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Let staff look up item codes and customer history in plain English by connecting Claude to your shop database

who Jason Ford of The New Wheel, an electric bicycle shop in San Francisco, on LinkedIn

The problem

When he asked an employee, Charlie, for "a tedious computer task you wish were easier," the answer was "Finding line item codes."

What happened

He says "AI as a user interface quickly feels natural for employees." At the time this was a demo/prototype built with MCP servers in the Claude desktop app. His next goal was a more robust prototype using the Claude API with a knowledge graph called Zep; that was a plan, not live. No figures are given. Owner-told.

Quoted in the source: Jason Ford, The New Wheel. Source: LinkedIn: Jason Ford on connecting Claude to the bike shop's database (2025-02-10) · Added 2026-10-20.

How to set it up yourself

1. What The New Wheel did: Jason Ford connected Claude's desktop app to the shop's database through MCP servers. A staff member could ask for a line item code in plain English, and staff could pull a summary of a customer's recent support chats, service history and orders. It was a prototype; a Claude API build with Zep was his next goal.
2. Set up read-only access to your database so the AI can look things up but can't change anything. Share only data that should be shared, and leave out payment details and anything staff don't need.
3. Connect Claude's desktop app to that read-only access using an MCP server that fits your database, following its setup instructions or with help from someone technical. Add a short note listing your shop's acronyms, like LIC for line item code.
4. Test it with real staff questions, like a part code or a customer's recent visits, and check each answer against your system. Have staff confirm codes before they go on an order.

Copy-paste prompt

You help {SHOP NAME} staff look things up in our database, which you can read but not change. Our acronyms: {ACRONYM LIST, e.g. LIC = line item code}. When asked for a part or code, show matching items with code, name and price exactly as stored, and say if there are several possible matches. When asked about a customer, summarize their recent {SUPPORT CHATS, SERVICE HISTORY, ORDERS} with dates. Report only what the database returns; never invent a code, price, date or record. If nothing matches, say so and mark it [MISSING]; if the question is unclear, ask [ASK].

Tools used

Some tool links may be affiliate links. Disclosure

Checked prices: Claude: from $17/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) (verified 2026-10-18)

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