Why Most Brisbane Business Owners Are Getting AI Meetings Wrong
I’ve spent the last six months talking to business owners from Chermside to Coorparoo about how they’re using technology. Most of them tell me the same thing: "I’m drowning in paperwork, phone calls, and follow-ups."
If you’re running a professional services firm, a construction company, or a local shop, your time is literally your money. Every hour you spend sitting at a desk typing up notes from a client meeting or trying to remember exactly what you promised a supplier is an hour you aren’t out winning new jobs or making sales.
AI meeting assistants—tools that join your Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet calls to record and summarise everything—sound like a godsend. And they can be. But I’ve seen dozens of local businesses flush money down the toilet by picking the wrong tool or using it the wrong way.
Most of what you read online about this is rubbish written by tech geeks. You don’t need to know how the "language model" works. You need to know if it will save you five hours a week and help you win more jobs.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the biggest mistakes I see Brisbane business owners making with these tools, and which ones actually put money back in your pocket.
Mistake #1: Paying for Features You’ll Never Use
Software companies love to sell you on "enterprise-grade analytics" and "sentiment tracking." For a local business owner, that’s just fancy talk for "expensive junk you don’t need."
I recently spoke to a local real estate agency owner who was paying $150 a month for a high-end AI tool. When I asked him what he used it for, he said, "I just want to know what the buyer said their budget was so I don't have to write it down."
He was paying for a Ferrari to drive to the local Woolies.
The Data on Cost vs. Result
If you are a small team (1-5 people), you should not be spending more than $20-$30 per month on these tools. Anything more is a waste of your profit margin.The Goal: A clear summary sent to your email immediately after the call. The Reality: Most owners get distracted by shiny features and end up with a tool that is too complex to actually use day-to-day.
Mistake #2: Forgetting the "Human" Element
Nothing kills a deal faster than a client feeling like they are being "processed" by a machine.
I’ve seen tradies set up AI bots that join every single call with a name like "TRANSCRIPT_BOT_V3." It’s cold, it’s weird, and it makes people uncomfortable. If your customer feels like they can’t speak freely because a bot is watching them, they won’t tell you their real problems.
The Fix: Rename your bot. Call it "[Your Name]’s Assistant." It’s a small change, but it makes you look like a professional business with a team, rather than a guy with a confusing piece of software.
When you use AI to save time, the goal is to make your life easier without making your customer’s experience worse.
Mistake #3: Ignoring the Privacy Risks (and Your Reputation)
In Queensland, we have specific rules about recording conversations. If you record a meeting without telling the other person, you aren't just being rude—you could be breaking the law.
More importantly, if you work in finance, law, or health, you’re handling sensitive data. Many free AI tools "train" their systems on your data. This means your client’s private financial details could technically be used to help the AI learn.
What to do instead: Only use tools that have a "Privacy Mode" or a clear policy that they don't use your data for training. It’s worth the extra $5 a month to know your client's data isn't being leaked.
Comparing the Big Three: Which One Actually Works?
I’ve tested almost every tool on the market. For a Brisbane small business, there are really only three worth looking at.
1. Otter.ai (The All-Rounder)
Otter is like the dependable Toyota Hilux of meeting tools. It’s been around a long time and it just works.The Good: It’s very good at understanding Australian accents (even the thick ones). It sends a great summary to your phone. The Cost: There is a free version, but the $15-$20/month plan is where the real value is. The Result: You’ll save about 30 minutes of typing per meeting.
2. Fireflies.ai (The Best for Sales)
If your business relies on phone calls to win work—like a mortgage broker or a solar installer—this is the one I’d recommend.The Good: It can track specific words. If a customer mentions "price," "competitor," or "warranty," it flags it for you. This helps you spot your best customers because you can see who is actually asking the right questions. The Cost: Around $25/month for the version you actually need. The Result: You can review a 30-minute sales call in 2 minutes by just reading the highlights.
3. Fathom (The Free-ish Option)
Fathom is the newcomer that is shaking things up by offering a lot for free.The Good: It’s incredibly easy to set up. It puts a little button on your screen that you click when someone says something important. The Cost: Free for individuals, paid for teams. The Result: Perfect for the solo operator who just wants a record of what happened without a monthly bill.
How Long Until You See Results?
Unlike SEO or brand building, which can take months, you see the result of an AI meeting assistant immediately.
Day 1: You finish a meeting and don't have to spend the next 20 minutes writing an email summary. You just copy-paste the AI summary, fix two typos, and hit send. Week 1: You realise you haven't missed a single follow-up task because the AI listed them all for you. Month 1: You’ve likely saved about 10-15 hours of admin time. What is your hourly rate? If it’s $100/hr, that tool just made you $1,500 in found time.
The Reality Check: What These Tools CAN’T Do
Don't believe the hype that these tools will "run your business for you."
1. They get names wrong: If your client is in Woolloongabba, the AI might write "Woolly Gaba." You still need to read the summary before you send it to a client. 2. They don't understand sarcasm: If a client says "Yeah, great, another price rise," the AI might think they are happy. You still need your brain. 3. They don't close the deal: The AI records the meeting, but you still have to do the work.
Stop Staring at a Blank Screen
One of the biggest hurdles for business owners isn't just taking the notes—it's what to do with them. Once you have a transcript, you can use it to create marketing material, blog posts, or even social media updates. It’s a great way to get content ideas based on what your customers actually care about.
Step-by-Step: How to Start Today
If you’re ready to stop being a part-time secretary for your own business, here is exactly what I would do:
1. Pick one tool. Don't spend a week researching. Pick Fathom (if you want free) or Otter (if you want easy). 2. Run a test call. Call a mate or a staff member for 5 minutes and see how the summary looks. 3. Rename the bot. Change it to "[Your Name]'s Note Taker." 4. Tell your clients. At the start of the call, just say: "I've got my AI assistant taking notes so I can focus entirely on what you're saying and not on my notepad. Is that alright with you?" (99% of people will say yes and think you're very high-tech).
The Bottom Line
Most Brisbane business owners are working too hard on the wrong things. AI isn't about replacing you; it's about getting the boring $20/hour tasks off your plate so you can focus on the $200/hour tasks.
If you’re spending more than two hours a week on meeting admin, you are losing money. Fix it this week.
Want to grow your business without the technical headache? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses get more customers and save time using smart marketing and automation. We don't do jargon—we do results.
Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can help you win more jobs with less effort.