How Small Businesses Can Use AI – Starting This Week

AI isn’t just for big tech companies. Used properly, it’s like having an extra pair of hands in your business – helping with emails, numbers, marketing and internal systems.

You don’t need to be “good with computers” and you don’t need a big budget. You just need to know where AI actually helps in real life and where you still need a human (your accountant, your solicitor, your own judgment).

This guide gives practical, low-risk ways Irish small businesses can start using AI this week to save time and money.

1. AI for real small businesses – not just techies

Think of AI as a very smart assistant that:

  • Writes first drafts for you

  • Tidies messy information

  • Explains complicated things in plain English

  • Helps you think through ideas and plans

You still stay in control. You decide what’s correct, what sounds like you, and what gets sent to Revenue, customers or suppliers.

Good news:

  • Most tools are free or low-cost to start with.

  • You can use AI from your phone, tablet or laptop.

  • You can start with small, simple tasks and build from there.

2. Where AI can save time immediately (this week)

Here are 5 very concrete ways AI can help within the next few days.

1) Customer emails & messages

You can ask AI to:

  • Turn a rough note into a polite, professional email to a customer.

  • Draft payment reminder emails that are firm but friendly.

  • Reply to common enquiries (prices, opening hours, basic questions) in clear English.

  • Rewrite a long, emotional email into a short, calm response.

  • Translate a simple message into another language if you deal with overseas suppliers or customers.

You keep the final say – you edit and send, but AI does the heavy lifting.

2) Payment reminders & simple letters

You can ask AI to:

  • Draft a late payment reminder email or letter.

  • Create a polite follow-up message if someone hasn’t replied to a quote.

  • Write a thank-you email when a job is finished, asking for a review.

  • Prepare a “welcome” email template for new customers.

  • Turn a message you’ve already sent into a re-usable template for next time.

Always have your accountant or solicitor review anything important the first time you use it.

3) Summarising long documents

Instead of rereading the same thing 5 times, you can:

  • Paste a long Revenue notice and ask for the key points in plain English.

  • Summarise a supplier contract into a bullet list of main responsibilities and costs.

  • Turn a meeting transcript or long email thread into a list of next actions.

  • Ask for a comparison between two options (e.g. two loan offers) in simple terms.

  • Get a short summary of an industry article to see if it’s worth reading in full.

Again, you still have to check the details – but AI can make the first pass much quicker.

4) Templates you can reuse

You can ask AI to create:

  • A standard quote email you can tweak for each client.

  • A standard reply for “We’re not the right fit right now” so you don’t overthink it.

  • A weekly update template to send to key clients.

  • A simple agenda template for internal meetings.

  • A checklist for when a new customer signs up.

Once these templates are created, you can reuse them all year.

5) Turning rough ideas into clear text

If you think better out loud or in rough notes:

  • Type your ideas in a messy paragraph and ask AI to tidy and organise them.

  • Paste bullet points from your notebook and ask for a short paragraph for your website.

  • Ask AI to improve grammar and spelling without changing your tone too much.

  • Turn a few lines into a short social media caption.

  • Turn bullet points into a simple one-page memo for your staff.

3. Using AI to help with numbers (but not replace your accountant)

AI is excellent at explaining numbers and scenarios, but it should never replace professional advice. Think of it as a calculator that can talk.

1) “What if?” scenarios

You can ask AI to:

  • Show what happens if sales drop by 10% for 3 months.

  • Estimate the effect of increasing prices by 5%.

  • Compare two situations: “What if I hire one extra staff member?” vs “What if I stay as I am?”

  • Explore what happens if rent or energy costs go up by a certain amount.

  • Show how changing your average order value affects monthly turnover.

You provide the real numbers; AI helps you see them from different angles.

2) Simple cashflow planning

You can ask AI to:

  • Turn your list of expected income and bills into a simple cashflow table.

  • Help you group expenses into sensible categories (rent, wages, materials, etc.).

  • Create a 3-month cashflow forecast based on your figures.

  • Turn a rough idea (“I’d like to save €500/month for tax”) into a basic savings plan.

  • Explain the difference between profit and cash in everyday language.

You should still ask your accountant to review anything important, but AI gets you started.

3) Making sense of reports

If you get reports from your software or your accountant:

  • Paste key numbers (turnover, gross profit, expenses) and ask for a plain-language explanation.

  • Ask: “What stands out or looks unusual in these numbers?”

  • Ask for questions you should ask your accountant based on the figures.

  • Get a simple definition of terms you’re unsure about (e.g. accruals, depreciation).

  • Ask how to explain the numbers to a business partner who isn’t financial.

4) Budgeting for a new idea

When planning something new (a van, a new staff member, a marketing campaign), you can ask AI to:

  • Build a rough budget with all the costs you might forget.

  • Estimate how many extra sales you’d need to cover those costs.

  • Compare a small, medium and large version of your plan.

  • Turn the budget into a simple one-page proposal for a bank or partner.

  • Highlight risks and questions you should think about before committing.

5) Turning numbers into clear communication

AI can help you:

  • Turn a set of figures into a short update for your team.

  • Create a simple chart explanation you can share in a meeting.

  • Draft a polite email to a supplier if costs are rising and you need to talk.

  • Explain to staff why targets are changing based on new numbers.

  • Write talking points for a meeting with your bank or advisor.

