Often times, this is absolutely the case. Patience is, indeed, a virtue.
What is ‘perfect’, though? It’s losing precious time ensuring every detail down to the minutiae of your plan or proposal is totally, incontrovertibly, 100% accurate — even when they don’t really need to be at this stage.
So how can you make sure you’re optimising for accuracy whilst ploughing on for that all-important AI transformation?
An ever-changing business landscape
We all — your clients included — inhabit a society that demands instant gratification, immediate and clear results and lightning-fast response rates. Rightly or wrongly, then, satisfying your client’s need to perceive a quick response should generally be your top priority. Let them see just how efficient you are — then sweat the small stuff once they’re happy you’re on the case.
It’s not uncommon for companies to evolve and adapt to their business surroundings until they find the optimum approach — but then stop. The problem is, of course, the world doesn’t cease to grow just because the company has. In a world of instant and accessible technological updates coming in faster waves, with the latest one being AI, getting — and staying — on top of the game is everything.
If a business becomes resistant to change — change which is, of course, inevitable— it runs the very real risk of becoming obsolete and, in our evolution analogy, going extinct.
The businesses who ride the waves and remain relevant over many years, even decades, are those who not only identify the right approaches but who then adjust them accordingly when technology, priorities and demand grow in conjunction with the values and wants of the society in which they exist. The very best businesses do all of the above — and fast. They don’t deny change; they see it coming a mile off and charge headfirst into the fray.
Re-evaluate what’s important
Your clients want quality. That’s a given. But in this day and age where AI is spreading into all areas of our business and personal lives, it’s not enough. Customers desire — no, expect— pace. Their expectations are as turbulent and nebulous as the business landscape you’re both operating in — and you must account for this.
What’s your priority?
Getting every one of the finest details ironed out, checked, rechecked and checked again and then put on the back-burner until the team are ‘ready’ to move forward with one project?
Or is it better to prioritise speed and to have faith in yourself and your team that you’re all talented enough to move ahead with ten projects whilst they’re still not entirely complete, then see some serious turnover as a result?
If you don’t satiate your customers’ need for speed, you’ll lose them. If you don’t satiate your customers’ need for speed, you’ll lose them. I have seen this in our very own agency where we are delivering great results but where we have been that bit slow in responding to a customer or not proactive enough the customer sees that lack of speed as a reason for change.
Every time you can produce results faster than your competition, you fortify your position as the best in the business, even regardless of the objective comparison in quality between the two of you.
Take Walmart’s subsidiary Asda, one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, focuses on efficiency above all else to gain a competitive advantage.. This allows them to restock shelves faster than many competitors giving fresher produce. They were also one of the first to introduce self checkout.
Klarna, the pay later fintech provides an excellent example of how speed and AI are being leveraged to create that competitive advantage.
- The AI assistant handles 2/3rd’s of Klarna’s customers service chats doing the work of 700 full time agents
- Resolution time is down from 2 mins compared to 11 minutes
- The AI agent is available 24/7 in 23 markets in 35 languages
How to speed things up — without neglecting quality
It takes time to remain up to date with the latest innovations in technology and in particular AI — but you simply can’t put a price on how invaluable doing so will be in the long run. Take my own company, AI marketing agency Push, of which I’ve been co-CEO with Ste Hyde for 17 years now.
We have known for a long time that speed is our greatest asset.
But don’t just take my word for it! According to Helene Ambiana, head of Google partners EMEA, "Push is a great company, who use great tech, great people and innovation at speed to do the right and ethical thing for the customer. Push epitomises a mindset that is essential in today’s digital advertising industry."
Our own DIAL360 technology automates advertising success, offering a 24/7 dashboard for multi-channel reporting, with budget predictions and monitoring with AI creative suggestions and AI ad copy ideas based on our clients own data. . This AI-driven approach not only enhances marketing performance but also empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions that fuel growth.
Speeding up your processes using AI doesn’t necessitate you losing quality. You can streamline your decision-making as you go. It doesn’t have to be flawless first time around.
Don’t be afraid of getting it wrong, just move with the tide and keep on growing!
The best businesses aren’t floored by their mistakes, and they make no mistake in knowing their flaws. Embracing speed by introducing AI and all of its benefits takes time, but a culture of fast turnarounds can grow organically — if you let it.
AI is revolutionising the way companies approach speed and agility. By automating processes and providing real-time data analysis, AI tools enable businesses to make swift, informed decisions. This agility allows companies to respond to market changes faster than ever before, maintaining a competitive edge.
Go with the flow and witness the pace of your entire organisation change dramatically. It won’t be long before you gain that competitive edge — and increase your market share faster than ever before.
