Guides · No email needed
AI guides for UK SMEs, in plain English.
Guides and the readiness check
How can AI help my business?
What AI can and can't do for an SME, and how to start using it in your business.
ExplainerWhat is AI automation?
A plain definition, how it relates to workflow automation and RPA, and how it differs from AI agents.
GuideAI agents for business
The jobs an AI agent can take on in a small business, and why a person should still check what it does.
ComparisonThe best AI tools for business
ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini compared for everyday business use.
ComparisonZapier vs Make vs n8n
Three workflow automation tools side by side: hosting, learning curve, AI features, where your data is kept and who each suits.
Free toolAI readiness check
A short AI readiness assessment for your business. Answer ten questions about how your business runs and see your result on the page. No email needed.
Where to start
New to AI? Read How can AI help my business? first. It covers the most ground.
If there's already a job you'd like off your plate, such as chasing invoices or answering the same emails, start with What is AI automation? and then the Zapier, Make and n8n comparison.
For a first answer about your own business, take the AI readiness check. Or skip the reading and talk to a person: that's what our AI consultancy is for.
How we write these guides
We write them the way we'd explain things on a call. A few rules we stick to:
- Every guide shows who wrote it, when it was published and when it was last updated.
- Each one lists its sources at the end, with the date we checked them.
- No made-up figures. Anything illustrative is labelled "Example".
- No prices, ours or the tools'. Tool prices change, so check them with the provider. For our own work, see How we price.
Who's behind them? Read about NetVortex and the two people who do the work.