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AYDUKE

Service area · Oregon

Automation for an independent Portland shop, minus the myths

Owners of independent businesses in Portland, Oregon tend to be wary of anything that sounds like marketing software. That is healthy. This page takes the common assumptions one at a time and answers them plainly, with what AYDUKE does, what it does not, and where you stay in charge.

  • Replies in your tone and wording, from facts you entered yourself
  • No invented answers: unknown questions are passed to you
  • Public comment replies stay switched off until you turn them on

Free for 7 days, no credit card required

Common assumptions

Six things indie owners assume about auto replies

  • "It will make my shop sound like a chain." You pick the tone (formal, friendly or short), add a style note and a signature, and the assistant answers from the entries you wrote. If your voice is dry and a little weird, write the entries that way.
  • "It will make things up." When the answer is not in your knowledge base, it does not guess. It offers to hand the conversation to you instead.
  • "It will start replying to public comments." Comment replies run in a separate mode that is off by default. You can also keep DMs in draft mode, where you approve each reply before it goes out.
  • "I have to give my passwords to a company." Accounts connect through your own developer app via OAuth, with a step-by-step guide per platform. Keys are stored encrypted.
  • "Scheduling means the same post everywhere, badly." Character limits, media type, file count and size are checked live per platform. A post that breaks a platform's rules is not scheduled.
  • "When credits run out, everything stops." Posting, the calendar and reports never use AI credits. If credits run low, greetings and trained questions are still answered and the rest lands in your inbox.

A flash tattoo question on a rainy Tuesday night

An example conversation, not a real client. Consultation times come from the shop's calendar, and the deposit rule is an entry the owner wrote.

Customer: hey, is the mushroom flash from your last post still available? could I get it this weekend
Assistant: Hi. Flash pieces from that sheet are first come, first served, so the artist confirms availability at the consult. Saturday has a 15-minute consult at 12:30 or 3:00. Want one of those?
Customer: 12:30. do I pay a deposit online?
Assistant: Deposits are taken in the shop at the consult, not through this chat. I can book 12:30 on Saturday for you now; the confirmation email has a link to view or cancel.
Customer: perfect, thanks
Sample conversation. The assistant only answers from the information you give it.

Notice what the assistant avoided: it did not promise the piece was free, and it did not take payment. Payments stay in your own shop or sales channel. The artist gets an SMS and an email about the new booking.

A local marketing consultant, or doing the routine work yourself

If you searched for a Portland social media consultant: AYDUKE is software, not a consultancy. It covers the repetitive work so you can keep your accounts in your own hands.

What a consultant or agency is good for

  • Brand work, photography and a clear visual style
  • A campaign for an opening or a new location
  • Someone to think about strategy with

What you can run from one panel

  • Prepare a post once, publish it to every connected account on schedule
  • Answer Instagram DMs, Messenger and website chat after closing
  • Book consults, classes and tables in the chat
  • Pull 7, 30 or 90-day publishing reports

Freelancers who manage accounts for several local shops can connect them within their plan's account limit, work from one calendar and send clients XLSX or CSV reports. A free reseller program pays commission for as long as referred businesses keep paying.

What is different about customers here

The city has a strong buy-local streak. Food carts, coffee roasters, craft breweries, vintage shops and tattoo studios are part of how people describe the place, and customers notice whether a business sounds like a person. The Pearl District, Alberta Arts District and Hawthorne each have their own crowd, but the expectation is similar: answer like a neighbor.

The weather shapes the rhythm. Through the long, gray, wet months, people stay in, scroll more and plan ahead, so questions about classes, appointments and indoor seating pile up in the evenings. When summer arrives, patios, markets and bike traffic take over and walk-in business rises while messages shift to "are you open now" and "do you have room for four."

A workable content rhythm follows that. In the rainy season, post work in progress, new menu items and class schedules a few times a week on Instagram, and share the same on Facebook. In summer, keep hours and patio updates current on your Google Business Profile. AYDUKE schedules all of it from one calendar, so the posting does not depend on a free evening.

Independent trades with a busy inbox

  • Food carts

    Hours, location and the day's menu, asked again and again. The assistant answers from your entries; orders stay in your own system. More: food trucks.

  • Breweries and coffee

    Group table requests, event nights, roast release days. More: breweries, coffee shops.

  • Plant-based kitchens

    Ingredient and allergen questions answered from what you wrote, never guessed. More: vegan restaurants.

  • Tattoo and yoga studios

    Consults per artist, classes with a capacity. More: tattoo shops, yoga studios.

Trying it without committing to anything

  1. Open a demo account

    No credit card. Connect only Instagram to start, using the step-by-step guide in the panel.

  2. Write ten answers in your own voice

    Hours, location, walk-ins, deposits, the questions you get every day. Or give your website address; up to 500 pages are read and refreshed weekly, and what you type yourself always wins.

  3. Stay in draft mode

    Every reply waits for your approval. Read a week of drafts before deciding anything.

  4. Add booking when it feels right

    Set one service with a duration and buffer. The chat will only offer times your calendar has open.

Where AYDUKE stops: on X, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok it publishes posts only and does not reply to messages or comments. On WhatsApp it answers messages but does not publish posts. On your Google Business Profile it schedules posts; reviews and Q&A are handled in Google.

See your own voice in the drafts

The free demo opens on signup with every platform, the core features and AI credits for testing.

Frequently asked questions

Our food cart has no website. Can people still reach the assistant?

Yes. You get a chat link and a QR code. Put the link in your Instagram bio and Google profile, and tape the QR code to the window.

Can customers get a text when their consult is tomorrow?

No. In the US, customers get confirmation and reminder emails with a link to view or cancel. You get new-booking alerts by SMS and email.

We share a space with another small business. Can we run two brands?

Yes, within your plan's account limit. Connect both brands' accounts and give each its own services and hours.

Is AYDUKE based in Portland?

No. It is remote software, run by a company based in the United Kingdom, with no local office in Oregon. The help pages cover setup.

Does the chatbot window carry AYDUKE branding on our site?

No. It uses your logo, colors, position and welcome message, with no AYDUKE name and no "powered by" line.

Ready to run your business from one panel?

Try it free for 7 days, no card required: connect your accounts, schedule your first post and train your assistant.