Digital transformation
7 tasks an African SME can hand to AI today
You do not need a big project to start. These seven tasks work with an everyday assistant and a phone, as long as a person still checks the result.
The Bikus Group team5 min read
In an SME, time often goes on small pieces of writing: the quote to draft, the reminder to send, the message to rephrase. These are exactly the tasks where an assistant such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini helps most. Here is where to start.
1. Prepare a quote
Give the assistant the customer's request, your services and your prices. It prepares a clear, structured quote. Check every line and every calculation before sending.
2. Chase unpaid invoices
Ask for three versions of a reminder: friendly, firm, and final notice. Keep these templates, and you only need to change the name and the amount.
3. Answer customers' frequent questions
List the ten questions you hear all the time: prices, hours, delivery, payment methods. The assistant writes short answers to save as quick replies in WhatsApp Business.
4. Write up meeting notes
Record the meeting with everyone's agreement, or jot down the key points. The assistant extracts decisions, owners and dates. Everyone leaves knowing what to do.
5. Write your posts
Describe your offer and your customer, then ask for several post ideas for Facebook, LinkedIn or TikTok. Rework them in your own words with your real photos: readers quickly spot text nobody has touched.
6. Translate between French and English
Product sheet, sales offer, email to a partner: a decent translation takes seconds. For a contract or official document, always have a professional check it.
7. Summarise a long document
Tender, report, new regulation: ask for a summary, the list of documents to supply and the deadlines. Then check the important points in the original.
Rules to keep
- always reread: AI can invent a figure or a reference;
- do not leave a credit decision, a diagnosis or legal advice to an assistant;
- avoid pasting personal or confidential data without reading the terms of your plan.
What comes next
When a task comes back every day, copy and paste is no longer enough. It can then be automated: the reminder goes out by itself, the enquiry arrives sorted, the document files itself in the right place. Start with one task, measure the time saved, then move to the next.
