AI Readiness Checklist for Small Businesses

Your processes

• You can describe, step by step, how an enquiry becomes a paying customer.
• The same jobs are done the same way by different people.
• You know which jobs take the most time each week.

Your information

• Customer details are kept in one place, not spread across emails, notebooks and phones.
• Prices, services and policies are written down and up to date.
• Files are stored somewhere shared and backed up.

Your tools

• Everyone uses business email accounts.
• You know which software you pay for each month and what each one does.
• Passwords are not shared on sticky notes, and accounts use two-step sign-in where possible.

Your people and rules

• Someone is responsible for trying new tools and checking the results.
• You have, or will write, a short AI policy.
• Staff know not to paste customer data into unapproved tools.

What your score means

If you ticked most boxes, you are ready to automate: pick one repetitive job and start. If you ticked fewer than half, start with the basics, getting customer information into one place and writing down how key jobs are done. That groundwork pays off whether or not you use AI.