Questions to ask an AI agency before you hire

Answers · AI agency for your business

Ask an AI agency who owns what it builds, what the fixed price is, who reviews the AI before customers see it, what happens when it breaks, and to show a live build. A good agency answers in plain words, builds on your own accounts, and tells you when AI is not the right fix. Westward answers all of these on the first free call.

Who owns it and where does it run

The answer you want is that it runs on your accounts and your data stays yours. If the agency hosts everything on its own accounts, you may not be able to leave.

What does it cost and when do you pay

Ask for a fixed price in writing before anything is built, and for the monthly cost of keeping it running. Be careful with hourly billing that has no cap.

Who checks the AI, and what can you see

A person should approve anything important or public. Ask to see a live build working on real data, not a slide deck.

Step by step

Write down the one job you most want off your plate.
Ask each agency the same questions and compare the written answers.
Ask for a live build and for a way to leave with your data.
Start with one small build before a bigger commitment.

Who can do this for you

Westward builds these and sets them up. Each page shows what it does and what it has done.

Custom software

Platforms, internal tools, dashboards

Deal engines, leasing platforms, private portals, dashboards.

See what it does

Custom AI CRM and email

Knows every client and reads the email

Reads each client’s email and keeps their brief and to-dos current.

See what it does

See everything Westward builds, look at real builds with screenshots, read more answers about AI for business, or book a free 30-minute call with the founder.

The rules that apply, in their own words

“intended for voluntary use and to improve the ability to incorporate trustworthiness considerations into the design, development, use, and evaluation of AI products, services, and systems.”

NIST, AI Risk Management Framework. A good build keeps a person in charge of anything that matters and records what the AI did.

“unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce, are hereby declared unlawful.”

FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45(a)(1). Claims an AI drafts for you are your claims. Keep them true and checkable.

Sources

NIST AI Risk Management Framework: The U.S. standards body’s framework for using AI responsibly.
15 U.S.C. § 45 (FTC Act, Section 5): The federal ban on unfair or deceptive business practices, ads included.
15 U.S.C. § 7704 (CAN-SPAM Act): Rules for commercial email: honest headers, opt-out, address.

Questions

How many agencies should I talk to?

Two or three is enough. Use the same questions with each.

Is a cheap quote a warning sign?

Not by itself. Check that the quote lists what is built, what you own and what the monthly cost is.

What if I am not sure what to automate?

The first week at Westward is an audit that finds the jobs worth automating, with a quote at the end.