Semantic search (RAG) in Oamaru.
For Oamaru operators who want a working pilot in weeks, not a year-long programme.
Small crew or big organisation, the busywork is the same :)
The questions a public sector buyer asks, answered up front: privacy impact, the NZISM, where the data lives and how an algorithm is held to account.
*Illustrative example based on nine hours a week of admin. Actual results vary by workflow and business.
Oamaru services the farms, processors and visitors of the Waitaki. We automate the job cards, stock orders and bookings that keep those small teams stretched.
Built around how New Zealand works.
Ask questions across your manuals, contracts and records and get answers with the source attached, not a guess.
- An annual return every year
- 11 public holidays, plus yours
- ACC levies set by industry
Less admin.
More weekend.
No theatre.
What semantic search (RAG) covers
What changes for Oamaru teams after this lands: the work that used to need a person stays done, the work that needs a person gets done with their attention undivided.
- Indexes Drive, SharePoint, Notion, Slack, your CRM
- Returns answers with source links - no hallucinations
- Permissioned so staff only see what they should
- Re-indexes nightly so results stay fresh
- No AI theatre
- No annual contracts
How much is the admin really costing you?
Nine hours a week of admin is 468 hours a year. That could drop to about 52.*
*Illustrative, based on 9 hours a week of admin at a typical 80% automation rate. The calculator uses your own numbers.
An AI agency, minus the theatre.
*Every engagement is scoped and quoted up front. Results vary by workflow and business.
Business in Oamaru.
The Waitaki is a farming district at heart, with agriculture and related processing providing 27 per cent of jobs, and Oamaru is its largest business centre.
The blue penguins near Oamaru's port have become a significant visitor attraction.
Good questions, answered
When does semantic search (RAG) actually pay back?
Inside the first quarter, in our experience. We pick the first slice specifically because it's the highest-leverage workflow for an Oamaru - so the savings start landing before the rest of the build is finished.
Will this run on our own infrastructure?
Yes, where it makes sense. Semantic search (RAG) can sit entirely in your cloud account, with model calls routed through endpoints you control. We default to Pinecone, Claude, Postgres pgvector, Vercel AI SDK but the architecture supports your existing platform choices.
How do you price semantic search (RAG) engagements?
Fixed-scope pilots first, then either project pricing or a small monthly retainer for the ongoing work. No long lock-ins, no 18-month black-box deals. Most Oamaru businesses are surprised how small the first cheque is.
Does scheduling handle public holidays?
It should. New Zealand has 11 national public holidays, including Matariki, plus a regional anniversary day that depends on where your business is.
What happens when the Holidays Act is replaced?
The Employment Leave Act 2026 replaces it on 6 August 2028. Until then payroll follows the current Holidays Act, so leave calculations need to handle today's rules and the changeover.
Talk to us about semantic search (RAG)
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