4 tips for small businesses to adopt AI without losing the human touch

Artificial intelligence tools have been important allies for companies in search of operational efficiency.

The popularity of technology has led to the appearance of new entrants in the list of options available on the market - such as Claude, from Anthropic, which has gained prominence in recent months, becoming one of the most downloaded applications in the world.

With the variety of uses of technology and the democratization of access, the number of small companies willing to invest in similar tools, focusing on automation, agility and reduction of operational costs, is also growing.

According to IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), around 42% of Brazilian companies already use some AI tool in their daily lives.

However, a significant portion of entrepreneurs still explore these tools superficially, with an exclusive focus on automation, without bringing real value to the business.

This is a risk for any business committed to action based on humanization, from customer service to the execution of tasks.

With this in mind, the potential of technology - especially agentic AI - must be treated with caution so that small businesses do not compromise values linked to proximity to the customer, humanization and personalization of the experience.

Check out below how entrepreneurs who have already implemented AI into their companies' routines have done so gradually and collaboratively to their businesses, without losing the human factor.

How to use AI in your company without losing the human factor
1. Go beyond chatbots
A common and pioneering use of AI, chatbots are one of the initial steps towards the technology's incursion into small businesses.

But, with the maturity in the use of conversation automations, SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Companies) should consider advancing even further, evaluating the varied functions that each tool provides.

An example is Minha Quitandinha, a technology startup that has franchises of autonomous minimarkets. The network invests in artificial intelligence to manage its units.

Far beyond message interactions, the chosen tool works as a dashboard capable of bringing visibility into sales, cash flow, product pricing and stock distribution for more than 800 units across the country.

Despite enabling a business model based on automation and without human interaction, the dynamics helped the chain to retain its customers, says the founder.

"Using the tool in our units brought significant gains in agility in service and consumer loyalty. Even without intermediaries during the purchase, we were able to provide a closer and more personalized experience to the customer", highlights Guilherme Mauri, CEO and founding partner of the network.

2. Leave the consultancy to the team
"AI should be used for basic, operational and repetitive activities. The team remains focused on what really requires sensitivity, empathy and connection, such as important conversations, relationship management and consultative service", says Fernando Horácio, founder of Puro.Açaí, a company that invested in AI to streamline processes, freeing the human team for more strategic functions.

The network adopted different AIs, such as Gemini, from Google; Omie; and Linx Degust for improving internal communication processes, data analysis and creation of complex documents such as reports and commercial presentations. In return, it saw improvements in internal agility and customer service.

The same strategy was adopted by Anjos Colchões e Sofás, which started to use its own AI, called AURI, to alleviate screening demands in customer service, optimizing the time of support and sales teams.

"We adopt an approach in which AI complements human service. It resolves technical queries and forwards the contact to the store's WhatsApp, ensuring continuity with the seller, with a direct focus on generating leads for franchisees", explains Leonardo dos Anjos, director of the chain.

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3. Always offer a human alternative
Claude, from the developer Anthropic, became the right-hand man of Emagrecentro, a network focused on weight loss and body aesthetics.

Despite bringing agility and dynamism to interactions with customers, AI is just a co-pilot of the operation, serving as an alternative for those who prefer automation - but the human option remains available.

"Artificial intelligence helps to bring speed and efficiency to processes, but human relationships remain a priority. We maintain the possibility of direct service to people in all flows", says Edson Ramuth, founder and CEO of Emagrecentro.

4. Prioritize reviews
Bessie Beauty Club, a beauty salon, uses different artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Manus and Claude to support management, service and content creation functions.

One of the main uses of AI has been in the development of a waiting list for units, while on the content creation front, it assists in the creation of images, captions, announcements, scripts, campaigns, training materials and content for social networks.

According to Eduarda Gueiros, founding partner and marketing director of the company, an essential step in implementing AI is ensuring that content is reviewed, considering the continuous learning and machine learning nature of today's tools.

"All content and analysis are reviewed by the team, because sensitivity, customer relationships and strategic decisions continue to be driven by people", he highlights.

Text by Maria Clara Dias

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Source: CNN