Small Business AI Pros buyer guide
Guide 3: Evaluate experience without relying on hype
Look for relevant reasoning, transparent limits, and evidence you can verify.
Ask what the person actually did
A case study can involve strategy, configuration, software engineering, prompt design, change management, training, or ongoing support. Ask which work the candidate personally performed and which results came from the client, another vendor, or a product feature.
Relevant experience does not require an identical client. It should show a comparable workflow, risk, team size, integration pattern, or adoption challenge and explain the limits of the comparison.
Test the reasoning
Give each candidate the same redacted scenario. Ask what they would learn first, what they would keep out of scope, which assumptions could change the plan, how they would test, and when they would recommend doing nothing. Strong answers make uncertainty visible.
Be cautious with guaranteed savings, universal accuracy claims, instant automation promises, or an answer that depends on broad data access before discovery. A professional should be able to explain tradeoffs in language the business can use.
Verify what matters
Check references directly when they influence the decision. Confirm certifications, partnerships, licenses, insurance, or background statements with the issuing source when they are required. Make sure a public case study has permission and does not reveal confidential information.
Small Business AI Pros does not verify or endorse providers in this release. The site supplies a method buyers can use until a real, documented provider-review program exists.