Why Your Notebook is Costing You Money
I was sitting down with a landscape gardener in Coorparoo a few weeks ago. His phone was ringing off the hook, he had mud on his boots, and he was trying to scribble down a quote on the back of a crumpled invoice while talking to a client about a retaining wall.
He looked at me and said, "I spend half my life writing down what people want, and the other half trying to remember what I wrote so I can send the bill."
If you’re running a business in Brisbane, whether you’re a lawyer in the CBD or a builder in North Lakes, you know this feeling. Meetings are where the work happens, but the paperwork that follows is where the profit dies. You forget to mention a specific cost, you miss a follow-up date, or you spend your entire Sunday night typing up notes instead of being with your family.
This is where AI meeting assistants come in. But before you go out and sign up for every shiny new tool you see on Facebook, you need to know that most people use these tools completely wrong. They end up with more technical mess and zero extra profit.
The "Shiny Object" Trap: What Most Owners Get Wrong
I’ve seen dozens of local businesses jump into AI and marketing automation expecting it to solve all their problems overnight. They sign up for a tool like Otter.ai or Fireflies because they heard it’s "cool," and then two weeks later, they’ve got 50 transcripts they haven't read and a bill for $30 USD a month they forgot to cancel.
The biggest mistake? Treating an AI assistant like a toy instead of a staff member. If you hired a junior admin and they just handed you a 20-page word-for-word transcript of every phone call, you’d fire them. You don't want words; you want actions.
You need to decide if you're looking for AI vs a junior employee to handle these tasks. A tool should tell you: "Here is what the client wants, here is the price you quoted, and here is when you promised to call them back."
Comparing the Big Players (In Plain English)
You don't need to know how these tools work. You just need to know if they’ll make your life easier. Here’s how the main ones stack up for a busy business owner.
1. Otter.ai: The Quick Note Taker
Otter is like having a fast-writing secretary. It’s great if you do a lot of Zoom calls or record voice memos while driving between jobs. The Good: It’s very accurate at turning speech into text. It’s cheap (around $15-$20 a month for the decent version). The Bad: It gives you a lot of text to read. If you’re time-poor, you might still find yourself scrolling through pages of notes to find the one bit of info you need. Will it make you money? Only if you actually read the summaries and send your quotes faster.2. Fireflies.ai: The Action Taker
Fireflies is a bit smarter. It doesn't just record; it tries to spot "action items." If you say, "I'll send that contract by Friday," it flags it. The Good: It integrates with most calendars. If you use a system to track your customers, it can often push the notes straight into their file. The Bad: It can be a bit "fidgety" to set up. You might find it accidentally joining private calls you didn't want recorded. Will it make you money? Yes, because it helps you stop playing phone tag by ensuring you actually follow up on what you promised.3. Fathom: The Free (and Simple) Option
Fathom is great for people who hate technology. It’s a simple button you click during a Zoom call to highlight important moments. The Good: The basic version is free. It’s very easy to use. The Bad: It only really works well for video calls (Zoom/Teams/Google Meet). If you’re out on a job site, it’s not as helpful. Will it make you money? It saves you time, which is money, but it won't magically find you new customers.The Mistakes That Will Cost You Customers
I’ve seen some real shockers when Brisbane businesses try to automate their meetings. Here is what to avoid if you don't want to look like an amateur:
Letting the Bot "Surprise" Your Clients
Nothing kills a relationship faster than a client joining a sensitive meeting and seeing "[TOOL NAME] NOTETAKER" already sitting in the lobby. It feels like they’re being spied on. The Fix: Always tell people you’re using a tool to ensure you don't miss any details of their project. Most people actually appreciate that you’re being thorough.Ignoring the Summary
I worked with a consultant in Milton who had 400 recorded meetings but couldn't tell me his average quote value. He was recording everything but using nothing. The Fix: Set aside 5 minutes after every call to review the AI summary. If the tool says you promised a 10% discount, make sure that gets into your invoicing software immediately.Thinking it Replaces Human Connection
An AI tool can record that a customer sounded stressed about their budget, but it can’t pick up the phone and offer them a cup of coffee or a reassuring word. Use the tool to handle the data so you can handle the person.How Much Does This Actually Cost?
Let’s talk brass tacks. Most of these tools have a free version, but you’ll likely want the paid one to get the best features.
Software: Expect to pay between $15 and $35 AUD per month per user. Setup Time: It will take you about an hour to get it linked to your calendar and do a couple of test runs. Results: You should see the benefit instantly. The very first time you finish a call and have a perfect summary waiting in your inbox instead of having to type it out, you’ve won back 15-20 minutes of your life.What Should You Do First?
If you're sick of the admin mountain, here is my advice. Don't go out and buy the most expensive software today.
1. Pick one tool. I usually suggest Fireflies or Fathom for most Brisbane small businesses because they are the most "set and forget." 2. Run a test call. Call a mate or a staff member and see how the summary looks. Is it clear? Does it catch the important stuff? 3. Use it for one week. Commit to using it for every single client meeting for five business days. 4. Check your weekend. At the end of the week, see if you have less paperwork to do on Saturday morning. If the answer is yes, keep it.
At the end of the day, these tools are just another way to make your business run smoother. If you’re spending less time on notes, you’ve got more time to be out there winning jobs and making sure your customers are happy.
Most of what you read about AI online is rubbish designed to make you feel like you're falling behind. You don't need to be a tech genius; you just need a tool that works as hard as you do.
Need help making your business run on autopilot so you can actually enjoy your weekends? Talk to us at Local Marketing Group. We help Brisbane businesses get more customers and waste less time. Reach out at https://lmgroup.au/contact.