Borrowd blogPractical writing on automation, integrations and building software for smaller businesses.https://borrowd.co.uk/en-gbAI needs good engineering: what separates a demo from something you can runhttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/ai-needs-good-engineering/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/ai-needs-good-engineering/A chatbot demo takes an afternoon. A dependable AI system takes the same engineering discipline as any other business software. Here's what to insist on.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)The best software for field teams is the one that works with wet handshttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/a-mobile-app-for-people-who-work-outside/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/a-mobile-app-for-people-who-work-outside/Tools built for the office fail on a boat, a building site or a delivery round. What we learned designing a location-aware app for sailors.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTDesignrory@borrowd.co.uk (Amy Long)The £40,000 spreadsheet: what your manual processes really costhttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/the-40000-spreadsheet/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/the-40000-spreadsheet/Most SMEs badly underestimate what manual admin costs them. Here's the simple sum we run in every discovery call, and why the answer is usually bigger than people expect.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAutomationrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)Let an AI agent do the lookups, and keep your best people for the conversationshttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/let-an-ai-agent-answer-your-enquiries/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/let-an-ai-agent-answer-your-enquiries/Most enquiries need the same five lookups before anyone can reply. An AI agent can do them in seconds and leave a draft for a human to approve.Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)Selling on more channels without selling stock you don't havehttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/sell-on-more-channels-without-overselling/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/sell-on-more-channels-without-overselling/Adding your own website, B&Q or another marketplace should grow your sales, not your admin. Here is how to keep one stock number true everywhere.Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTIntegrationrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)E-invoicing is coming in 2029. Is your accounting set-up ready?https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/get-your-systems-ready-for-e-invoicing/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/get-your-systems-ready-for-e-invoicing/Emailed PDFs won't count as VAT invoices from April 2029. What's confirmed, what isn't, and the sensible steps to take now.Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTIntegrationrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)Stop paying commission on your own bookingshttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/stop-paying-commission-on-your-own-bookings/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/stop-paying-commission-on-your-own-bookings/Listing sites take a cut of every booking and plugins charge monthly. For businesses with a steady stream of bookings, building your own can pay back quickly.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTAutomationrory@borrowd.co.uk (Amy Long)Your first AI project: how to pick one that pays backhttps://borrowd.co.uk/blog/your-first-ai-project/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/your-first-ai-project/Half of UK businesses are using AI, but many still don't know where it would help them. A simple way to choose a first project that's worth doing.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTAIrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)Why borrow a senior engineer instead of hiring one?https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/borrow-senior-engineers-instead-of-hiring/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/borrow-senior-engineers-instead-of-hiring/Hiring a senior engineer is slow, expensive and a big commitment. For many projects, borrowing one for a few months is the better answer.Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTProcessrory@borrowd.co.uk (Rory Hamilton)When off-the-shelf software stops fitting: buy, build or connect?https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/when-off-the-shelf-stops-fitting/https://borrowd.co.uk/blog/when-off-the-shelf-stops-fitting/Most businesses should buy software most of the time. Here's how to tell when you've outgrown it, and which of the three options to reach for.Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTProcessrory@borrowd.co.uk (Amy Long)