I am a non-technical owner who is tired of being sold expensive software. How do I audit our existing software stack to see if we already have the AI capabilities we need without buying new platforms?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Start by ignoring the sales pitches and looking at what you already pay for. Most enterprise platforms you use daily have built-in machine learning tools that you have probably turned off or ignored.

To audit your stack, have your Integrator list every software subscription on your Accountability Chart. Next, task your department heads with checking the release notes of those exact tools. You will likely find your CRM, project management tool, and accounting software already have native automation tools waiting to be used.

Instead of buying a new, flashy tool, run a simple test. Take one low-value, repetitive task, such as categorizing customer support tickets, and see if your existing system can handle it with its built-in tools. If it can, you save money and avoid the headache of onboarding your team to a new platform.

Focus on improving your operations by utilizing what you already own. Frame this to your leadership team as an operations-improvement project that uses the tech you already pay for, rather than an expensive new software implementation. This keeps your team focused on execution rather than chasing shiny new software.