Managed AI · Kent and by video
AI tools set up for you, then looked after every month
Some AI tools need more than a one-off set-up: a website assistant that has to stay accurate, or automations that stop when a supplier changes a form. With Managed AI, we build the tool, host it where needed, keep an eye on it and update it as the AI services underneath change. You get a written agreement, a monthly check and someone to ring.
From £149 a month
Based in Kent, working with businesses across the UK: on site in Kent, by video anywhere else.
What the monthly fee covers
- Hosting where neededMany tools run inside accounts you already have. Where one needs somewhere else to live, we arrange it, in the UK or EU where possible.
- MonitoringAlerts when something fails, and regular checks that answers are still accurate.
- Updates when tools changeAI providers rename features, change prices and retire products. We keep your set-up working through those changes.
- Small changesNew prices, a new product, an extra question for your website assistant: edits of that size are included.
- Support by phone and emailUsually the same or next working day.
- A monthly checkA short written note of what the tools did that month, anything that went wrong and anything we'd change.
- Data protection paperworkA data processing agreement between us, and AI services chosen because they don't train on your data.
Why AI tools need looking after
A spreadsheet formula written ten years ago probably still works. AI tools don't stay put like that. A few recent changes show why:
- OpenAI announced in September 2026 that custom GPTs are being retired in favour of a new feature called Plugins, so assistants built as custom GPTs will need rebuilding.
- Wix stopped offering its AI Site Chat on new sites. Its replacement, Smart Chat, runs on monthly AI credits that don't roll over, and the chat goes offline when they run out.
- Intercom's Fin assistant moved from charging per resolution to charging per outcome, and Make renamed its billing unit from operations to credits.
None of these is dramatic alone. Together they mean somebody has to read the notices, test the effect on your set-up and make changes before customers notice. That's what the monthly fee pays for.
The tools that suit this arrangement are an AI assistant on your website, automations between the software you use, and assistants built on your own documents.
How the cost is made up
The service runs month to month, and you can end it with one month's notice.
Running it yourself, or having it managed
Both are reasonable. Plenty of firms run a simple tool themselves after a one-off set-up.
| The job | If you run it yourself | Under Managed AI |
|---|---|---|
| Spotting a wrong answer | Someone on your team reads the logs now and then | We check what it's been doing each month and correct the information it draws on |
| A provider changes or retires a feature | You find out from a notice email, or when it stops working | We read the notices, test the effect and make the change |
| Updating prices or opening hours | You edit the tool's settings yourself | Send us the change; small edits are included |
| Data protection paperwork | You check each provider's terms and data processing agreement | We pick providers with suitable terms and sign a data processing agreement with you |
| Something stops working | Whoever set it up, if they're available | Ring or email us; we usually reply the same or next working day |
Your data, your accounts, your way out
Wherever a tool allows it, the account is opened in your business's name and you hold the main login, with us added as a user. Your data stays yours, and written documentation explains what each tool does, where it runs and how it's connected.
If you end the service, you keep the accounts, the data and the documentation, and can run the tools yourself, hand them to someone else or close them down.
One thing we don't offer is an uptime figure. The AI services underneath have outages no small supplier can control, and we'd rather say so now than put a number in an agreement we can't stand behind.
How it starts
-
Kick-Start
Half a day looking at your week, three quick wins set up there and then, and a written plan within three working days. -
Written quote
If something in the plan is worth running for you, we quote the set-up and the monthly fee before any work begins. -
Build, test, hand over
We build it, we test it together on real examples, and from then on we look after it.
Questions people ask
What is a managed AI service?
A supplier builds AI tools for your business and then runs them for a monthly fee, covering hosting, monitoring, updates and support. You use the tools; the upkeep is someone else's job.
How much does managed AI cost for a small business?
With us, from £149 a month plus a one-off set-up of £500 to £2,500, both quoted in writing in advance. Tool subscriptions, such as a chatbot plan, are paid to the provider on top.
Is there a contract?
There's a short written agreement and a data processing agreement. It runs monthly and you can end it with one month's notice.
Do we have to start with a Kick-Start?
It's the usual route, because it shows what's worth building before you commit to a monthly fee. The £395 is credited in full against the set-up fee if you go ahead within 60 days.
What if the AI gives a customer a wrong answer?
We correct the information it draws on and check similar questions. Customer-facing tools are set up to hand over to a person when unsure, and the monthly check looks for answers that need fixing.
Who you'll work with
James Hayes Consulting is led by Ross Hayes, who builds software for his own businesses and uses AI tools in them every day. We set AI up on your real work, explain it in plain English, and tell you straight if something isn’t worth paying for.
Every project starts with a free 15-minute call, and prices are agreed in writing before you commit.
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