Starting a new business can be an exciting but stressful venture, particularly when it comes to making a name for yourself in a competitive industry. Knowing how to stay ahead of the curve is essential to achieve growth and success in your first year of trading – but while the big, established corporations may have access to the latest technologies, how can you, as the owner of a new and emerging business, stay ahead of the curve without AI?

Hone in on human relationships

Firstly, there’s one thing that AI can’t do, and that’s engage in human relationships – so take advantage of this when it comes to building a customer base and working with industry experts.

For example, you could invest in a specialist team of customer service agents to handle each customer query with a tailored, personal approach. You may not be able to get through hundreds or thousands of customer interactions at once like you would with AI – but as a new business owner, that personal touch can go a long way in building customer loyalty and making your business stand out from the rest.

Leverage your local expertise

AI can share useful advice in seconds, but to get ahead, using a little bit of human creativity in your operations is necessary too. In fact, no one knows your customer better than you do, particularly if you’re operating within a local niche.

People prefer buying from businesses that understand their neighbourhood, culture, and unwritten social norms and rules. Leverage this and use your expertise to appeal to them – it’ll help you to anticipate and adapt to their evolving needs with speed.

Create a memorable brand story

Nothing sticks with consumers quite like a meaningful, memorable brand story about why you started your business. In fact, many customers will choose a brand with a human-driven narrative over a one with low price points that lacks that same character.

It’s a great idea to let your audience see the person behind your brand, so help them build a connection to your story and offerings. Remember, consumers will buy into a brand that feels special – so offer them a feel-good experience that they won’t be able to get from large corporations that automate every one of their processes.

When should you use AI?

As a new business owner, you can make great progress without using AI, particularly when it comes to tasks that benefit from a human touch. As an emerging business, you may not yet need access to the automation tools that larger companies utilise – but what about when it comes time to scale your business?

There’s no doubt that, as your business grows, you’ll want to use AI for some of the large or monotonous tasks that can be easily automated. At a global scale, it simply wouldn’t be feasible to manage international money transfers, customer service, or supply chain operations all by yourself, without the help of assistive technology.

However, there will always be areas where AI falls short, and you can continue to make the most of these throughout your time in business. The key is to have balance, and to work seamlessly with the technology, rather than resisting it. Begin by building relationships, and continue to connect with your customers as you expand and innovate – when the time comes, AI tools will ensure you can continue to offer this same, impressive standard of service.