Automation vs AI: they're not the same thing.

Automation follows rules: when X happens, do Y. For example, when a booking is made, send a confirmation. If an invoice is 14 days old, send a reminder. This method has been around for decades. It's cheap and reliable because the same input always gives the same output.

AI handles what rules can't: variation. Automation can send 'we received your message', but it can't read the message, realise it's a complaint about a delayed order, and draft an appropriate reply. Language, judgement calls, messy inputs — that's where AI comes in.

Sometimes, the simple tool is the right choice. If you forget to send invoice reminders, that's a job for automation. It's cheap and straightforward. If you spend evenings answering different customer questions, AI can help. For messages that come in all day needing sorting and routine replies, you need both AI and automation. AI does the understanding, and automation handles the rest. A seller using fancy words instead of simple ones might be telling you something. Our Consult helps with this sorting. We might say, 'You need £200 of automation, not £3,000 of AI,' and we're happy to do so.