Expert Interview: Michael Romm on the Future of AI in Small Businesses

Expert Interview: Michael Romm on the Future of AI in Small Businesses

By: Daria Levitan

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere, but many small and medium-sized businesses still wonder if this technology is relevant to them. To make sense of things, I sat down for a conversation with Michael Romm, an expert in AI solutions and business integration, to understand which way the wind is blowing and how a small business owner can also harness the power of AI to their advantage.

Daria: Michael, thanks for joining. Let's start with the basic question: Isn't AI a "big company thing"? Is it even accessible to a business with 5-10 employees?

Michael: "That is exactly the perception we are here to change. If AI once required massive investments and complex infrastructures, today the situation is completely different. Thanks to cloud platforms and models as a service (SaaS), even a small business can implement AI solutions at a low monthly cost, sometimes less than the salary of a part-time employee. It has become a democratic tool. The question is not whether it's possible, but where to start."

Daria: So where should one actually start? What is the 'Low-Hanging Fruit' for a small business?

Michael: "The answer will almost always revolve around customer service and sales. Every business wastes precious hours answering repetitive questions. Implementing an AI assistant on a channel like WhatsApp or a website can save tens of working hours a month. The bot answers questions like 'What are the opening hours?', 'Where is my order?', 'What is the return policy?'. It's immediate, it's 24/7, and it frees up the human team to engage in what's really important - sales and solving complex problems."

Daria: That sounds good, but what about the fear of 'dehumanization'? Won't customers prefer to talk to a person?

Michael: "Excellent question. The key is not to replace the human, but to empower them. A smart bot doesn't need to pretend to be human. It needs to be efficient. A customer who wants to know an order status at 2 AM will prefer to get an immediate answer from a bot rather than wait until tomorrow morning for a representative. The goal is a proper combination: the bot handles 80% of routine inquiries, and the human representative enters the picture in complex cases or when the customer explicitly requests it. The smart system knows when to transfer the conversation smoothly. The result is faster service, and the human team is more available to provide true personal attention when needed."

Daria: You mentioned integration. How critical is that?

Michael: "That is the difference between a 'dumb' chatbot and a smart AI assistant. If the bot is not connected to your systems - to the CRM, inventory, order system - it is essentially just an advanced FAQ page. When connected, it can check real order status, see if a product is in stock, and even update customer details. Integration is what turns AI into a productive work tool and not a gimmick."

Daria: Finally, what is the most important tip you would give to a business owner considering taking the first step?

Michael: "Start small and think big. Don't try to build a system that will solve all the world's problems. Identify your most painful bottleneck - for example, repetitive inquiries about delivery status. Start there. Measure the success, learn, and only then expand the system's capabilities. This iterative approach ensures a quick return on investment and mitigates risks."

Daria: Michael, thank you very much for the insights.

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