Real numbers, not a "let us scope it" quote — so you know what's fair before you ask anyone for a proposal.
Independent and boutique AI consultants in the UK typically charge £250-£600 per day. Big Four and enterprise firms charge £1,000-£2,000+ — usually disproportionate for an SME.
A defined piece of work — a process audit, a single automation build — is often quoted as a fixed fee, giving cost certainty before you commit.
Retained or ongoing work is usually priced monthly, scaled to how much support you actually need rather than a flat annual contract.
A well-defined problem costs less to quote and less to deliver than an open-ended "help us with AI."
A strategy document costs less than a consultant who also builds and hands over a working automation.
Enterprise consultancies carry overhead an SME doesn't need to pay for. A boutique or independent consultant passes that saving on.
A single audit or build is cheaper upfront than a retainer, but a retainer can cost less over a year if the work is continuous.
A fair quote states the scope plainly, gives a fixed number of days or a fixed fee for a defined deliverable, and says what happens once the work is delivered — handover, training, or ongoing support. If a quote can't answer "what exactly do I get, and when," that's worth questioning before you sign anything.