Drowning in repetitive admin?
I can help take that off your plate by sorting and handling the same jobs your team repeats every day.
The automation behind itBuilt by Dan Bradshaw in North Devon · Working across the UK
AI that works alongside your people.
Practical AI employees for small businesses. I find the repetitive jobs slowing your team down and build simple AI solutions around the way you already work.
No jargon. No complicated tech project. Just useful AI that makes running your business smoother.
Built by a business owner, not a tech consultancy.
I've spent around 18 years running businesses myself — dealing with customers, staff, bookings, invoices, logistics and all the admin that comes with them. Friendly Engine came from using AI to solve those problems in my own businesses.
Make business smoother
Less admin. Fewer bottlenecks. More time for the important stuff.
Your systems don't talk to each other?
I connect the tools you already pay for, so your team can stop copying the same information from one place to another.
Connecting your systemsRunning the business through spreadsheets?
I can replace a fragile spreadsheet with a simple system built around how your business really works.
Replace spreadsheetsKnow AI could help but don't know where to start?
I'll look at your working week and show you where AI could genuinely help. If it is not worth doing, I'll say so.
How we work it outWhat I do
Give your team an extra pair of hands.
Friendly Engine builds practical AI employees around the jobs that slow your business down. Your people stay in control while the repetitive work keeps moving.
The core offer
AI Employees
A helpful system built around one real job in your business. It can sort emails, prepare replies, update records and keep work moving. Your people stay in control.
Book a friendly chatYour first AI employee could be an:
- Email assistant
- Booking assistant
- Invoice & finance assistant
- Customer follow-ups
- Customer service assistant
- Sales & marketing assistant
- Operations assistant
What powers your AI employees
Sometimes this means joining up the software you already use. Sometimes it means making a small tool that fits your business. I choose the simplest option that will do the job.
Take repetitive work off your team
Email, admin, enquiries, invoices and follow-ups — handled without the daily grind.
See how it helpsBuild something when off-the-shelf doesn't work
Simple tools designed around your business, not the other way around.
See how it helpsJoin up the systems you already use
Stop copying information between email, bookings, accounts and spreadsheets.
See how it helpsWhy Friendly Engine
Business understanding first. Technology second.
Built Around Your Business
Every AI employee is shaped around how your business actually runs, using your wording, your rules and your process — never a generic template.
AI Alongside People, Not Instead
An AI employee takes the repetitive work off your team. It doesn't replace them — it frees them for the parts of the job that need a human.
Friendly, No-Pressure Support
You'll deal directly with me, Dan. I'll listen, explain things simply and work at your pace. No hard sell, ever.
Around 18 Years Running Businesses
I've spent around 18 years running businesses, including a bike shop in North Devon and a UK-wide hire company.
Evidence
Built from real business experience.
Friendly Engine grew from solving real operational problems. These are systems used in working businesses every day, including an AI employee of our own.
Zippy Booking
Cloud booking platform
A booking platform built and operated for real rental, activity and service businesses. Running it keeps us close to customers, payments, support and day-to-day operations.
Read the case studyDan OS — Email Drafting
An AI employee in production
This is one of my own AI employees, working every day. With explicit Google authorisation it reads my incoming mail, pulls invoice attachments out for review and drafts replies to customer emails — draft-only, nothing sends without my approval.
See how my AI email employee worksI don't publish testimonials or performance statistics I can't evidence. Client references are available on request during a discovery conversation.
One of my own AI employees
Dan OS — Email Drafting
This is an AI employee I built for myself and run in production every day. It connects to my Google account with explicit authorisation, pulls invoice attachments out of the inbox for review, and drafts replies to customer emails. It's draft-only — nothing sends without my approval — and it has access only to what I authorise. It doesn't replace me; it clears the admin so I can spend the day on client work.
Reads my inbox securely
With explicit Google authorisation, Dan OS — Email Drafting scans my incoming mail for invoices and receipts.
Pulls out invoices
Invoice attachments and details are extracted and organised for my review, so bookkeeping stops eating the week.
Drafts my replies
It prepares draft email responses in my tone, ready for me to review and send. Draft-only — nothing sends without approval.
Complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including Limited Use.Privacy PolicyTerms of Service
Industries
I work with businesses that run on scheduling, service and repeat admin.
Rental BusinessesActivity BusinessesTradesHospitalityProfessional Services
Bike Hire
Beauty
Hair Salons
Events
Gyms
Sports Clubs
Growing Businesses
If your business has repetitive admin, booking problems or disconnected software, I can build a better solution. See all industries.
Process
Five straightforward steps. No technical maze.
- 01
Friendly chat
I learn how your business works and where time is being wasted.
- 02
Find the opportunities
I show you where an AI employee or a better system could genuinely help.
- 03
Build around your business
I build around the way your team already works.
- 04
Work alongside your team
The repetitive work starts moving while your people stay in control.
- 05
Keep improving
I keep an eye on it and improve it as your business changes.
FAQ
Common questions.
North Devon roots. UK-wide support.
Friendly Engine is based in North Devon and works remotely with businesses throughout the UK. For nearby teams, an in-person visit is easy to arrange when seeing the real workflow would help.
Could an AI employee make your business run more smoothly?
Book a friendly chat. I'll listen to how the work happens now and tell you honestly where AI could help — and where it wouldn't. No pressure and no complicated pitch.
Book a friendly chat