AI is everywhere — but is it for you? It can be, yes! But as a micro enterprise (okay fine, I’m a business of one), do you feel a bit of AI fatigue, maybe even TMI AI? I do.
I’ve definitely been using AI and have been for some time (hello, brainstorming headlines and sourcing statistics), but after five minutes on LinkedIn or just two spent looking at the subject lines of emails in my inbox, I often feel like I’m being served an all-you-can-eat meal of AI.
In this post, I’ll share some collaboration tools that you can use (or not) at your business. Some may be familiar; some you may have thought were only for large corporations, but please note, I’m including only ones that also make sense for businesses with 1-1000 employees.
I’ll also share some use cases of how others use AI and round out the post with some examples of how to actually apply AI to some common workflows. Let’s get started.
Real quick: whether you’re a seasoned user, a novice, or somewhere in between, here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you work with gen-AI technology.
Eight Laws of AI
- Understand the platform you're using — what it’s capable of and what it's not.
- For the best results, don’t go in cold. Take a minute before using AI to find out about the topic you want assistance with. AI is capable of making mistakes, and as of April 2024, it references data and information only up to December 2023.
- Be specific with instructions or prompts. The more detailed you can be, the better the output.
- Minimize "logic work." For example, AI would struggle to answer: "Should we prioritize customer privacy or marketing insights when these objectives conflict?" Why? AI can’t prioritize competing interests (or understand human emotions and societal norms.) Basically, AI is not Turn to it for help with questions that lead to clear-cut, data-driven answers.
- Be creative — add detail. Think "Write as if you were Ted Lasso speaking in a friendly tone to a board of tech executives."
- Iterate and refine. If you have time, don’t stop at the first response you receive. Fine-tune it by asking again. The potential payoff is improved accuracy, relevance, and effectiveness.
- Know your audience, always and ask accordingly. Give the tool background about what you need help with, erring on the side of more is better.
- Generative AI tools continue to evolve, (technically, ChatGPT is still in ‘testing mode) and should be used with that in mind. It’s not a silver bullet for all manner of problems and tasks, but it can help. Think of it as an assistant.
AI-Powered Tools for Your Business
Housekeeping out of the way, let’s get into some AI-powered tools.
Much like there’s an app for everything, there’s an AI tool, too. But that doesn’t mean they’re all worth your time. The following is not an exhaustive list (nor endorsed by Lenovo), but rather a sampling of tools that use AI to make running a growing business easier, faster, and more efficient.
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AI Tool |
What the AI Tool Does |
What It Doesn't Do |
Why it’s on the list |
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Automates routine inquiries and data retrieval through bots, facilitates scheduling and task management. |
Cannot replace nuanced human judgment in conflict resolution or complex decision-making. |
Widely used, integrates easily with other tools, and enhances daily communication efficiencies. | |
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Offers transcription for meetings, automated meeting highlights, and AI-driven project management insights. |
Does not handle interpersonal relationship management or external negotiations. |
Popular among businesses for its comprehensive collaboration features that scale with growth. | |
|
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Automates workflows, streamlines task management, and leverages AI to predict timelines and allocate resources. |
Cannot replace strategic planning or interpret complex team dynamics and company culture. |
Provides a flexible, highly customizable platform that scales with business needs, enhancing efficiency in managing projects and tasks. |
|
Automates card or task movements, rule-setting, and due date commands to manage project workflows more efficiently. |
Human oversight needed for quality control and adapting to new, unforeseen challenges. |
Useful for project management with customizable automation features ideal for dynamic non-large enterprise environments. | |
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Provides real-time transcription, sentiment analysis during meetings, and automated follow-up task creation. |
Cannot fully grasp the emotional undercurrents of discussions that would influence team morale. |
Essential for businesses using remote communication; enhances meeting productivity with AI-driven features. | |
|
Uses AI to suggest document edits, auto-complete emails, and manage calendars efficiently. |
Still requires humans for creative content generation, empathetic responses, and negotiations. |
Integrates seamlessly with many business operations, offering smart editing and management features that save time and reduce errors. | |
|
Records sales calls, provides analytics on customer engagement, and offers data-driven performance feedback. |
AI cannot build genuine personal relationships with customers — that remains a human role. |
Tailored for sales teams to enhance performance through detailed analytics and actionable insights on customer interactions. |
AI Use Cases from Other Business Owners
I asked the Lenovo Pro Community how they were — or wanted — to use AI in their workflows. Here are some of the responses:
“I like Zoho sign for contracts, Zoho books for budgets, Zoho desk for email tickets, CRMs, etc. I set my tasks and link in the spreadsheet, so all I have to do is check my calendar, and click on the link in the task instead of going into the CRM and finding files and things to update.” - Michelle H.
