AI TRAINING
Vendor vs Build AI Decisions for SMEs
Leave with a repeatable framework to decide when to buy, configure, or build AI tools.
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Run the diagnostic →What it covers
This one-day workshop equips ops and IT leaders in SMEs with a structured decision framework for evaluating SaaS AI tools, no-code workflows, and custom development. Participants work through real cost models, risk assessments, and vendor lock-in scenarios using their own use cases. By the end, teams can confidently score and prioritise build-vs-buy options against their strategic goals. The format combines short concept sessions with hands-on group exercises.
What you'll be able to do
- Apply a structured scoring matrix to any AI vendor-vs-build decision within your organisation
- Calculate a realistic total cost of ownership for a SaaS AI tool versus a custom-built alternative
- Identify vendor lock-in risks in a given tool contract and articulate a mitigation strategy
- Map data ownership and GDPR obligations for each deployment option
- Produce a one-page decision brief for a real use case from your business
Topics covered
- Buy vs build vs configure decision matrix
- Total cost of ownership for SaaS AI tools vs custom development
- Vendor lock-in risks and exit strategy planning
- No-code and low-code AI workflow evaluation criteria
- Defensibility and competitive moat considerations
- Data ownership and GDPR implications per option
- Scoring and prioritising options against SME constraints
- Common failure modes in SME AI tooling decisions
Delivery
Delivered in-person or live-virtual (half-day format not recommended, full day preserves group exercise depth). Facilitator provides a pre-built decision matrix template and a cost model spreadsheet. Approximately 40% concept delivery, 60% hands-on exercises using participants' actual tool shortlists. A pre-workshop survey collects live use cases to customise examples. Remote delivery requires a shared Miro or Notion workspace.
What makes it work
- Involving both the operational end-user and the IT or finance lead in the same decision session
- Using a pre-agreed scoring rubric that weights SME-specific constraints like team capacity and budget ceiling
- Running a structured proof-of-concept before committing to any build investment
- Reviewing vendor contracts for data portability clauses before signing
Common mistakes
- Choosing a SaaS tool based on demo impressions rather than a total cost and integration analysis
- Underestimating the ongoing maintenance burden of custom-built AI solutions at SME resource levels
- Ignoring vendor lock-in until a contract renewal crisis forces a costly migration
- Conflating no-code configurability with genuine strategic flexibility
When NOT to take this
A company that has already signed a multi-year SaaS AI contract and needs implementation support, this workshop is a pre-decision tool, not a post-commitment optimisation guide.
Providers to consider
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