4. AI for marketing on a small budget

You don’t need an agency for every small piece of marketing. AI can help with ideas and rough drafts.

1) Social media posts

You can ask AI to:

  • Generate 10 post ideas for your specific type of business (plumber, café, salon, e-commerce, etc.).

  • Turn each idea into a short caption.

  • Suggest 3–5 hashtag sets tailored for Irish small businesses.

  • Rewrite your existing caption to be clearer or more engaging.

  • Turn one good idea into a mini-series of 3–4 posts.

2) Website copy and updates

You can use AI to:

  • Improve your About Us page so it sounds professional but still like you.

  • Turn a list of services into short, clear descriptions.

  • Rewrite text to be more customer-focused (“what’s in it for them”).

  • Suggest headline options for your homepage.

  • Create simple FAQ sections based on questions you often answer.

3) Google Business Profile

Your Google listing is often the first thing people see.

AI can:

  • Write a keyword-rich business description for your Google profile.

  • Suggest services and highlights to list.

  • Draft short updates or posts you can add to your Google Business Profile.

  • Help you write a reply to a review (positive or negative).

  • Create a template message asking happy customers to leave a review.

4) Email newsletters

Even a very small list is worth looking after.

AI can:

  • Turn a few bullet points into a simple monthly email.

  • Suggest subject lines that are clear and non-spammy.

  • Help you shorten long emails so people actually read them.

  • Create ideas for regular sections (tip of the month, client story, quick tax reminder).

  • Rewrite something in a tone that matches your business (more friendly, more formal, etc.).

5) Marketing ideas when you’re stuck

If you don’t know where to start, ask AI to:

  • List low-cost marketing ideas for your specific type of business.

  • Suggest partnership ideas with other local businesses.

  • Turn your story (how you started) into a short brand story.

  • Help you design a simple referral scheme.

  • Give you a monthly content plan outline (then you pick what you like).

5. AI to tidy up internal systems

AI is great at turning chaos into simple steps.

1) Checklists and processes

Ask AI to create:

  • A step-by-step checklist for onboarding a new client.

  • A job completion checklist so nothing is forgotten.

  • A daily opening/closing checklist for a shop or café.

  • A handover checklist when staff swap shifts.

  • A new employee checklist so you don’t miss paperwork or training.

2) Training material for staff

You can use AI to:

  • Turn rough notes into a short training guide.

  • Create role descriptions that clearly explain responsibilities.

  • Write simple “how we do things here” documents.

  • Turn a messy WhatsApp voice note into clear written instructions.

  • Create quiz-style questions to check if staff understand key points.

3) Organising information

AI can help you:

  • Turn scattered notes from different sources into one tidy document.

  • Group customer questions into themes so you can build FAQs.

  • Turn a long list of tasks into a prioritised to-do list.

  • Create a calendar of recurring tasks (VAT deadlines, stock checks, etc.).

  • Outline folders and naming systems so files are easier to find.

4) Writing internal policies

For internal use (to be checked by your advisor before “locking in”):

  • Draft a social media policy for staff.

  • Draft a phone and email etiquette policy.

  • Draft a holiday request procedure.

  • Draft a basic health & safety reminder sheet.

  • Draft guidelines for working from home if relevant.

5) Meetings and action points

AI can help you with:

  • Turning meeting notes into a list of actions, owners and deadlines.

  • Writing a short recap email after a client meeting.

  • Creating standard agenda templates for weekly team meetings.

  • Turning a long phone conversation summary into clear next steps.

  • Preparing talking points before a tricky conversation (staff, supplier, client).

6. Using AI safely: common-sense rules

AI is powerful, but you need to use it sensibly.

Do:

  • Start with low-risk tasks (emails, summaries, templates).

  • Keep ownership of your decisions – AI is a helper, not a boss.

  • Read everything carefully before sending or publishing.

  • Let your accountant or solicitor review important documents.

  • Use AI as a second brain, not a replacement for professional advice.

Don’t:

  • Paste full PPS numbers, bank details, passwords or very sensitive personal data.

  • Upload whole client files or legal documents without thinking about privacy.

  • Assume AI is always right – it can sound confident and still be wrong.

  • Let AI make final decisions on tax, legal issues or HR without human review.

  • Ignore your existing systems – AI should support them, not blow them up.

7. A simple 7-day AI action plan

Here’s a gentle way to start:

  • Day 1:
    Set up an AI account (such as ChatGPT). Ask it to rewrite one real email you need to send today.

  • Day 2:
    Ask it for 10 social media post ideas for your exact business. Use 1 of them.

  • Day 3:
    Paste a long document (Revenue notice, supplier T&Cs) and ask for a plain-English summary.

  • Day 4:
    Create one checklist for a common task in your business.

  • Day 5:
    Ask AI to turn your last 3 months of key numbers into a short explanation you understand.

  • Day 6:
    Draft a simple late-payment reminder email or letter template.

  • Day 7:
    Decide which 2–3 AI uses saved you the most time – keep those going every week.

8. How we can help

AI is at its best when it’s combined with good numbers and good advice.

If you’d like help to:

  • Decide where AI makes sense in your business

  • Make sure you’re not taking tax or compliance risks

  • Build simple, repeatable systems around AI so you actually save time

…book a free 30-minute call with Gahan Accountants.

https://gahanaccountants.ie/pages/contact

We’ll look at your business, your figures and your current workload, and show you practical, safe ways AI can support you – starting this month.

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