The three options
- A general AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot): one person asks, it answers. Great for writing, summarizing, brainstorming and research. It doesn't know your systems unless someone pastes information in.
- Off-the-shelf software with AI built in (a CRM, help desk or accounting tool that adds AI features): works well when your process matches how the product expects you to work.
- A custom tool built around your process and data: it reads from and writes to your systems, follows your rules, and is used all day by the people who do the work.
Which one fits your problem
| If this sounds like you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| One person needs help writing, summarizing or thinking | A general AI assistant |
| The work happens inside one tool you already pay for | That tool's AI features |
| A well-known process (bookkeeping, ticketing) done the usual way | Off-the-shelf software |
| People copy information between several systems every day | A custom tool |
| The process is how you beat competitors and no product fits it | A custom tool |
| Customers need to log in, see their status or book with you | A custom tool, or a product built for exactly that |
| You're not sure yet what the problem is | Write the process down first (see our 30-day plan) |
When ChatGPT is enough
If the work is done by one person at a time, starts and ends in a chat window, and nobody minds copying the result somewhere, a general assistant with a few good saved prompts is the cheapest answer. Set a usage policy first so nobody pastes in data that shouldn't leave the company.
When off-the-shelf fits
If your process is standard and a product already does it well, buy the product. You'll get updates without paying for them. The warning sign is when your team builds workarounds: spreadsheets on the side, steps done by hand because "the system can't do that."
When custom is worth it
- The work crosses several systems that don't talk to each other.
- Your way of working is part of why customers choose you.
- You pay for several tools and still copy data between them.
- You need the AI to use your own documents, history and rules.
- You want to own it rather than rent seats every month.
You can mix them. Many businesses keep their accounting product, give the team an AI assistant, and build one custom tool for the process that's unique to them.
Questions to ask before deciding
- How many people do this work, and how many hours a week?
- How many systems does the information pass through?
- Would a standard product make us change how we work? Is that acceptable?
- What data would the AI need to see, and is it allowed to?
- What would it cost per year to keep doing this by hand?
Questions
- Is ChatGPT enough for a small business?
- For writing, summarizing and research done by one person at a time, often yes. It falls short when the work runs across several systems, needs your own data, or is done by a team all day.
- When should a business build custom AI software?
- When work crosses several systems that don't connect, when your process is part of what makes you different, or when you pay for several tools and still copy data between them by hand.
- Can we use ChatGPT and a custom tool together?
- Yes. A common setup is an AI assistant for everyday writing and research, standard products for standard work, and one custom tool for the process that's unique to the business.