The Non-Technical Guide to Hiring an AI Automation Consultant

If you are a business owner considering AI automation, here is how to evaluate consultants. Red Flags They lead with technology. Good consultants lead with business outcomes. No ROI projections. If they cannot estimate your savings, they are guessing. No case studies. Ask for specific results from similar businesses. Hourly billing only. Value-based pricing means they are confident in results. No discovery process. They should audit before proposing. Green Flags They quantify everything. Hours saved, dollars recovered, payback period. They start small. A $3-5K discovery project before a $20K implementation. They guarantee outcomes. "If we do not hit X metric, here is our plan." They train your team. The goal is independence, not dependence. They show real data. Not projections, actual results from past clients. What to Expect Discovery audit : 2 days, $3-5K Implementation : 2-4 weeks, $10-25K Monthly retainer : $3-8K for ongoing optimization Typical ROI : 2-4x in year one Payback perio