Choose one job before choosing the technology
Describe the repeated task, its inputs, the tools involved and the result someone must check. Fixed steps may only need ordinary automation. An agent can help where interpreting information is useful; several agents may help when distinct specialist tasks need coordination.
Start with recent permission-cleared examples, including awkward ones. Record how long the current process takes and how often it needs correcting. That gives the project a baseline beyond the appeal of the technology.
WhatsApp agent: from £999 build
The starting scope covers one use case, up to 30 approved FAQs, one CRM or booking connection, human handoff and 20 test scenarios. Optional support is £149 per month for up to one hour of minor maintenance.
Meta account approval, messaging rules and charges, model use and hosting are separate. The agent should use approved business information and send uncertain or sensitive cases to a person. The build price does not include unlimited conversations or 24-hour human staffing.
Focused AI agent: from £1,499 build
The starting scope covers one task, one interface, up to 50 approved knowledge documents, one integration, review and fallback behaviour, and 30 test cases. Optional support is £199 per month for up to two hours of maintenance.
Document size, quality, file format and update frequency matter. We confirm the knowledge scope before quoting. New tasks, extra integrations, licences and model/hosting charges sit outside that starting allowance.
Multi-agent system: discovery before the build
Discovery is £750 to map one workflow, the data and permissions, specialist roles, approval points, evaluation and implementation estimate. It is credited against an approved MAS build within 30 days. A suitable build starts at £4,999 for one process, up to three agents and two integrations.
That scope includes approval controls, logging, evaluation and handover. Optional support is £399 per month for up to four hours. High-availability infrastructure, regulated decisions, extra departments and third-party charges require separate consideration. We do not add the discovery fee twice when the credit applies.
Business systems can be the simpler starting point
A reporting system starts from £999; content, sales and outreach systems from £1,499; an operations system from £1,999. Each is a defined workflow with a limited number of connections and an optional support allowance.
A content system does not include a monthly content-production service. An outreach system does not include a purchased list, domain warm-up or unlimited sending. Keeping those distinctions explicit makes the budget and responsibilities easier to manage.
Work out running costs and review responsibility
Estimate software subscriptions, model calls, messaging charges, hosting, staff review and support using realistic volumes. Ask what happens if an integration fails or costs exceed the agreed limit. Start with a controlled pilot and a manual fallback.
Keep decisions about public claims, prices, contracts and sensitive matters with a responsible person where appropriate. Measure completeness, accuracy, time saved and cost per completed task before expanding the system.