How skilled trade businesses use digital tools and AI to overcome challenges

“…The Pennsylvania-based firm attributed its recent growth spurt to strategic hires, internal training and leveraging technology, including AI, to deliver projects faster…”

AI can create an evergreen knowledge base that grows over time - multi-family owners and managers can leverage AI to retain institutional and property knowledge that grows over time. With maintenance and employee turnover a given, don't get caught with institutional knowledge that walks out the door! https://lnkd.in/ezCj7Zef

If it reads like effort, it won’t feel like truth. Overwriting creeps in when we’re compensating—new niche, high stakes, or internal pressure to “sound like experts.” We stack qualifiers and buzzwords until the promise gets buried. Readers feel the strain and back out. Here’s the fix: lead with the point your buyer actually wants, then earn the detail. “Reduce payroll errors for small clinics in 48 hours—without new software.” Now I can explain how: the workflow, the support, the security. The promise pulls; the detail convinces. I also watch verbs. “Help” is a fog word. “Reduce, shorten, remove, unlock,” are concrete. And I replace abstract benefits (“empower your team”) with specific outcomes (“cut duplicate entries by 32%”). You don’t need more words. You need more weight on the right words. When that happens, humans move—and AI has something real to extract. Where are you adding words instead of sharpening the point?

Picture this: A plumber scrolls through his phone, wondering why his calls dropped 30% this year, while his competitor down the street is booked solid. The difference? His competitor adapted to how people search in 2025. Here's what's happening: AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude aren't just answering questions anymore - they're deciding which contractors get recommended. When someone asks "Who's the best HVAC repair near me?" these AI systems pull from reviews, citations, and your online reputation to give instant recommendations. The old playbook of stuffing keywords into your website? That's not enough anymore. Smart contractors are now focusing on: → Getting mentioned in local directories and industry articles → Building consistent citations across platforms → Collecting genuine reviews that AI can reference → Answering common customer questions in their content The good news? Most contractors haven't caught on yet. Early adopters have a massive advantage right now. As someone who's helped contractors navigate digital changes since 2012, I've seen this pattern before. The businesses that adapt early don't just survive - they thrive while competitors wonder what happened. Your website might be beautiful, but if AI can't find and recommend your business, you're invisible to tomorrow's customers. Is your contracting business ready for how people will find you in 2025?

🚀 We currently have capacity to take on new clients 🚀 At Wiltshire Paraplanning we don’t just write reports — we help you run more efficient and compliant businesses. ✅ Full paraplanning (case-by-case or ongoing) ✅ Data gathering ✅ IHT calculations ✅ Technical case assessments ✅️ Administration Support We know AI is playing a bigger role in our industry (and we love it too!) — but there’s an important caveat: 📌 The quality of the output depends on the input. 📌 The way you talk to AI determines what you get back. 📌 Clients don’t want jargon or filler — they want simple, clear, compliant wording they can understand. That’s where we come in. We bridge the gap between efficiency and compliance — making sure your advice is delivered in a way that supports both you and your clients. Need extra help to keep compliant? 📧 wiltshirepp@sjpp.co.uk 📞 01285 655713

It concerned me that there were zero mentions on the risks & harms of AI with the Productivity Commissions request for submissions. I asked the Commission to explore three cross-cutting areas of AI risk that underpin all five themes that they were focused on - (* Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy * Building a skilled and adaptable workforce * Harnessing data and digital technology * Delivering quality care more efficiently * Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation) USE – how AI affects rights, fairness, accountability and democratic processes. INFRASTRUCTURE – the environmental and resource footprint of AI (energy, water, minerals) and the concentration of compute power. TRAINING – consent, ownership, labour exploitation, and value-alignment embedded in models. HTTPS://tinyurl.com/AIRisksHarms https://lnkd.in/gxUBX5_j

Discover essential procurement and bidding trends shaping 2026 and beyond. Learn how to align with supplier diversity, AI, ESG, and more.

Manual data entry is one of the most time-consuming and error-prone processes in business today. Despite advances in technology, many companies still rely on their staff to manually retype information from invoices, PDFs, spreadsheets and paper forms into their digital systems. This slows operations, introduces avoidable mistakes and drains employee productivity. This article explains the value of automating data entry, addresses common concerns and provides guidelines for how to choose and implement your solution.

How is your organisation balancing fairness, transparency and cost control in compensation strategies across global maritime teams? As outlined in Faststream Recruitment’s Strategic Compensation in Maritime Report 2025 – Global Edition, organisations today must manage growing complexity, from aligning pay across regions to satisfying evolving workforce expectations. What’s inside the report: • Insights on internal vs external pay equity across maritime teams • A practical 3‑part Strategic Compensation Flow to guide pay decisions • Tools for assessing compensation maturity and designing future‑ready reward frameworks • Forward‑looking analysis on how EVP, AI and personalisation are influencing reward strategies Want to explore how to reimagine compensation strategies in your organisation? Download the free report here https://lnkd.in/dXVxX-Zt and start shaping your future-fit pay approach today. #StrategicCompensationinMaritime #Compensation #StrategicCompensation #Faststream #PayStrategies

Is your organisation balancing fairness, transparency and cost control in global maritime compensation? Faststream’s Strategic Compensation in Maritime Report 2025 – Global Edition explores how pay strategies are evolving across regions and teams. 🔍 Inside - Internal vs external pay equity - A 3‑part Strategic Compensation Flow - Tools to assess and future-proof your reward frameworks - Trends in EVP, AI and personalisation 📥 Download the free report! #StrategicCompensationinMaritime #Compensation #StrategicCompensation #Faststream #PayStrategies