We built our own AI, and it's up for an award

A short, and we will admit, slightly proud note this week.

Back in 2022, when most people were still trying ChatGPT for fun, we could see that the way people find a business was starting to change. Fewer of us type a question into a search box; more of us simply ask an assistant and expect a sensible answer. We are a shutter and blind company, established in 1987, not a technology firm. But we decided to understand this properly rather than wait and see. So we set about teaching an AI our trade, and then building our own system on top of it.

The system behind the business

We call it SSC Brain, and it works quietly in the background so our team can spend their time with you rather than with paperwork.

It takes one of our most demanding and error prone jobs, pricing a shaped gable blind, and gets the calculations and the specification right. It reconciles our supplier statements overnight. Last spring it helped us rebuild this very website, cleaner and faster than the one it replaced. And it has since grown into something other businesses now ask us to help them with too.

None of that changes what we are. We are shutter and blind people, first and always. The system simply removes the friction, so a customer question gets a careful answer and an order gets built correctly.

Shortlisted in two categories

We did not set out to become a technology company, so it means a great deal that the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce have shortlisted us for their 2026 Digital Innovation Awards. We are finalists in two categories: one for the company, and one for David Browne, who led the build.

There is a public vote, and it closes on 31 July. If our emails, our guides, or our work have ever been useful to you, we would be genuinely grateful for your support. It takes less than a minute.

Why we are telling you this

We are not sharing this for the badge. If you know another small business owner who quietly believes this sort of thing is beyond them, we hope our story is a small nudge that it is not. You do not need a big budget or a technology background. You need curiosity, and a willingness to learn something properly. That is really why we are telling it.

Thank you, genuinely, whatever happens on judging day.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Dundee and Angus Chamber Champion Awards? They are annual awards run by the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce to recognise businesses and individuals across the region. The 2026 programme includes a Digital Innovation category, decided in part by a public vote.

What is SSC Brain? It is the in house system The Scottish Shutter Company built to handle demanding work behind the scenes, from pricing shaped gable blinds accurately to reconciling supplier statements. It lets our team spend more time helping customers and less time on paperwork.

How do I vote for The Scottish Shutter Company? Open the Chamber’s official voting form, scroll to the two Digital Innovation questions, and select The Scottish Shutter Company for the business award and David Browne for the individual award. You can support both in a single submission.

Do I have to vote in every category? No. You can vote only in the categories you want to. Select the two Digital Innovation questions and submit.

When does voting close? Voting closes on 31 July 2026. The judging then takes place on 7 August.

Do I need to be a Chamber member to vote? No. The Digital Innovation public vote is open to anyone who wants to take part.