TRANSPARENT COMPARISON

Greene Solutions vs. Other AI Consultants

Not sure which AI consulting approach is right for your business? This honest comparison breaks down the differences—methodology, pricing, specialization, and fit. No marketing fluff.

Factor Greene Solutions Big Consulting (McKinsey, Deloitte) AI Agencies Freelance AI Devs
Typical Cost $3K - $30K $100K - $2M+ $50K - $500K+ $50 - $150/hr
Timeline Weeks (2-8 typical) Months (6-18 month projects) Months (3-12 months) Varies (project-dependent)
Approach Implement first—build working systems fast Strategy decks, then handoff to implementation teams Custom development from scratch Task-by-task execution
Tech Focus Configure existing tools (ChatGPT, Claude, automation platforms) Strategic advisory, minimal hands-on tech Build custom AI/ML solutions Depends on individual skills
Best For SMBs wanting practical AI implementation Enterprise with complex transformation needs Companies needing custom ML models Small, specific tasks
Measurable ROI ✓ 90-day focus △ Long-term projections, hard to attribute △ Project-dependent ✗ No ROI framework
Ongoing Support ✓ Training + documentation included △ Separate engagement for support △ Often extra cost ✗ Project-based only
Japan Expertise ✓ 14+ years, 353+ Japanese clients △ Local offices, but generalist teams ✗ Limited Japan presence ✗ Unlikely
Language English + Japanese Japanese teams available Mostly English Varies

Greene Solutions — Implementation-First AI Consulting

✓ Strengths

  • Fast deployment (weeks, not months)
  • 10-20% the cost of big consulting
  • Practical, measurable ROI focus
  • 14+ years in Japanese market
  • Training and documentation included
  • Holistic approach: technology + workflow + people
  • Uses existing AI tools (no custom development overhead)

✗ Limitations

  • Not for companies needing custom ML models from scratch
  • Focused on SMB/mid-market rather than Fortune 500
  • Japan-focused (limited presence in other markets)
  • Won't build you a ChatGPT competitor (uses existing tools)
Choose Greene Solutions if: You're a Japanese SMB or mid-market company that wants AI implemented in weeks, with measurable ROI, without the complexity and cost of enterprise consulting or custom development.

Big Consulting Firms (McKinsey, Deloitte, BCG, Accenture)

✓ Strengths

  • Enterprise-scale transformation capability
  • Deep industry expertise across sectors
  • Global presence and resources
  • Brand credibility for stakeholders
  • Regulatory and compliance expertise

✗ Limitations

  • Extremely expensive ($100K-$2M+ engagements)
  • Strategy-heavy, implementation-light
  • 6-18 month timelines for "transformations"
  • ROI often theoretical and hard to measure
  • SMBs get lower-tier teams (junior consultants)
  • Knowledge transfer often poor
Choose Big Consulting if: You're a Fortune 500 company navigating complex regulatory environments, board-level AI strategy, or need enterprise-wide transformation programs with massive change management components.

AI Development Agencies (Custom AI/ML Shops)

✓ Strengths

  • Build custom ML models from scratch
  • Deep technical expertise
  • Can create proprietary AI solutions
  • Suitable for unique use cases

✗ Limitations

  • Very expensive ($50K-$500K+)
  • Long development cycles (3-12 months)
  • Often miss business context
  • Overkill for most business problems
  • Maintenance and updates can be costly
  • Model becomes your responsibility
Choose an AI Agency if: You have a genuinely unique AI problem that can't be solved with existing tools, you have the budget for custom development, and you need proprietary AI models (e.g., recommendation engines, fraud detection, computer vision applications).

Freelance AI Developers

✓ Strengths

  • Lowest cost option ($50-150/hr)
  • Flexible, can scale up/down
  • Direct communication
  • Good for small, specific tasks

✗ Limitations

  • Quality varies enormously
  • No business context—pure execution
  • No ROI framework or measurement
  • Project-by-project, no ongoing relationship
  • Risk of "works on my machine" syndrome
  • Hard to scale or handoff
Choose a Freelancer if: You have a very specific, well-defined AI task that needs execution (not strategy), you're comfortable managing the relationship yourself, and ROI isn't a primary concern.

The Bottom Line

Most Japanese businesses don't need a $500K custom AI platform. They need someone to configure ChatGPT, Claude, and automation tools for their actual workflows—and train their team to use them. That's what we do. If you need enterprise transformation or custom ML development, we'll tell you—and refer you to the right people.

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