Benchmark Business Group

Can ChatGPT Be Used As A Strategic Tool In Your Business?

March 14, 2023

ChatGPT, it’s the newest technology trend that small businesses must decide if it fits into their business strategy.

If you haven’t heard of it, ChatGPT is a chatbot that incorporates artificial intelligence to create responses to your questions and requests. And it’s good. Although not perfect, the responses are solid. It’s free, though there is a paid version as well.

Businesses are using this tool to craft email responses, answer questions both from employees or customers, write blogs, analyze data, conduct research on market trends, industry news and much more. There is no limit to how it could be incorporated. However, it’s important for business leaders to know about it and to start looking at policies for if you’ll allow employees to use it. And if so, how.

For an example of how it works, we asked ChatGPT: 

“What policies should businesses have in place to allow employees to use ChatGPT in their work?”

The answer was:

As an AI language model, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for employees in various industries, including customer service, research, and data analysis. However, to ensure that ChatGPT is used effectively and responsibly, businesses should consider implementing the following policies:

1. Access Controls: Companies should have access controls in place to limit employee access to ChatGPT. Access should be granted only to employees who require the tool for their job, and permissions should be set according to job roles and responsibilities.

2. Security: Companies must ensure that ChatGPT is secured and protected from unauthorized access, with proper measures in place to safeguard sensitive data. Additionally, employees must be trained on how to use ChatGPT securely and report any suspected security breaches.

3. Guidelines for Use: Companies should provide clear guidelines on the appropriate use of ChatGPT. This should include guidance on the type of questions and tasks that ChatGPT is suitable for, as well as any ethical and legal considerations that must be taken into account.

4. Training: Companies should provide adequate training for employees on how to use ChatGPT effectively and responsibly. This should include instruction on how to input data and questions correctly, how to interpret and analyze results, and how to communicate findings.

5. Monitoring and Reporting: Companies should monitor employee use of ChatGPT to ensure that it is being used appropriately and effectively. Additionally, employees should be encouraged to report any issues or concerns they may have with ChatGPT to management.

This answer is solid, although a bit vague. The reality is this is a new space. It might be tempting to outlaw it and state that ChatGPT cannot be used. But instead, we encourage you to take a look at how you can use it. For instance, it helped us write a piece of this blog post.

If you’re writing emails, social media posts, etc., it might be okay to allow your employees to use ChatGPT as a starter. Ask ChatGPT to write a draft, then have the employee edit the language to add depth to a vague response. We wouldn’t recommend taking the answers from ChatGPT as is, because as great as the technology is, it doesn’t know your businesses culture. The tone might need to be slightly adjusted, or you might need to add details. ChatGPT can be quicker than Google to get answers, so perhaps you allow your team to use it for initial research, but require them to verify facts and polish the information to reflect your company culture and unique point of view.

Because the technology is so new and people are talking about it, now is a great time to dig deeper and ask:

  • What might our employees use ChatGPT for?
     
  • What information should never be entered into ChatGPT? Don’t forget, this is a company that uses the data to learn and get better over time. You don’t want sensitive information put into this platform which might mean: no names, no numbers, no identifying information, etc.

Technology is opening doors that enable businesses to be more efficient in many ways. Which doors your company chooses to open and enter should be a thoughtful decision that reflects your standards and values.

« Back

Receive Business Owner Insights by email

© 2024 Benchmark Business Group. All rights reserved.