Over the last few years there’s been huge improvements in AI models and their capabilities. From brainstorming marketing ideas to giving you a grocery list for your favourite recipes, AI platforms like Claude can now perform a range of tasks that help you get things done in your personal life and your business. We don’t think AI should (or can) replace human workers – and we definitely don’t think AI should take over creative spaces. But, when used appropriately, AI is a tool that can free up your time and improve workflows.
Since Claude rolled out new small business features in May, our team have been trialling the new integrations and automated task capabilities – and loving it! Here’s some of our top features and how you can use Claude in your business.
Claude Chat – Bouncing around ideas and ticking off your research
If you’ve used AI platforms like Chat GBT, you’re probably used to chat-based models that allow you to ask questions and make requests similarly to typing a question into google. The most basic application of Claude operates the same – simply ask it a question, and it will scour the internet for an answer. Claude Chat is a great way to brainstorm ideas, research topics, and get a second opinion when there isn’t another human in the room.
One of the great things about Claude is the customisable options available in Chat. Unlike other AI platforms, Claude has different AI models you can choose depending on the type of work you’re asking it to complete. It also allows you to choose different levels of “effort” – the higher the effort, the more thorough the responses, and the longer a response takes. This means that if you’re looking for a quick answer, you can choose a lower effort response and get a reply almost immediately. If you’re wanting something more detailed, you can let it do its thing and turn on notifications to be pinged when Claude has responded.
Claude Cowork – the AI Assistant perfect for automation
Claude CoWork is an operational assistant designed to autonomously execute tasks across a designated workspace. It can read your files, draft documents and spreadsheets, and carry out multi-step tasks like sending off forms to be signed and then filing them in the appropriate place once returned. Whether you ask it to organise your digital files or draft a new client proposal, CoWork is a great way to get the things done you’ve been putting off and free up your time for more crucial work.
Claude CoWork is completely autonomous, meaning it works in the background while you get on with other tasks. Think of it like a digital intern that gets all the boring stuff done for you. All you need to do is describe the outcome, step away, and come back to finished work – whether it be formatted documents, organised files or synthesised research. The best part is, the work doesn’t stop with you. With CoWork you can:
- Work from anywhere – start a task on your desktop, keep an eye on it on your phone, pick up the finished output on your tablet. Claude works seamlessly from device to device on web, desktop, and mobile.
- Be on the move – in remote sessions, Claude keeps working when you close your laptop or step away.
- Direct local file access – on desktop, Claude can read from and write to your local files without manual uploads or downloads.
- Schedule tasks – create and save tasks that you can have Claude run on-demand or automatically on a cadence of your choosing. Scheduled tasks run remotely, with no device online.
Claude for Small Business — AI inside the tools you already use
When you’re ready to take Claude to the next level, you’ll want to check out their new Claude for Small Business toggle. Running as a plugin inside Claude Cowork, Claude for Small Business puts Claude to work inside the tools you already use, including Xero, PayPal, HubSpot, Canva, DocuSign, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. It’s a simple process to turn the toggle on, connect your existing tools, and choose from a selection of pre-built workflows that help automate your systems.
Some of our favourite integrations include:
- Xero – payroll planning, the monthly close, cash-flow work, tax-season prep, and reconciliation.
- Canva – going from idea to a published, on-brand design in one flow, with the ability to collaborate and track performance.
- DocuSign – sending contracts for signature, tracking status, and filing the executed copy back where it belongs.
- Excel – helps build formulas, clean up data, and model numbers directly in a spreadsheet.
Importantly, Claude doesn’t act unsupervised. Every task and workflow is initiated by the owner, who approves the plan first or lets it run end-to-end once comfortable, and existing tool permissions carry over — if an employee can’t see something in Xero or Drive today, they can’t see it through Claude. Cost-wise, there’s no extra charge for Claude for Small Business beyond the cost of Claude licenses and whatever partner tools you already pay for.
Looking for Admin Support?
We believe AI is here to stay. Just like any innovation, it’s how you use it that can positively or negatively affect your business.
If you’d like some personalised tips on how Claude might be useful in your business, we’d love to chat.