We estimate costs and set measures before anything is built.
What you receive
- A written roadmap in plain language, with a ranked list of opportunities and a recommended first project
- An outline of the data, systems and policies each opportunity needs
- Estimated effort, running costs and expected benefit for each priority
- A short list of risks, including accuracy, privacy and dependence on a single supplier
- A one-page summary leadership can use to make a decision
You own the roadmap. If you want to build it yourselves, with another supplier or with us, that is your choice.
What can follow the review
Some clients stop at the roadmap. Others ask us to help with the next step, which usually falls into one of three kinds of work.
Build a first project
We design and build the first workflow or assistant, such as lead follow-up, document handling or a customer assistant. See AI and business automation and AI chatbots and WhatsApp automation.
Train your team
AI only pays off when people use it well. We run practical sessions on using AI assistants safely in everyday work, using your own tasks as examples. See AI and digital skills training.
Review the wider digital picture
If AI is one part of a larger change, our digital transformation consulting covers systems, data, processes and skills in a phased roadmap.
Questions leaders ask before they start
Will AI put my team’s jobs at risk?
Our aim is to remove repetitive work, not people. Most useful projects free skilled staff from admin so they can do the work that needs judgement. We look at the effect on roles openly, and we plan training alongside any change.
Is it safe to put company information into AI tools?
It depends on the tool, the settings and the information. A sensible policy separates what may never be entered, what may be used in approved tools and what needs a check first. Part of the review is setting that out for you in plain words.
How do I avoid choosing the wrong tool?
We start with the task and the data, then shortlist tools that fit. We have no commercial relationship with vendors, so our recommendation does not depend on who pays us.
Where should a small team begin?
Usually with one repetitive process that has clear rules, such as responding to new enquiries or summarising meeting notes. Our free team AI readiness check takes ten minutes, and our automation ROI calculator estimates the saving.
The projects that usually come out of a review
Every business is different, but a few kinds of project appear again and again. Each one has different data and control requirements, which is why the roadmap sets them out before anything is built.
Faster, more consistent follow-up
New enquiries are logged, answered and followed up automatically, with a person stepping in for anything unusual. It needs access to your enquiry channels and a clear definition of what a good reply looks like.
Document and email handling
Incoming documents are read, sorted and summarised, and routine replies are drafted for a person to approve. It needs a representative set of past documents and clear rules for what must always be checked.
A customer or staff assistant
An assistant answers repeat questions from your own approved material, with references to sources. It needs well-organised content and an agreed list of topics it may and may not handle.
Reporting without the manual work
Figures from several systems are pulled together into a regular summary. It needs reliable data in the source systems and a clear definition of each measure.
In each case, the roadmap states the effort, the running cost, the risks and the way we would measure success, so you can compare projects fairly.
What it costs
We publish our prices in Rand. The review has a fixed price and a defined output, so you know the cost before we begin.
| Service | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| AI readiness review and roadmap | R14,500 | Where AI can help, what data and policy you need, and a ranked plan |
| Leadership AI briefing (90 minutes) | R7,500 | What AI means for your business, for up to 12 leaders |
| Consulting by the hour | R1,500 an hour | Strategy, review or advice sessions with a senior consultant |
| Digital maturity review | From R18,500 | Assessment of systems, data, processes and skills, with findings and priorities |
A quote we give you is held for 30 days, and prices are reviewed annually. See the full list on our pricing page.
Who this suits
The review suits established businesses and teams with a few hundred hours of repetitive work a month, a leadership group that wants a clear decision, or a regulated environment where mistakes are costly. It is a poor fit if you want us to approve a decision that has already been made, or if you need a technical build without a view on whether it is the right one. In both cases, we will say so.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI readiness review?
It is a short, fixed-price piece of work that identifies where AI could help your business, ranks the opportunities, checks your data and policies, and gives you a written roadmap with costs and a recommended first project.
How much does AI consulting cost in South Africa?
Our AI readiness review and roadmap is R14,500, fixed. Consulting by the hour is R1,500. Both are published on our pricing page, and any further work is quoted at a fixed price before it starts.
How long does the review take?
It depends on the size of your business and how quickly you can make people available, but it is usually a matter of a few weeks. We agree the timeline in writing at the start.
Do I need technical staff to benefit?
No. The roadmap is written for business leaders. Where technical choices come up, we explain them in plain language.
Do you recommend specific tools?
Yes, once we know the task and the data. We have no commercial relationship with software vendors, so our recommendations are independent.
Can you help us write an AI policy?
Yes. The review includes practical guidance on acceptable use, confidentiality, accuracy checks and personal information. For legal advice on your own obligations, speak to your lawyer.
Will you build what you recommend?
Only if you want us to. You own the roadmap and can use it with any supplier or your own team.
How do I get started?
Book a consultation and tell us about your business. We reply within one working day with a practical next step.