Write a standard operating procedure (SOP)
A practical way to use AI for this job in a small business, with a prompt you can copy.
Every time a new staff member starts, you explain how to open the shop, how to do a quote, how to close out the till. Same words, same questions, every time. And when you're sick, nobody quite knows how things work.
The prompt
I want to write an SOP for [task]. Here's how I do it now: [describe roughly, even messy]. Turn it into numbered steps a new staff member could follow, with a 'what good looks like' line and common mistakes to avoid.
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Don't paste in anything you wouldn't want stored by the AI provider.
Steps
- Talk through the task into your phone's voice notes and paste the text.
- Run the prompt.
- Have a staff member follow it and note where they got stuck.
- Fix and save it somewhere everyone can find.
A worked example
A Townsville car detailer wants an SOP for a full interior detail. He records a voice memo walking through the job and pastes the transcript into Claude with the prompt. Back comes a numbered procedure: prep, vacuum order, products for each surface, drying times, final check, photos for the customer, and what to do if they find damage.
He adds the product names his team actually uses and a photo of the finished result, then prints it and laminates a copy for the van. The new casual follows it on his first job and only asks two questions instead of twenty.
Where it goes wrong
AI fills gaps with generic steps that sound sensible but aren't how you do it. If your memo skipped a step, AI might invent one. Have the person who does the job most often read the draft and mark anything that's wrong. Also watch for missing 'what if' steps: what to do when something breaks is often the most useful part.
Time saved
Writing an SOP from scratch takes most owners 2 to 4 hours. Talking it through and letting AI structure it gets you a solid draft in under an hour. These are my estimates for a typical small business, not measured results.
What it costs (AUD)
Free plans handle this. Store the finished SOP in Google Docs, OneDrive or a shared folder you already pay for.
The free plans of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini handle this fine. If you end up using AI every day, the paid plans are roughly: ChatGPT Plus approx. A$30 a month, Claude Pro approx. A$29 a month billed monthly (US$20, or about A$24 a month if you pay yearly), and Google AI Pro approx. A$33 a month through the App Store. Prices approx., October 2026. Some are billed in US dollars, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. Check the vendor's pricing page before you buy.
Australian notes
If the job involves hazards (chemicals, ladders, power tools), include the safety steps and check them against your state's WHS requirements and the product safety data sheets. AI doesn't know your specific risks, so don't treat its safety steps as complete.
Privacy: the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) cover most businesses turning over more than $3 million, plus some smaller ones such as health providers. Even if you're under the threshold, treat customer details with care: strip names, phone numbers and addresses before you paste anything into an AI tool.
My verdict
One of the most underrated uses. Gets knowledge out of your head.
Common questions
What's the easiest way to start an SOP?
Talk it through while doing the job, using your phone's voice recorder. Then let AI turn the transcript into steps.
How detailed should it be?
Detailed enough that a new person could do the job without calling you.
How often should I update SOPs?
Whenever the process changes, and at least once a year.
Do this today
Pick the job you explain most often. Record yourself talking through it on your phone today, then run the transcript through the prompt.
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