PIPELINEGuide
How long does AI consulting take? Realistic timeline
An AI consulting project isn't a weekend job, but it's not a six-month project either. What happens in which order, where things typically get stuck, and how to shorten the timeline.
In practice, AI consulting takes 2 to 3 weeks. The biggest time factor is almost never the implementation itself, but how quickly content, access, and decisions come from your side.
01 — Timeframe
How long it takes
- Typical duration
- 2 to 3 weeks
- Price
- Individual based on effort
The timeline starts after approval of the quote. Lead time for initial meeting and quote: typically one to two weeks. We provide a fixed price after this initial meeting.
02 — Process
The steps in detail
Preliminary conversation
One hour to clarify whether and where there's anything to gain at all. Free of charge.
Workshop
Half to full day at your business. We talk to the people who know the processes.
Evaluation
We assess the use cases we found and calculate them.
Presentation
You get a document and an hour where we walk through it. Whether you continue working with us afterward is open.
03 — Bottlenecks
What typically causes delays
- Content and deliveries. By far the most common cause of delay. Text, images, price lists, access credentials — what's missing blocks progress.
- Decisions. When it's unclear who approves, the project waits. A named contact person with decision-making authority noticeably shortens the timeline.
- Access to third-party systems. Getting access to inventory management, phone systems, or CRM regularly takes longer than the integration itself.
- Endless review rounds. Two correction rounds are normal, five are a sign that the goal wasn't clear at the start.
04 — Scope
What's included
- Half-day workshop with the people doing the work, not just with management
- Documentation of processes, systems, and data situation in the current state
- Assessment of possible use cases by benefit, effort, and risk
- Evaluation of data protection and EU AI Act for the proposed cases
- Information on suitable funding programs and their deadlines
- Written recommendation with priority order and effort estimate per use case
05 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
How does this differ from consulting by the Chamber of Commerce?
The Chamber offerings provide a good overview of funding options and basics. We go a step further and look at your specific processes and systems — with effort estimates that we ourselves would have to meet.
Do we also get recommendations for providers other than you?
Yes, where it makes sense. Some use cases are better suited to standard software or a specialized provider — that's stated in the document, not hidden.
Isn't this just a disguised sales event?
The recommendation regularly includes items you can implement yourselves or with your existing service provider, as well as cases we advise against. The document is yours and works without us too.
Isn't a conversation with management enough?
No, that's the most common reason for a list that doesn't work later. The people who do the processes daily know the exceptions that an outside perspective never sees.
What funding is available in Austria?
Options include KMU.DIGITAL and aws digitalization funding — current terms at kmudigital.at and aws.at. Both require the application to be approved before awarding the contract — that's why we bring it up early and not at the end.
Who should be at the workshop?
At least one person from management and two to three who do the affected processes daily. Without the second group, you get a list that doesn't work in practice.
What does it cost us if nothing comes of it in the end?
Only the agreed price for the workshop and document — there's no success fee and no hidden follow-up obligation. The preliminary conversation is free and is meant to catch exactly these kinds of mismatched inquiries beforehand.
06 — Next
Related pages
- AI consulting — Overview
- AI consulting — common mistakes
- AI consulting — Practical examples
- AI consulting — Cost-effectiveness
- AI consulting — Integration
- AI consulting — Costs
- AI consulting — Measuring success
- AI consulting — Provider comparison
- AI automation
- Process automation
- AI training
- All guides
AI consulting by region
Next step
We'll look at your starting position.
Tell us what's eating up time today. That becomes an assessment with effort and benefit — and only then an offer.