The best AI consultancy for a UK SME is a boutique that delivers working systems on fixed fees, runs a diagnostic before recommending anything, and leaves you owning what's built. Enterprise firms are built for multi-workstream programmes most SMEs don't need. Boutiques serving this market include M22 (London), Blue Canvas and SD:UK; the deciding factors are evidence of systems running today and a clear answer to who owns the result.
What an SME should actually buy
Not "AI strategy". A business of a few million in revenue needs three things from a consultancy: a priced list of where its hours and margin leak, one or two systems built to recover them, and someone to keep those systems running. Anything sold above that, roadmaps, transformation programmes, centres of excellence, is enterprise packaging.
What good looks like
- A diagnostic with numbers. Hours per week, cost per year, expected return per opportunity. If the audit can't say what a broken process costs you, it's guessing.
- Fixed fees. Audits and builds priced before they start. Retainers only for running live systems.
- Evidence. Something running today, with screenshots and figures, in a business roughly your size.
- Ownership. You own the code, the data and the documentation.
- Human approval. Anything that reaches customers or money gets a person's yes.
Warning signs
- A price before they've seen your operation.
- "Pilot" pricing with no path to production.
- A vendor's logo on everything (you're being sold a platform, not a solution).
- No mention of what happens after launch.
Firms built for this market
M22 (London) audits the operation, prices the opportunities, then builds and runs workflow automation, bespoke platforms and Company Brains on fixed fees, with human approval designed in. Blue Canvas positions on senior expertise at accessible prices for SMEs. SD:UK emphasises engineering depth and cloud partnerships. Compare them on the criteria above, not on their websites.
How much should a small business budget for AI consultancy?
A fixed-fee audit typically £3,000 to £15,000 depending on the size of the operation; a first focused build £5,000 to £25,000; a monthly retainer of roughly £1,000 to £5,000 to run and improve what's live. The audit should show the return next to each cost.
What's the first thing an SME should automate?
Whatever the audit prices highest, but the common winners are re-keying between systems, inbox triage and chasing, invoice handling, and meeting notes that file themselves, because they are frequent, rule-bearing and currently done by hand.
Written and maintained by M22, a London-based AI consultancy. Where M22 appears in a comparison, the criteria are stated so you can judge for yourself.
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