Choosing the right AI vendor can have a lasting impact on your business. Use these 12 questions to assess AI providers, protect your data, understand the risks and make sure you invest in a solution that delivers real business value.
Choose a category to explore
Use these four categories to assess potential AI vendors. Each one focuses on a different part of the evaluation process.
Security & compliance
Can you trust this vendor with your data?
Before introducing any AI solution, make sure you understand how your data is stored, protected and used.
Questions covered:
Where does our data go, and who else can see it?
How do you protect our business and customer data?
Can you trust this vendor with your data?
Before introducing any AI solution, make sure you understand how your data is stored, protected and used.
Where does our data go and who else can see it?
Why it matters Your business and customer data could pass through multiple systems. You should understand where information is processed, stored and accessed.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Where data is stored
Who has access to it
How access is controlled
Whether data leaves your region
Red Flag
"We're not entirely sure where the data is stored."
How do you protect our business and customer data?
Why it matters
Strong security practices help protect your business, customers and reputation.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Security controls
Data protection measures
Compliance certifications
Relevant industry requirements
Red Flag
"Vague answers about security or compliance responsibilities."
Is our data used to train your models?
Why it matters You should understand exactly how your data is being used and whether it contributes to future AI model development.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Whether data is used for model training
How consent is managed
Retention policies
Options to opt out
Red Flag
"Lack of transparency about model training practices.""
Implementation & performance
Can you trust this vendor with your data?
AI tools are only valuable if they work reliably in the real world. Understanding setup requirements, limitations and performance expectations upfront can help avoid surprises later.
What do we need in place before this will work?
Why it matters An AI receptionist needs accurate information about your business, such as prices, opening hours and call flows. Knowing what’s needed upfront helps you prepare for a successful launch.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
What information you need to provide
What needs to be set up
Which systems it needs to connect to
Who is responsible for getting everything ready
Red Flag
“There’s nothing to prepare. It works straight out of the box for everyone.”
What happens when it doesn't know the answer?
Why it matters
Customers shouldn’t reach a dead end when the AI can’t help. There should be a clear route to a person or another suitable source of support.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
How the tool recognises when it can’t answer
When a conversation is passed to a person
Who the customer reaches next
What happens outside normal opening hours
Red Flag
"It should be able to answer almost everything."
How often does it get things wrong and how would we find out?
Why it matters AI mistakes can happen during live customer interactions and could affect your reputation. You need to know how problems will be identified and addressed.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
How accuracy is measured
What types of mistakes can occur
How you’re alerted to errors
How performance is monitored and improved
Red Flag
"Mistakes are extremely rare, so you don’t need to monitor them.”
Governance & support
What happens when something goes wrong?
Good vendors are transparent about how their solution operates, who is responsible for mistakes and what support is available when you need it.
Can we see what it said to our customers?
Why it matters Transcripts, recordings and logs can help you check that the AI is giving customers accurate and appropriate responses, and identify where improvements are needed.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Which conversations you can review
Whether transcripts, recordings or logs are available
How long records are kept
How you can access them
Red Flag
“You won’t normally need to see individual conversations.”
When it makes a mistake, whose problem is that?
Why it matters
Customers will hold your business responsible for wrong bookings, missed calls or inaccurate information. Responsibilities need to be clear before anything goes wrong.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Who is responsible for different types of error
How mistakes are reported
How errors are corrected
What support is available when something goes wrong
Red Flag
"Once the tool is live, any mistakes are your responsibility."
Who do we call when it breaks?
Why it matters If the tool stops working, customers may be unable to contact your business. Clear support arrangements can help minimise disruption.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
When support is available
How you report a problem
How quickly issues will be addressed
What level of support you can expect
Red Flag
"Send us an email and someone will get back to you when they can.”
Commercials & ROI
Will it deliver value for our business?
Beyond headline pricing, it's important to understand expected outcomes, ongoing costs and how easy it is to leave if your needs change in future.
What business outcomes should this deliver?
Why it matters Any AI tool you introduce should deliver clear benefits, such as improving customer experience, increasing productivity or reducing missed opportunities. You also need a way to measure whether it’s working.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
What outcomes the tool should deliver
How those outcomes relate to your goals
How success will be measured
When you should expect to see results
Red Flag
“It uses the latest AI, so you’ll definitely see an improvement.”
What does it cost in total?
Why it matters
You need to understand the full cost, not just the starting price. The vendor should be clear about what could cause the amount you pay to change.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
What’s included in the advertised price
How usage affects the cost
Which features or services cost extra
How charges are calculated
Red Flag
"We can’t give you a total until you’ve started using it."
If we leave, what can we take with us?
Why it matters The data collected through the tool should remain available to your business. You need to understand what you can take with you and what leaving could cost.
A good vendor should be able to explain:
Which data you can take with you
How your data will be provided
What happens to remaining copies
What fees or notice periods apply
Red Flag
"We’ll discuss access to your data if you decide to cancel."
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