If you’re considering joining Schooley Mitchell, you may have wondered: “Won’t AI eventually replace what they do?” It’s a fair question, and one worth addressing with committed thought.
The truth is, we’ve been here before.
The Lesson from Internet Comparison Tools
In the early 2000s, online comparison tools for telecom services emerged with significant fanfare. Some of our own franchisees even believed they would fundamentally disrupt traditional consulting models. Some suggested our business model was becoming obsolete. That was 25 years ago.
We watched carefully to see what would happen.
Those tools never became the threat anyone anticipated, and the reason was clear to us. They required businesses to do three things: accurately input their own complex data, trust the results without expertise to validate them, and then implement the solutions themselves. The reality is that businesses simply don’t do these things on their own—not because they’re incapable, but because they’re focused on running their businesses. They didn’t even implement solutions when we provided those solutions directly to them. We learned very quickly that we needed to implement the solutions for our clients because they needed to concentrate on their core business.
This is fundamentally why Schooley Mitchell has thrived. We don’t just provide information; we provide expertise, accountability, and complete implementation. Moreover, the information we offer is not publicly accessible; it is based on individual pricing negotiated for each client. We rely on our understanding of the marketplace and the nuances of each specific client situation rather than generic rate sheets or MSRPs (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Prices).
AI tools can only use information put into the tool. or information that can be obtained in the public domain. That is not what we use for our clients.
The AI Tool Challenge Today
Today’s situation is similar but more chaotic. The market is flooded with tools claiming to be “AI-powered solutions.” Many aren’t actually AI at all—they’re rebranded automation or basic algorithms. Others generate recommendations based on incomplete data or require businesses to upload sensitive information to unvetted platforms with questionable security.
Even legitimate AI tools present a new challenge: they require skilled operators. Organizations are hiring “prompt engineers” and AI specialists just to extract value from these platforms, creating new cost centers and complexity. The irony is that businesses now need to hire people to use tools that were supposed to eliminate the need for specialized help.
We have considered partnering with an AI solution for our own analysis processes, but the tool only guaranteed an accuracy of 80% and questionable security. In our line of work, that simply isn’t sufficient. The absolute accuracy of the information is critical, but even with accurate data, companies will not implement solutions on their own. They are too busy managing their day-to-day operations.
How We Actually Use AI
We’re not dismissive of AI—we use it ourselves, as a tool that augments expertise rather than replaces it.
AI helps us in our sales and marketing functions by identifying potential clients who could benefit most from our services and streamlining administrative work. In our analysis process, it accelerates data processing from complex invoices, identifies patterns across thousands of vendor agreements, and surfaces anomalies that warrant deeper investigation.
What AI doesn’t do is make decisions, build relationships, or navigate complex vendor negotiations. It doesn’t understand the nuances of a specific industry or the political dynamics within a client’s organization. It can’t negotiate on a client’s behalf or stand behind its recommendations when something goes wrong.
AI as the Next Cost Category
Here’s something worth considering: AI is about to become a major cost category for businesses. Trillions of dollars are flooding into AI startups, many with unsustainable business models. When the inevitable consolidation happens, many providers will disappear, pricing structures will stabilize (and likely increase), and businesses will be left navigating a complex vendor landscape.
This is familiar territory. It’s the same pattern we’ve seen in telecom, shipping, merchant services, and waste management—every cost category we help clients optimize.
How does a car dealership evaluate competing AI vendors? How does a manufacturer negotiate fair pricing for machine learning platforms? How does a non-profit ensure they’re not overpaying for automation tools? These are exactly the kinds of questions we answer in our existing categories, and AI will be no different.
Why Expertise Still Matters
Anyone can access information today. What businesses actually need is interpretation from someone who understands industry-specific nuances, vendor negotiation tactics, contract language, and long-term cost implications. They need someone who stands behind recommendations, manages vendor relationships, troubleshoots issues in real-time, and follows up to ensure ongoing value.
This is where self-service solutions consistently fail. Even when businesses know what they should do, they rarely have the bandwidth to execute. Implementation is where good intentions stall out. We don’t just identify what needs fixing—we negotiate on our clients’ behalf, manage transitions, ensure proper implementation, and monitor ongoing performance.
Our performance-based model means clients don’t pay unless we save them money. No upfront costs, no subscriptions, no risk. This stands in stark contrast to AI tools that require ongoing licensing fees and specialized staff to operate effectively.
Looking Forward
Rather than viewing AI as a threat, we see it as validation of our model. As AI becomes ubiquitous, more businesses will face complex technology decisions, new cost categories will emerge requiring expert navigation, and the gap between having information and knowing what to do with it will widen. The need for trusted advisors will increase, not decrease.
We’re already thinking about a future in which we help clients navigate AI vendor selection, negotiate AI service contracts, and optimize AI-related expenses—just as we do with their current cost categories.
Yes, how we do our work will evolve. We’ll leverage better tools, work more efficiently, and analyze data faster. But the fundamental value proposition remains unchanged: expert guidance, trusted partnership, and great results for our clients.
Just as companies can’t use AI to address their specific tax needs but rely on accountants to provide them expertise, and like AI can’t address unique legal needs like a lawyer can for their clients, so too do we provide professional expertise and objectivity to understand their needs and wants, understand the marketplace, understand vendor negotiations, and provide them the money, time, security and knowledge they are looking to obtain.
Technology tools have come and gone. The internet didn’t replace us. Comparison platforms didn’t replace us. Automation didn’t replace us. AI won’t replace us either—because in a world overflowing with information and tools, what businesses need most is expertise, trust, and someone who actually gets the job done.
That’s what Schooley Mitchell has provided for decades, and it’s what we’ll continue to provide in the AI era and beyond.