Key takeaways
- Look for business-first thinking, not just technical demos.
- Integration skill matters as much as AI skill.
- Insist on guardrails, logging and human approval steps.
- Start with a pilot that has clear success measures.
1. Do they start with your business problem?
A strong partner asks about your goals, workflows and bottlenecks before talking about models or tools. Be cautious of anyone who leads with technology and cannot explain how the agent will save time or make money.
2. Can they integrate with your systems?
Most of the value of an AI agent comes from connecting it to your CRM, email, documents and databases. Ask which systems they have integrated with and how they handle authentication, errors and rate limits.
3. How do they handle safety and oversight?
Ask how the agent’s permissions are scoped, whether actions are logged, and where a person approves decisions. Reliable providers design for failure: what happens when the AI is unsure or a system is down.
4. How will success be measured?
A good proposal defines measurable outcomes, such as response time, hours saved, accuracy or conversion rate, and explains how they will be tracked after launch.
5. What happens after launch?
AI agents need monitoring and tuning as your business, data and models change. Clarify who maintains the agent, how updates are handled and what the monthly running costs are.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Can you walk me through how the agent will work, step by step?
- Which parts are automated, and where does a person approve?
- What will it cost to build, and to run each month?
- How do you protect our data and comply with GDPR or local laws?
- Can we start with a small pilot?
- Who owns the code, prompts and data?
Red flags
- Promises of a fully autonomous business with no human involvement.
- No clear answer on data security or ownership.
- Fixed prices quoted before understanding your workflow.
- Impressive demos with no plan for integration or maintenance.
If you are comparing providers, we are happy to talk through your options. Book a free strategy call.