Why We Turn Down Some Projects
We decline general AI curiosity, low volume, workflows nobody owns, data we cannot reach, and budgets that cannot carry a Diagnostic and a build. Most suppliers make “yes” the default. We built the opposite incentive on purpose, because saying no early keeps the rest credible.
Most supplier relationships are structured to make “yes” the default answer to almost any inbound enquiry. There is a commercial incentive to find a way to say yes, even when the fit is questionable. We have deliberately built the opposite incentive into how we operate, and this article explains why, and what “fit” actually means.
01. What we say no to
| Request | Why it does not work | What would change our answer |
|---|---|---|
| “Show us what AI can do”, with no workflow attached | A Diagnostic needs a specific recurring deliverable to map. Curiosity about AI in the abstract has no baseline to establish and no acceptance criteria to write | A named workflow |
| Volume too low | A workflow fix depends on enough recurring hours being at stake to justify measuring and building. Below a certain volume, even a perfectly executed build will not recover its own cost | More recurring hours at stake |
| Nobody owns the outcome | Without an accountable sponsor, nobody can sign off acceptance criteria, approve the design or make the calls a build needs. The engagement stalls however good the work is | A named sponsor who can decide and unblock |
| The data cannot be reached | A workflow that cannot be mapped cannot be measured | Access to the data and systems it runs on |
| A budget that cannot carry both a Diagnostic and a build | Committing to a Diagnostic without the means to act on its findings sets an expectation neither side can meet | A budget that covers both |
02. Why we say it upfront
A project that should not have started tends to fail slowly rather than quickly. It drifts, it stalls, and everyone spends months discovering a fit problem that could have been named in one short call.
Saying no at the fit-call stage costs us a potential engagement. Saying yes anyway and watching it fail costs both sides far more, and damages the trust that makes the rest of our process credible. Saying no early is part of what makes the rest credible.
03. What “worth a conversation” looks like
The inverse of the list above:
- One recurring deliverable that is economically material.
- An accountable sponsor who can decide.
- Data and systems we can actually be given access to.
- A real business trigger behind the request: a deadline, a cost, a growth constraint.
This is the bar a fit call checks against, and the form checks it before any call is booked. See how the Discuss a Workflow questionnaire works.
04. What a “no” sounds like
A direct answer, with the reason. Not a vague deferral or a soft no designed to keep the door open for its own sake.
A no is not a judgement on whether your problem is real. It is a judgement on whether measuring and building could pay for themselves. Below a certain volume, the arithmetic does not work, and proceeding anyway would be dishonest about the numbers.
05. What the budget criterion means in practice
A complete first workflow typically starts with a Workflow Diagnostic (from €3,000) followed by a build (from €10,000), depending on the final scope found during the Diagnostic. If those two together are not realistic, it is better to know before the Diagnostic starts than after. The terms, including what is and is not included, are on the pricing page.
06. If you are not sure you qualify
The free fit call exists to answer that question honestly, at no cost to you either way. If the fit is not there, you will hear that directly, together with the reason.
07. Frequently asked questions
What kinds of project do you decline?
General AI curiosity with no workflow, volume too low for the arithmetic to work, workflows nobody owns, data we cannot be given access to, and budgets that cannot carry both a Diagnostic and a build.
Why do you say no at the start?
Because a project that should not have started tends to fail slowly. Saying no at the fit call costs us an engagement, and saying yes anyway costs both sides much more.
What do you look for in a workflow?
One recurring, economically material deliverable, an accountable sponsor, data and systems we can access, and a real business trigger.
Does a “no” mean my problem is not real?
No. It means measuring and building could not pay for themselves, or that the conditions for a Diagnostic are not in place.
How do I find out whether we are a fit?
Ask us. The fit call is free, and if the fit is not there you will hear that directly, with the reason.
Related: Forget “digital transformation”
08. Next step
The fastest way to find out whether your workflow is a fit is to ask. Discuss one workflow →