Community Manager, Beth said she was interested in an AI assist for welcome email program writing, website copy, asset generation and management, and processes such as generating a quote.
Among the ways fellow Lenovo writer, Rachel said she uses AI (grammar checking, summarizing, turning blogs into social media posts), I was most intrigued by how she uses it to block time. Here’s how she does it:
“I input my tasks and time needed to complete them, then ask ChatGPT to make me a schedule based on working 10 am - 4 pm, Tuesday-Friday with 1 hour for lunch each day. My motion calendar felt too expensive for how little I was using it, so I asked ChatGPT to help me instead and it works well! It’s a great starting point and free.”
Another writer, Cassie Wilson, said she uses AI for cold pitching to potential clients. She uploads her resume into ChatGPT, asks it to uncover hidden insights, then provide examples of relevant websites. Using that information, she explains, you can get an idea of the kinds of samples you need to pitch different markets.
Great Starting Points for Incorporating AI Into Your Business Workflows
Integrating AI into workflows starts by pinpointing the specific areas where your business would most benefit. Is it customer support, data analysis or more HR-focused tasks? Try not to get caught up in AI FOMO, and instead, use it where it will help your business most.
Here are some practical, operational areas where AI can boost your workflows.
Customer Service
How: Implement AI chatbots (e.g., Intercom, Drift) on your website to handle initial customer inquiries automatically. These bots can answer FAQs, guide users through troubleshooting steps, and escalate more complex issues to human representatives.
Why: Reduces the response time and frees your customer service team to handle more complex problems, improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Sales and CRM
How: Use AI-enhanced CRMs (e.g., Salesforce Einstein, HubSpot CRM), to analyze sales data and predict customer behaviors, identifying upsell opportunities and at-risk customers. AI can also automate data entry and lead prioritization.
Why: Increases sales efficiency and effectiveness by providing actionable insights and automating routine tasks.
Marketing
How: Deploy AI-driven marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, Mailchimp) to personalize content, segment audiences, and optimize email campaigns based on user behavior and preferences.
Why: Enhances engagement by delivering targeted communications and improves ROI of marketing campaigns through better conversion rates.
Human Resources
How: Incorporate AI-powered HR platforms (e.g., BambooHR) for talent acquisition, using it to screen resumes and predict candidate success. AI can also manage routine HR inquiries and employee onboarding processes.
Why: Streamlines the hiring process, reduces human bias in candidate selection, and automates administrative HR tasks.
Finance and Accounting
How: Apply automated accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero with AI integration) for real-time expense tracking, budget forecasts, and financial anomaly detection. AI can automate invoice creation and reconciliation processes.
Why: Improves financial accuracy, provides timely financial insights, and saves time on routine accounting tasks.
Project Management
How: Utilize workflow automation tools (e.g., Zapier, Smartsheet) to automate and optimize logistics, inventory management, and other operational processes. AI can predict inventory needs and optimize supply chain decisions.
Why: Reduces operational costs, minimizes human error, and ensures smoother operation with predictive analytics.
The Bottom Line on AI
It’s totally fine and probably prudent to ease into AI, particularly if your budget is already allocated. When and if you do turn to it for assistance, be mindful of its still-squishy nature and treat it like that intern who just started: double check their work. Keep personal and proprietary information safe by never including any information that is not already in the public domain. Once AI ingests information, it belongs to them.
We’ve only just begun to see what AI is capable of. The challenge is determining how to best use it for good at your business.
Have an insight, thought or question? Share it! Let’s keep the conversation going in the Community.
About the Author
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Stephanie Hlavin Stephanie has worked in the B2B tech space for more than 20 years for brands such as IBM and Oracle, as well as on the agency side at Uncompany, The Favorite Co., Ogilvy and Mather, Leopard and other agencies. Stephanie believes in putting the reader first and won't rest until she's communicated a motivating, "Why should I care?" message. When she's not writing on behalf of her freelance clients, in her spare time, Stephanie's working on a novel and the occasional poem.
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