From time pressure to smarter working: how Craven Cooling adopted AI with Business Wales support
Craven Cooling, a family-run commercial refrigeration business in Swansea, was already exploring how AI could make day-to-day work easier. With a small team managing everything from customer support and contracts to content creation and website updates, the business wanted to save time, reduce pressure and create more space to focus on growth.
With support from Business Wales, Craven Cooling was able to build on what it had already started, using AI more confidently across the business and turning small time savings into a bigger opportunity for smarter working.
“We’re a small team, and everyone wears about five hats. There just weren’t enough hours in the day.”
The Challenge
Like many small businesses, Craven Cooling was balancing specialist work with the everyday demands of running and growing a business.
The team was already experimenting with AI but wanted to understand how it could be used more effectively across the business. They were looking for practical ways to save time, increase efficiency and create more capacity to focus on customers and growth.
How Business Wales Helped
Through Business Wales' AI Awareness and Adoption Support Programme, the business was able to look at where AI could have the biggest impact, identify additional tools, and embed AI into day-to-day operations in a practical way.
Working with Business Wales, they were able to:
- identify where AI could save the most time
- explore tools to support marketing, admin, research and customer queries
- sense-check how AI was already being used
- build confidence in applying AI across different areas of the business
- understand how AI could support future growth
The Outcome
AI now supports a range of activities across the business, from content creation and website management to administration, research and customer support. As a result, marketing tasks that once took hours each week are now far quicker to manage, freeing up capacity to focus on customers, contracts and new opportunities.
“Every hour we save is an hour we can put back into growing the business.”
It’s also changed how the team works day to day, building confidence and reducing pressure.
“It’s like having an expert on hand. It’s given me the confidence to take on more.”
Business Tips: Using AI in Your Business
Businesses considering AI don't need to transform everything overnight. Craven Cooling's experience shows that starting small, building confidence and focusing on practical business challenges can deliver real benefits.
From Craven Cooling:
- "Start with one task that's taking your time and try AI on that first."
- "You don't need to be a tech company to use it."
- "Give yourself time to learn, it gets easier quickly."
Support Available
If you're exploring how AI could support your business, Business Wales can help you build confidence and understand where the technology could have the biggest impact.
The Using AI in Your Business e-learning module provides practical guidance on how to use AI safely and effectively, identify opportunities to save time and improve productivity, and understand how AI could support future growth.
Additional support is also available through the Flexible Skills Programme and wider Business Wales adviser support.