AI automation FAQs

Start with one repetitive job that happens every week, follows the same steps and is cheap to fix if it goes wrong, such as replying to new enquiries, chasing follow-ups or filing call notes. Let AI do the first draft and keep a person approving what goes out. Prove it works, then add the next job. Get your free AI audit.

Usually not. The aim is to get more from HubSpot, Salesforce and the tools you already pay for. If a new tool is genuinely worth it, we'll explain why and what it costs before you commit. See the 14 workflows.

That isn't the aim. We use AI for first drafts and repetitive steps, such as reading enquiries, summarising calls and sorting tickets, and a person on your team checks anything important before it goes out. The goal is to give your team time back, not to remove them. How we work.

Automation follows fixed rules ("when a form arrives, create a contact"). AI adds judgement for messy inputs, like reading an email and drafting a reply. An AI agent goes further and takes several steps towards a goal on its own. Most small businesses should start with simple automation plus AI drafting, with a person approving. Example workflows.

Yes. We mainly work with owner-led businesses of around 5 to 50 people, where the owner and a small team are doing too much. We start with one job, keep it simple and make sure it pays its way. See Quick-Win builds.

No. We handle the build and explain everything in plain English. Your team gets documentation and training so they can run the workflows day to day. About us.

With Larchwire the first 30-minute call and a short first look at 2–3 opportunities are free. An AI Quick Scan is £495, a 3-hour AI Opportunity Workshop is £1,500, a full AI Workflow Audit & Roadmap is £3,250, and Quick-Win builds start at £1,500 for a single workflow. All prices are fixed fees, ex VAT (UK), sales tax (US) and GST (AU). See all prices.

Software licences, enrichment credits and AI/API usage are paid by you directly to the vendors, with no markup. Data migration, custom CRM objects beyond scope, extra CRM instances and more than two revision rounds are also excluded. ERP integration (Touchless AP) is quoted separately. What's not included.

Fixed-scope packages are paid 50% at kick-off and 50% at go-live. Monthly plans have a 3-month minimum, then 30 days' notice. Monthly plans.

Yes. The Quick Scan fee is 100% credited against a build booked within 60 days, and the workshop and audit fees are 100% credited against a package bought within 60 days. Ways to start.

Our prices are set in pounds (GBP), with US and Australian prices available for clients there. We'll agree the invoice currency with you before any work starts. Pricing.

You do. Everything is set up in your own accounts, documented and handed over with a runbook, so you're not locked in to us. Our principles.

Every package includes 30 days of support after go-live, and Quick-Win builds include 14 days of hypercare. After that you can run it yourselves or choose a monthly plan (Care Lite, Care, Grow or Partner) for monitoring, fixes and improvements. See monthly plans.

Usually between one and five weeks. Quick-Win builds go live in 5–10 working days or about 2 weeks, the workshop takes about 5 working days, the full audit about 2 weeks, and our packages about 3 weeks (call notes to CRM), 4 weeks (lead capture and routing) or 4–5 weeks (support triage). You get a timeline before any work starts. Packages.

Yes. We're UK-based and work remotely with businesses in the UK, Australia and the US, and schedule calls to suit your time zone. Where we work.

Usually yes, if you have repetitive admin and a CRM, inbox, help desk or accounting system at the centre. The free 30-minute call is where we check the fit honestly. Industries.

Yes. We set up AI workflows inside your HubSpot portal, such as lead scoring and routing, call notes logged to deals, follow-up drafts and ticket triage. We use HubSpot's built-in AI features where they fit and connect other tools where they don't. Sales workflows.

Yes. The same workflows can be built in Salesforce, using its built-in automation and AI features where they fit. Support workflows.

It depends on your data and volumes. Built-in AI works best when your CRM records are reasonably clean and the job is well defined. We check both in the audit before recommending any upgrade, and you pay vendors directly with no markup. CRM Clean-Up & Guardrails.

No. Larchwire is independent and vendor-neutral: we recommend what suits you, not what earns us a referral. About us.

It can be, with the right tool, settings and process. Customer details are personal data, so in the UK you need a lawful basis and a privacy notice that covers it (ICO). In Australia, check the OAIC's guidance on commercial AI products (OAIC). We design workflows to use only the data they need, with human review on anything sensitive. This isn't legal advice.

It's a good idea once more than one person uses AI tools. A short policy should say which tools are approved, what data must never be pasted in, and where a person must check the output. We can draft one during a workshop. Workshop.

AI can rank and summarise CVs, but a person should make every hiring decision. In the UK the ICO has published findings on AI recruitment tools (ICO). Our screening workflow gives explained shortlists, and recruiters decide. Responsible AI Screening.

A free 30-minute call and a short first look at 2–3 places AI could help, sent as a one-page or spoken summary within 2 working days. We prepare from public information only (your website, job ads and reviews), so we don't need access to your CRM, inbox or tools. It doesn't include ROI figures, a fixed quote or workflow maps, and it's one per company. The paid next step is the AI Quick Scan (£495), or the AI Opportunity Workshop (£1,500) for firms with more than about 50 staff.

Yes. There's no cost and no obligation, and nothing is processed beyond the call itself. If you'd like a proper written plan, the AI Quick Scan (£495) gives you your top 3 automations and a fixed quote for the best one, and its fee is fully credited against a build booked within 60 days. See ways to start.