You've probably seen chatbots on websites — those little chat bubbles in the corner that pop up and ask if you need help. Most of them are terrible. They follow a script, they can't actually answer your question, and they feel like talking to a brick wall.
AI chatbots are different. And they're getting good enough that they actually make sense for small businesses now.
What an AI chatbot actually does
An AI chatbot uses artificial intelligence (think ChatGPT-level technology) to have real conversations with your website visitors. It's not following a script with pre-written responses. It actually understands what people are asking and gives useful answers.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
- A customer asks "What are your hours on Saturday?" and the bot answers correctly
- Someone asks "Do you do kitchen remodels?" and the bot explains your services
- A lead asks "How much does a basic service cost?" and the bot gives a helpful range
- Someone asks a question at 11pm on a Sunday — and actually gets an answer
How it helps your business
It captures leads while you sleep. Someone visits your site at midnight, has a question, and instead of leaving they chat with your bot. The bot answers their question and collects their contact info. You wake up to a new lead in your inbox.
It answers the same questions so you don't have to. Every business has those 10-15 questions they get asked constantly. The chatbot handles all of them automatically.
It makes you look professional. Having an AI chatbot on your site signals that you're a modern, tech-savvy business. That matters to a lot of customers.
It qualifies leads. The bot can ask visitors what they need, what their budget is, and when they're looking to start — so by the time they reach you, you already know if they're a good fit.
Does your business need one?
An AI chatbot makes sense if:
- You get website visitors but not enough inquiries. The chatbot lowers the barrier to reaching out.
- You're missing calls or emails. Maybe you're on a job site all day and can't answer the phone. The bot covers for you.
- You answer the same questions repeatedly. Automate those answers and save yourself time.
- You want to stand out. Most of your local competitors don't have one. It's a differentiator.
It probably doesn't make sense if:
- You don't have a website yet. Get the website first.
- Your business runs entirely on referrals and you're fully booked. If you don't need more leads, you don't need a chatbot.
What it costs
I build AI chatbots for small businesses for $250-500. That includes training the bot on your specific business, setting it up on your website, and making sure it gives accurate, helpful answers about your services.
There's usually a small monthly cost for the AI service (think $20-50/month depending on usage), but the leads it captures typically pay for that many times over.
It's not as complicated as it sounds
The whole point of working with someone like me is that you don't need to understand the technology. I handle the setup, the training, the integration — all of it. You just get more leads and fewer repetitive questions.