Finding an AI Consultant for a Small Business in Lewisham: What to Ask Before You Book

Start from the job, not the label

"AI consultant" covers very different people. Some run workshops. Some write a report. Some build working systems. This site lists businesses in 15 categories, from 66 hairdressers to 5 vets, and the owners of those businesses rarely need a report. They need the enquiry from last night answered, and the quote from last week chased.

So begin with one task that eats your week, and judge every consultant on how they deal with it. To compare named providers, see our list of AI consultants in south-east London.

Five questions worth asking

1. What exactly will exist at the end? A document, a training session, or something running in your email, WhatsApp or diary?
2. Which of my tools does it connect to, and do I have to change any of them?
3. Who looks after it when something breaks or a message gets answered wrongly?
4. What do you start with? A good answer is one task, not a grand plan.
5. When do I learn the cost, and is there any obligation before then?

What a vague answer sounds like

Be wary of anyone who cannot name the first task, who talks only about tools and not about your customers, or who will not say when you will hear the cost. None of these is proof of a bad consultant. They are reasons to ask a follow-up question.

How Dean Keating answers them

Dean Keating's service is done for you. His website says he builds the AI agents, installs them in the tools you already use, trains your team and supports it. It describes the work as installed for you, not handed over. The agents can reply to new enquiries within minutes, follow up every lead, send and chase quotes, book jobs into the diary and raise invoices.

There are four steps: a free call, an audit of the work worth automating, the build and install, then training and support. He starts with the single task that makes the biggest difference. You finish the free call with a plan you can use with or without him, and the cost is given afterwards with no obligation. No price list is published.

Being honest about distance

He is based in Horndean, Hampshire, and does the build remotely, which his website says works anywhere in the UK. He is not in Lewisham. His website says he can visit businesses in Hampshire or nearby in person, so if you want someone in the room, say so in the first minute. It would be sensible to speak to at least one south-east London provider as well and compare.

Check the local picture too

If you are not sure which of your tasks is worth handing over, look at how other businesses in your line are described on this site. The hairdressers, restaurants and cafes pages are the three largest categories, and the opening hours and contact details listed there show what a customer expects to be able to ask you.

Contact

Call or WhatsApp Dean Keating on 07418 627304, or email dean@deankeating.com. See the Dean Keating profile on Lewisham.co. Websites: ai-agent.deankeating.com and deankeating.com.

About this guide

Lewisham.co is published by Dean Keating, who also runs the service described here. He is based in Horndean, Hampshire, not in Lewisham, and works with Lewisham and south-east London businesses remotely. This guide recommends our own service, so compare it with other providers before you decide.