AI for UK small and medium businesses
Lower costs and more capacity from AI. Measured in pounds and hours, not hype.
Practical AI, led by an operator who has run the business side and built the technology. Delivered safely, and reported against a baseline.
15 hours a week of data entry, half of it automated, done by someone earning £28,000.
- low
- £7,146
- central
- £7,940
- high
- £8,734
a year, about 390 hours given back
An illustration, not a promise. Assumes 20% employer on-costs and 1,650 working hours a year.
You know AI matters. The hard part is knowing what to do about it.
Where do we start?
There are hundreds of AI tools. Few are worth your time.
Who can we trust?
Plenty of people sell AI. Fewer have run a business.
What will it cost?
And what will it save? Most proposals never say.
Is it safe?
Customer data, UK GDPR and your reputation are on the line.
What changes
Lower costs
Take repetitive admin, re-keying and reporting off your team's desks.
More capacity
Get more done with the people you already have, without burning them out.
More revenue
Answer customers faster and convert more of the enquiries you already get.
A clear path, one step at a time
Step 1: Free AI Readiness Assessment
Online, about 10 minutes
See where you stand
Free
Step 2: Discovery Call
30 to 45 minutes
Check we are a good fit
Free
Step 3: AI Opportunity Diagnostic
About 10 working days
Find and size the opportunities
Fixed fee, quoted after a free call
Step 4: Quick-Win Sprint
Fixed scope, 4 to 6 weeks
Deliver one to three automations
Fixed fee, quoted after a free call
Step 5: Fractional Chief AI & Commercial Officer
Monthly retainer, set days per month
Ongoing leadership
Day rate or monthly retainer
Why work with Forwardcycle
An operator, not a theorist
Board-level commercial and operational experience, from running stores to running the business. Advice that works on a Monday morning.
Advises and builds
Diagnosis, delivery and ongoing leadership from one accountable person. No hand-offs between a strategist and a supplier.
People and AI together
AI takes out cost and friction. People keep the judgement and the relationships. The aim is a better business, not fewer people for the sake of it.
Safe with your data
Grounded in UK GDPR and ISO 27001 and 27701. Every recommendation considers what data is involved and where it goes.
Measured in pounds and hours
Every engagement starts with a baseline and a savings model, and reports against it. You see what changed.
Sized for smaller businesses
Fixed-scope ways to start, plain English throughout, and quick decisions. No year-long programme before anything happens.
Particular depth in retail and e-commerce, utilities, telecoms, financial services, insurance, healthcare, travel and professional services. Not limited to them.
Proof, not promises
Co-authored by Keith Hamilton
The AI Service Playbook
Journeys, Guardrails & Economics for Modern Customer Service Operations
A practical field guide for leaders adopting AI in customer service. It shows how AI, especially agentic and voice agents, can be built safely into existing service operations: redesigning customer journeys, drawing clear lines between human and AI decisions, and putting in guardrails that stand up to operational, legal and regulatory scrutiny.
Recent work
Customer experience
AI voice agent proof of concept for a European fashion retailer
An AI voice agent proof of concept for a European clothing and lifestyle retailer, handling calls from customers about orders they have already placed.
In progress: proof of concept launching
Customer experience and revenue
AI voice agents for an SME telecoms business
Two AI voice agents for an SME telecoms business: one answering inbound calls for several companies, the other chasing failed direct debits and outstanding balances.
Calls answered: from under 80% to virtually 100%
Customer experience
AI voice proof of concept for a UK district council
A proof of concept for a district council, giving callers instant answers on three of its 27 customer journeys, with a person available whenever they want one.
In progress: three of 27 customer journeys
Customer experience
Blended AI and human service for a contact centre's clients
A blended AI service for a contact centre operation: AI takes the calls and answers the queries, and each client's own team handles escalations and regulated business.
Live: AI first, with people for escalations and regulated work
Cost reduction
AI phone ordering proof of concept for a UK gardening company
A proof of concept for a leading UK gardening and horticulture company: an AI agent that takes phone orders from start to finish, including payment.
Launching soon: phone orders taken end to end
Clients are not named without their permission. More on our work
See where AI could save you time and money
The free AI Readiness Assessment takes about ten minutes. You get a readiness score, your top opportunities and an indicative saving for each.