How One AI Consulting Firm Is Doubling Sales for SMBs

Your sales team is drowning in lead data, half the follow-ups are MIA, and your CRM looks like a haunted spreadsheet from 2017. Meanwhile, your competitors are slipping past you because they’ve figured something out—and it’s not magic or money. It’s automation. Specifically, AI-powered automation that doesn’t break the bank or fry your team’s brain.

That’s where one AI consulting firm has quietly been stepping in—building smart, integrated systems for SMBs that aren’t just hype-driven experiments. They’re doubling sales. And no, not with rocket-science-level tech. With stuff that just works.

The Problem Most SMBs Are Stuck In

You know the feeling. You’re juggling CRMs, email clients, spreadsheets, Slack, and half a dozen tools that don’t talk to each other. Everyone’s task list is “in progress.” Meanwhile, your leads are leaking through the cracks like water through a colander.

This is exactly where AI should be helping.

But too often, the perception is it’s all too complicated or reserved for enterprise behemoths. That’s no longer true—and the data proves it. According to Salesforce, 75% of SMBs are already using or experimenting with AI. Among them, 91% say it’s increasing revenue, and 90% report more efficient operations. [source]

Here’s the shift: SMBs aren’t dipping toes in anymore. They’re investing aggressively. Of the ones growing steadily, 78% plan to increase AI spend this year. Translation? AI is officially the ops engine of the modern small business.

The AI Consulting Firm Making It Stick

The AI consulting firm we’re talking about isn’t selling buzz. They’re building systems that actually take work off your plate. Think: AI agents that qualify leads, respond to customer questions, draft sales proposals, and sync with your CRM—all while your salespeople sleep.

Here’s how they’re doing it:

1. They Automate the Painful, Repetitive Crap

Lead scoring across multiple platforms? Automated. Quoting requests that used to take 3 back-and-forths? AI can handle initial quoting frameworks instantly. Customer questions that clogged your team’s inbox? Routed and answered with AI-powered chat but without sounding like a robot from 1999.

That freed-up time? It goes straight back to your team so they can focus on strategy, relationships, and actual selling.

2. They Supercharge Lead Gen Without Bloated Teams

Instead of hiring two more SDRs, they set up AI pipelines that capture inbound interest, qualify it, and nudge it into your sales funnel without lifting a finger. Doesn’t matter what industry you’re in—this is about smart workflows, not spray-and-pray spam tactics.

AI isn't the sales team—it’s the intern that never sleeps, does flawless data entry, and doesn’t complain when it works weekends.

3. They Build Industry-Specific Solutions

Here’s where it gets real. These aren’t generic tools duct-taped into your biz. This firm builds tailored, vertical-specific systems that match your workflows and industry quirks. Your law firm, MSP, or subscription biz doesn’t operate like the next guy’s—and your AI setup shouldn’t, either.

4. They Plug Into Your Existing Stack Seamlessly

This isn’t about buying “yet another platform.” In most cases, the right AI consultant helps you extend what you already use—HubSpot, Notion, ClickUp, Airtable, Slack, Trello, whatever—with automation scripts, agent integrations, or semi-custom tools designed around you.

Need something semi-custom? They’ve built plug-and-play automation systems for sales, marketing, and onboarding. Not dreams—functioning workflows.

5. They Help You Grow Without Growing Pains

Case in point: reMarkable (yup, the tablet company) used Salesforce’s AI consulting to handle a surge of customer questions during a spike in demand—without adding support headcount. Service stayed fast. Customers stayed happy. Costs stayed flat. [source]

Numbers Don’t Lie (Even If Your Forecast Sometimes Does)

Here’s what happens when AI consulting is done right:

• 91% of SMBs using AI see revenue growth
• 90% report better efficiency across ops
• 42% of businesses now use AI in sales and marketing functions
• 71% plan to increase AI spend this year—despite downturns elsewhere

That’s not a trickle. That’s a tide.

[source]

But Isn’t AI Still... Complicated?

Only if you DIY it with your eyes closed.

The truth is, you don’t need to hire a team of data scientists. Modern AI platforms—and the right AI consulting firm—make it accessible with no-code tools, embedded agents, and

River Braun, founder of Timebender, is an AI consultant and systems strategist with over a decade of experience helping service-based businesses streamline operations, automate marketing, and scale sustainably. With a background in business law and digital marketing, River blends strategic insight with practical tools—empowering small teams and solopreneurs to reclaim their time and grow without burnout.