Compare proposals against the same workflow and review cases, then separate delivery, usage, support and change costs.
Scope the workflow, not the label
“An AI assistant” can describe very different projects. An assistant answering from a small approved guide is different from one reading several systems and preparing updates for multiple teams. List the channels, actions, review rules, and information sources before comparing quotes.
Ask each provider to describe the same ordinary and exception scenarios. Otherwise, a lower quote may simply include less testing, fewer integrations, or a narrower handover.
A WORKED EXAMPLE
Compare two scopes before comparing fees.
Suppose one proposal covers a draft reply and another includes a connected review queue. They need different delivery and operating work.
- Delivery included
Compare channels, sources, integrations, review states and exception tests.
What to checkBoth quotes describe the same completed workflow.
- Costs after launch
Separate hosting, subscriptions, usage, support and later improvements.
What to checkYou know the assumptions and who operates each account.
- Acceptance
Ask for the demonstrations, handover and client responsibilities.
What to checkYou can tell what the fee buys and how readiness is agreed.
Understand what needs to connect
Available interfaces, permissions, and the quality of existing records affect implementation. A documented integration with stable identifiers can be simpler than moving inconsistent records between tools with limited access.
Discovery should identify these dependencies early. Ask what happens if an integration is unavailable and whether a manual export or review step is an acceptable first release.
Separate build and operation
A proposal should distinguish design and implementation from hosting, model usage, third-party subscriptions, monitoring, and later improvements. Some costs vary with use, so the assumptions behind an estimate matter.
Ask who holds each account and who reviews usage or failures. A system that is inexpensive to build still needs a workable operating arrangement.
Review acceptance and change
A useful quote says what will be demonstrated, what your team supplies, and what counts as a change to scope. Review milestones should produce something you can inspect before the next stage.
Compare the full engagement: initial discovery, delivered workflow, scenario tests, documentation, team walkthrough, and the support arrangement. Agree the price and payment schedule in writing before delivery.
PUT IT TO WORK
Prepare a comparable project brief.
Use the same one-page brief to compare two proposed approaches. Mark any excluded work, uncertain dependency or running cost before discussing the headline price.
- List one workflow and its systems.
- Name required reviews and exceptions.
- Separate implementation from running costs.
- Ask for acceptance criteria and handover details.
A like-for-like quote brief separating one-time delivery, subscriptions and usage, support coverage, exclusions and the evidence required at acceptance.
Ask for the same scope and exception tests in each proposal. Resolve omitted running costs or unclear handover before comparing the headline fees.
Free editable notes for your team. No email needed.
Which recurring task should your team stop chasing?
Tell us what triggers the task, where it slows down and who needs the result. We can start with a general example.
You’ll see what we deliver, what your team needs to provide, and how the result is reviewed. A written proposal confirms the scope and price before work begins.
Review scope & deliverables