AI-Powered Customer Automation for Small Businesses

Ahmed Amir

BIO: Originally from Pakistan, I came to Whitworth with a passion for using data and technology to solve real-world problems. Throughout my four years here, I have focused on building community and honing my leadership skills. I’ve had the privilege of serving as the President of the International Club, advocating for our global student body, and working as a Student Success Coach to help my fellow students navigate their academic journeys. Beyond the classroom, I am a member of our nationally competitive Speech & Debate team. I’ve also had the honor of being selected as the Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2026. My professional path has been shaped by internships and the launch of my own business last summer, which directly inspired my capstone research. After graduation, I am excited to begin my career in Product Management.

MAJOR: Applied Mathematics on the Data Science Track, Computer Science

Project Overview: Small businesses operate under constant time pressure, often leading to missed calls. Data shows that 62% of calls to small businesses go unanswered, and 85% of those callers will not try to contact the business again. This translates to an average loss of over $126,000 in annual revenue per business. While large corporations have the budget for advanced AI communication tools, small business owners are often left behind due to high costs and technical complexity. My project aims to bridge this “tech gap” by creating a functional prototype of an AI onboarding process and dashboard tailored specifically for small business needs. My research focused on how to make sophisticated technology user-friendly; I developed an onboarding system that allows a business owner to set up a custom AI agent through simple, non-technical steps. Additionally, I built a dashboard that visualizes critical metrics such as response times, booking rates, and engagement patterns in a clear, accessible format. By simplifying the configuration and monitoring of AI, this project demonstrates how automation can reduce friction, save time, and help small businesses capture opportunities that would otherwise be lost. My goal is to prove that with the right design, cutting-edge AI can be a tool for every entrepreneur, not just those with enterprise-level budgets.