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The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is now so widespread that it’s rare to come across a company that isn’t using it in some capacity. While many clients look on the technology favorably, in a recent survey 14% of people still reported that they were unlikely to trust a company that uses AI.
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Whether to tell your clients that your business uses AI is a tricky decision. There’s no clear-cut answer—it’ll usually depend on whether your AI use directly affects the service you offer your clients. If you’re unsure about whether to open up the conversation, here are three reasons why talking about AI with your clients might be a good idea.
Demonstrating innovation
Your clients will want to know that the company they’re working with is able to stay ahead of the curve with the newest technological advances. An ability to innovate in this way will prove to your clients that you have your finger on the pulse of current technological trends and best practices.
It may be worth talking with your clients about how AI allows you to deliver a better quality of service. Giving them practical examples of how you’re using the technology can help them to visualize the process. With the vast majority of industries incorporating AI into their daily operations, your clients may appreciate an understanding of just how important it is for you to use the technology to optimize your processes and keep up with industry standards.
Managing expectations
AI is a tool that has both benefits and drawbacks. It won’t be right for every task, and exactly how useful it is can vary from project to project. Depending on how closely you’ll be working with AI on any particular task, it can be helpful to manage your clients’ expectations so they’ll know what to expect.
This is helpful so long as you frame the information in a way that allows your client to understand your reasons for using AI. For example, you might want to tell them that you’ll be using it to generate prompts for content. In this case, your clients should be made aware that AI will be contributing ideas, but that no content will be published without multiple rounds of reviewing and editing.
Similarly, you could talk to your clients about expected project delivery dates that are being managed by AI—assuring them that they have been calculated based on the most up-to-date data. This can help them to better understand your project’s timeline.
Building trust
It’s important to be transparent with your clients about the way your business works. After all, they are trusting you to deliver a quality product, and they have a stake in the final results.
Building strong relationships with your clients is crucial for a successful business. Part of that means building a rapport and being open about your processes. Without some level of trust that you’ll keep your clients in the loop and deliver the standard of work that they expect, you’re unlikely to retain them as clients.
You don’t want to avoid the conversation around AI, only to have your clients discover later that you’re using it. This can really damage your reputation as a company. By talking to clients before you commit to working together, you’ll prove that your company has integrity. You’re also likely to find that your willingness to be upfront will curb any fears around the technology they have and encourage them to focus on the benefits of it instead.
How should you approach the conversation?
So, there are lots of benefits to telling your clients that your business uses AI. But how do you start the conversation?
First of all, you want to make sure your stance on the technology is clear. You should focus on how it can be used to benefit your client, and be sure to express these thoughts confidently. Not doing so can make the conversation sound more like a warning than a collaborative, inspirational meeting of minds.
Give concrete examples of how AI is used in your work throughout each stage of the project. You’ll want to customize your AI use to suit the needs of your client, and present them with a custom plan to which they can refer.
Above all else, be confident in your business choice to use AI. The more confident you are, the easier it will feel to be transparent. You could also be upfront about your AI use on your company website and social pages to attract more like-minded clients and avoid having to broach the subject in the first place.
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