Regarding AI and automation, most teams aren’t starting from scratch but from systems they can’t afford to rip out.
That was the reality for one leading manufacturer and distributor serving the automotive sector. With customer support and operations stretched thin, leadership saw automation as a way to boost efficiency, but only if it could integrate with what was already in place. No disruption. No costly replacements. Just targeted wins.
The Challenge: Big Pressure, Limited Flexibility
This manufacturer wasn’t short on ambition. They were eager to modernize backend operations, streamline support, and give teams breathing room. But their existing platforms, which span logistics, ticketing, and inventory, were deeply embedded. Swapping them out wasn’t an option.
Meanwhile, repetitive workflows bogged down customer support, and internal operations were mainly reactive. Leadership had a growing curiosity about AI but no clear path to prioritize efforts or measure feasibility.
They needed a framework: something structured, practical, and grounded in how the business worked.
The Approach: Uncovering Automation at Ground Level
Through an AI & Automation Readiness Workshop, cross-functional teams from support, operations, and IT came together to map out their highest-friction workflows with the goal in mind to find smart
As teams walked through their processes, four clear opportunities emerged:
- AI-powered ticket triaging to reduce support backlog
- Automated warranty response generation to free up staff
- Predictive part ordering based on usage trends and historical data
- Proactive inventory alerts to prevent stockouts and delays
Beyond ideation, the workshop also included a readiness and risk assessment, ensuring that each potential pilot was realistic, low-risk, and aligned with existing compliance standards.
The Outcome: Confidence, Clarity, and a Real Starting Point
By the end of the session, the teams were well-equipped. They had a prioritized list of automation opportunities that could be piloted with minimal disruption. Departments were aligned. Leaders had the language and clarity to evaluate use cases going forward.
Perhaps most importantly, the company avoided the “boil the ocean” trap. They walked away with momentum, not a mandate, and a roadmap for rolling out intelligent automation where it actually mattered: customer experience, operational flow, and cost efficiency.
Still stuck at the “where do we start?” stage?
You’re not alone and don’t have to figure it out in a vacuum. Our AI & Automation Readiness Workshop is designed to help teams like yours move from uncertainty to action with clarity, confidence, and momentum.
👉 Let’s talk about what practical AI could look like for your team.
