Canada
AI agency, consultant or trainer? How to choose
"AI help" covers very different businesses. Some write software, some run campaigns, some advise, some teach. Picking the wrong type is the most common way to overspend.
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This guide describes each type fairly, says when each is the right choice, and lists the questions to ask any of them, including Hero.
The short version
- If you know exactly what software you want made, hire an agency or developer.
- If you need one well-defined task done, hire a freelancer.
- If you need to decide what's worth doing first, hire a consultant for a fixed-scope assessment.
- If your people need to use AI well and safely, hire a trainer.
- If you need a formal certification, audit or compliance report, hire an accredited audit or certification firm.
- If your team is small and disciplined, do it yourself with a clear rule and one approved tool.
The types of AI help, side by side
| Type | What they mainly do | How they usually charge | Starts with | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI agency or developer | Custom software, automations, integrations, chatbots | A proposal after a paid or unpaid discovery phase | A specification | Ongoing maintenance costs and who owns the code |
| Freelancer | One skill, one short project | Hourly or per project | A task | Whether anyone can maintain the result after they leave |
| Consultant | Assess how you work and recommend priorities | Fixed-scope assessment, day rate or hourly | Interviews and a written plan | Vague deliverables; advice that leads straight to their own paid work |
| Trainer | Teach people to use the tools on their own work | Per seat or per day | Your team's tasks | Generic demos; no follow-up after the session |
| Large consultancy | Multi-department change programmes | Proposals, often through an RFP | A programme | Scale and cost suited to large organizations |
| Accredited audit or certification firm | Formal audits, certifications and compliance reports | Quoted engagements | A standard or framework | Make sure the standard is the one your client or regulator actually asks for |
Where Hero fits
Hero is a trainer and consultant with an AI security focus: AI training, the AI Readiness Assessment, ongoing AI consulting, and practical AI security assessments and policies. When a roadmap calls for it, Hero also connects AI to the tools a team already uses, such as an assistant on your own documents or an automation between existing tools, quoted per project. It's tool-neutral and doesn't resell software. Hero isn't a software agency: it doesn't build standalone apps or software products, and it doesn't offer certifications or formal audits. If one of those is what you need, we'll say so on the Fit Call.
Hero works with teams of any size that want staff trained, a written plan, and clear rules for information. Hero posts its prices on the pricing page, so you can compare before you talk to anyone.
A next stepGet a straight answer for your team in a free 30-minute call, see every price, or get the free AI guide (PDF).
Working alongside an agency or IT provider
These types often work together. A trainer or consultant can train your people and write the plan and policy, and your IT provider or an agency can make the larger technical changes. If you hire Hero, the written plan is yours to share with whoever does that work.
Questions to ask any AI provider, including us
- What exactly will we receive, and can we see a sample outline?
- Is the price fixed? What would change it?
- What isn't included: licences, travel, follow-up, maintenance?
- Who owns the documents, prompts or code?
- Will we be able to carry on without you?
- Are you paid by any software vendor you might recommend?
Red flags when hiring any AI help
- Guaranteed time savings or ROI before anyone has looked at your work
- Pressure to paste real customer data into a public tool
- No clear scope, and no price until after a long discovery phase
- Logos or testimonials you can't verify
FAQ: choosing AI help
Does Hero develop software?
Not standalone software. Hero is a training, consulting and AI security company. As part of consulting, it can connect AI to tools you already use, quoted per project. If you need an app or software product built, we'll say so and suggest you talk to an agency or developer.
Can Hero work with our current IT provider?
Yes. We train people and write plans and policies, and we work alongside your provider on any setup or integration work. Your provider stays in charge of your systems.
Is a consultant cheaper than an agency?
They do different jobs, so compare the deliverable, not just the price. A fixed-scope assessment is usually much smaller than a software project, but it doesn't produce software.
A CLEAR NEXT STEP STARTS HERE
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Tell us about your team. We will tell you whether training, an AI readiness assessment, or AI security work is the right next step.
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