AI driving actual interactions

It seems every news feed, business publication and industry platform has at least a daily story on artificial intelligence. A recent article in the Sloan MIT Review newsletter highlighted some critical mistakes when using AI that caused me to consider how effective the tools really are.

“The 9 Mistakes Leaders Make With AI Strategy” featured a short video and brief overview of the listed errors and how they can be avoided. In my work, the most frequent mistake I am seeing from discussions with organizations is the AI strategy (and subsequent tools being employed) is too piecemeal and not coherent or well thought out.

If you have not defined the problem you are solving or the opportunity you want to take advantage of you risk creating chaos. When the “new shiny object” AI solution is discussed it is critical that you first define what you really need before implementing.

While AI tools may be more powerful than the tools you use now, they can just as easily be misused. The negative impact of launching a tool without a strategy is confusion for your staff and customers. Competitors can then exploit your new weaknesses by delivering more value than you can.

I asked ChatGPT: “In 50 to 75 words, please describe the importance of developing an AI strategy for a business rather than just thinking AI will solve all the business problems.”

Here is the answer I received:

“Developing an AI strategy is critical because AI is not a magic fix — it’s a powerful tool that must align with your business goals, data capabilities and customer needs. Without a clear strategy, investments in AI often lead to fragmented solutions, wasted resources and minimal impact. A thoughtful AI strategy ensures you prioritize the right use cases, integrate with existing processes, manage risks and build long-term competitive advantage.”

While this is good, it is still high-level.

A focus on how to make the AI strategy successful requires a process — your process, based on your situation. Articulate what you want to do and how you will define winning. Another key factor to know is the amount of trial and error you can tolerate before activating the application for customer interaction.

There is nothing more frustrating to a customer than experiencing something new from a company that does not deliver its expected value. There are so many negative customer service stories I have lived through and detailed in the seven years I have been writing this column that had no influence from AI.

If you are considering using AI, please ensure you are not making a bad customer service situation worse. Here are three steps to establish an AI strategy specific to your company that solves a problem or takes advantage of an opportunity:

First, audit your current state.

What existing processes or actions do you want to consider using AI for support or replacement? Assess the current process and understand what you are doing well (you may not need AI to do anything right now) and where you are not delivering value to your customers.

Second, research the available AI tools that address your problem/opportunity.

While ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot seem to be the most widely discussed, there are many other AI tools being launched regularly. Pick one that meets your needs to address the gaps noted in your audit. Trial the tool on a select basis first, before launching it to your staff and customers. If you do not “pressure test” your changes, you run the risk of creating a damaging, or worse, fatal impact. From your trial, you will likely uncover some fine tuning that can help you deliver the superior value your customers will appreciate.

Finally, make certain to create an AI usage policy for your staff and ensure you train everyone on what is allowed, what is not and explain why.

This training is required for all staff — even those not using the AI tool. The objective is to ensure there is a consistent message throughout your organization. Remember, your staff have lives outside of work and casual conversations arise. If a polarizing topic such as AI is raised, you want to ensure the entire staff has the singular and most important message they can restate.

Consistency of messaging is another foundational piece of a sound AI strategy.

AI is just another tool. Do not default to thinking it will solve everything. People should always remain at the centre of how the tool is used and how superior value is delivered to your customers.

Tim’s bits: I am a proponent of strategy first before tactics. This maxim holds for all activities. Make sure you know what you want AI to do for your company and how you will activate the application. Your winning game plan needs to be authentic, not artificial.

Tim Kist is a certified management consultant, authorized by law, and a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Manitoba

tim@tk3consulting.ca