Straight answers, no consultant-speak.

Most builds follow the three-phase Diagnose → Build → Prove process. Phase 1 — Diagnose is between £1.5k and £3k. Phase 2 — Build is typically between £2k and £3.5k. Phase 3 — Prove typically falls between £5k–£15k depending on workflow complexity, number of integrations and how much bespoke logic is required. Smaller, single-purpose systems (one workflow, no integrations) can start around £5k. We quote fixed-price after the calibration call, not by the hour.

Yes. The 444 Diagnostic is free, takes about seven minutes and produces a full scorecard and recommendation. There's no obligation to book a call afterwards.

Yes — typically £150–£600/month covering hosting, model usage, monitoring and minor iterations. We make the running costs explicit before you commit. You own the system and the data.

For most engagements we invoice 50% on kickoff and 50% on go-live. For larger multi-phase engagements we'll structure milestones around your cashflow, typically aligned with the end of each phase.

Most systems go live within 4–8 weeks of the calibration call. Phase 1 — Diagnose takes 1–2 weeks, Phase 2 — Build takes 2–6 weeks, and Phase 3 — Prove takes 1–2 weeks. Tighter scopes can compress this. We never promote a system to production until you've reviewed real outputs against real inputs and agreed it meets the success metric.

Your enquiry enters our intake process. We run a manual fit review, then invite you to a calibration call to pressure-test the findings against your business reality. If we're a fit and you approve the paid Diagnostic phase, we begin. After Diagnose we present the Workflow Blueprint, agree the build scope and send a fixed-price proposal.

Yes — but only where it adds clear value and only inside the right Risk Envelope layer. The 444 ethos is to start outside your risk envelope and connect into existing tools (CRM, accounting, comms) only when the system has earned that trust through proven output quality.

SMEs roughly £200k–£20m turnover, where the founder or leadership team is still close enough to the operation to make real decisions about how it runs. We're not the right fit for very early-stage startups or large enterprises.

No. The diagnostic and our process are explicitly designed for non-technical operators. We translate between your business reality and the system architecture. You don't need to understand the plumbing to own the outcome.

The diagnostic is designed to catch exactly that. If an existing SaaS or integration covers your workflow well enough, our output will name it and explain the gap — or confirm there is no gap. You get an honest filter, not a sales pitch.

Often yes — and we will say so explicitly. When a standard platform handles your needs with minimal customisation, we will recommend it, map the implementation, and step aside. We only propose a bespoke build when it clearly outperforms the commercial alternative for your specific constraints.

Not by default and never in Phase 1. The first system always starts in the Safe Start of the Risk Envelope — it generates outputs that a human reviews before they enter any system of record. Deeper integration is opt-in, granular and reversible.

We use UK/EU-hosted model providers by default and only use models with no-training guarantees on your data. We can run on fully isolated infrastructure where the use case requires it. Data residency and DPA are agreed in writing before kickoff.

Phase 1 systems are designed so 'wrong' is visible, recoverable and never automatically actioned. Every output is reviewed. We measure output quality from week one and tune until it meets the threshold you set — not the threshold we think is acceptable.

No — we also have proven system templates for common SME workflows (revenue generation, client management, operations control). The diagnostic tells us whether a template or a bespoke build is the right starting point for your workflow.

The 444 Risk Envelope is our three-layer safety framework. Layer 1 — Safe Start: manual uploads, human approval, no sensitive system access. Layer 2 — Controlled Workflow: structured data, internal dashboard, clear permissions. Layer 3 — Deeper Integration: CRM connection, automation rules, monitoring and audit trail. We always start at Layer 1 and only move deeper when value is proven.

That's the default. Most engagements begin with one controlled workflow in the Safe Start. Once it proves value against a real business metric, we discuss whether to promote it to Controlled Workflow or deeper. You never have to commit to a full transformation programme upfront.

We run a 4-week Prove phase where the system operates in shadow mode or with human review. We measure against the success metric agreed in the calibration call. If it meets the threshold, we promote to production. If it needs tuning, we iterate. Only when it consistently delivers value do we consider deeper integration.

We work across sectors but have deep experience in professional services, recruitment, property and B2B services. The diagnostic is industry-agnostic — it maps your operational friction and AI opportunity regardless of sector.