Susan Frew is on a mission to make AI usable and accessible for businesses of all sizes. As a business leader and AI advocate, she believes that AI should be an amplifier of human potential, not a replacement for it. In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing Podcast, Susan shared how AI, when used strategically, can help businesses streamline operations, cut costs, and enhance customer experiences without sacrificing the human touch.
Her insights are rooted in real-world applications, showing how AI can be a powerful tool for business owners looking to work smarter, not harder. Let’s dive into some of the key takeaways from our conversation.
1. Stop Competing on Price—Compete on Awesome
Susan has built her brand around one fundamental truth: competing on price is a race to the bottom. If your only differentiator is being the cheapest option, you’re setting yourself up for constant undercutting and diminishing margins.
Instead, focus on delivering unique value. The most successful businesses don’t win by being the lowest bidder; they win by providing something exceptional—whether it’s service, innovation, or customer experience. AI can help automate the routine so you can focus on what makes your business awesome.
Use AI to enhance your customer experience, not just cut costs. Let AI handle the repetitive tasks, so your team can focus on creating connections and delivering top-tier service.
2. Automate the Routine, Humanize the Exception
One of the best insights from Susan’s journey was her strategy for integrating AI into her plumbing business. After a health scare prompted her and her husband to streamline operations, they turned to AI to handle tasks like customer inquiries, appointment scheduling, and financial forecasting.
The result? A $170,000 reduction in business expenses and a more efficient operation that still prioritizes customer relationships.
AI isn’t about replacing people—it’s about removing the bottlenecks that prevent your team from doing their best work.
AI should handle the predictable; humans should handle the personal. Invest in AI for efficiency, but keep the people in the places that require creativity, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building.
3. Before You Go New School, Go Old School
AI tools are powerful, but slapping AI onto a broken process won’t fix it—it’ll just automate the chaos. Susan advises business owners, especially in service industries, to analyze their processes before integrating AI.
Gather your team and identify inefficiencies. What takes too long? What’s frustrating? What could be streamlined? Then, look for AI solutions that solve those specific problems instead of layering tech onto a messy workflow.
AI is only as smart as your business strategy. Fix your processes first, then apply AI to optimize them. Take our Avenue9 AI Readiness quiz to see if you are prepared for the disruptions of AI to your business.
4. The Best ROI AI Tool? AI Answering Services
Susan shared that one of the biggest wins in her business was implementing an AI-driven answering service. It saved them from hiring additional staff, reduced overhead, and made sure customers could reach them 24/7.
Not only did it improve customer service, but it also freed up her husband from being tied to the phone at all hours. The AI was trained to answer industry-specific questions, schedule appointments, and only escalate real emergencies to human staff.
Customers want immediate responses, but they also want a human touch when necessary. Use AI tools that streamline customer interactions while ensuring seamless transitions to human representatives when needed.
5. SEO and Marketing Are Changing—Are You?
Marketing is shifting fast, and businesses that don’t adapt will get left behind. Susan shared how she moved her plumbing business four blocks just to get a Denver address because local SEO is now more important than ever.
With Google’s algorithms changing and AI-driven search becoming more common, local SEO and brand credibility are critical. Businesses that understand how to optimize their online presence will outperform those still dumping money into outdated pay-per-click strategies.
AI is changing marketing. Focus on local SEO, brand authority, and making sure your content is AI-friendly. The goal is to be the answer, not just another ad.
6. AI-Powered Insights Can Transform Your Business
Susan also talked about using AI for financial forecasting and budgeting. Instead of spending a week crunching numbers, she now gets instant insights that help guide her business strategy.
AI-driven analytics can provide data-backed decisions in seconds—helping businesses refine pricing, improve efficiency, and scale smartly.
Leverage AI for smarter decision-making. From financials to marketing trends, AI can give you the clarity you need to grow efficiently.
Be Curious, But Cautious
Susan’s final piece of advice was simple but powerful: Be curious but cautious. AI is a game-changer, but it’s also evolving rapidly. Stay informed, experiment wisely, and always keep the human-first approach at the heart of your AI strategy.
At Avenue9, we believe in amplifying human creativity with AI—not replacing it. If you’re looking for ways to integrate AI into your marketing strategy without losing your brand’s unique voice, we’d love to help.
Let’s chat about how AI can take your business to the next level—without sacrificing the human connection. Contact us today.
