Introduction

At Heed Consulting, our core mission has always been to assist our clients in navigating current challenges. Our firm, which began as a Cyber Solutions and Risk Management consultancy, naturally progressed into AI consulting for small to medium-sized organizations. This evolution was not just a pivot—it was a testament to our commitment to being more than a simple consulting firm. We are advocates and mentors for businesses navigating the ever-changing landscape of AI technology.

The Challenge

Understanding how AI can impact operations and industry is a challenge faced by many businesses today. If left unattended, this challenge can have dire consequences. Our task at Heed Consulting was to help businesses identify areas that would benefit from implementing AI and ChatGPT, and then assist in the implementation process.

The Client

One such client was a produce importer and distributor with 50 employees across four locations in two states. The company faced numerous pain points, including inefficiencies in their accounting department, a need for better client follow-up and engagement in sales, and a desire for more controlled messaging and output in marketing. Management also sought guidance on addressing corporate issues as they arose, ranging from developing everyday policies to setting up "ChatGPT use and policy."

The Solution

Our approach was to work closely with the executive team and department heads to identify specific areas that would benefit from AI and ChatGPT. Our CEO, Michael Bower, then presented these findings to the deciding board and assisted in implementing the recommended solutions.

The first step was to develop policies and procedures for engaging with ChatGPT and other AI tools. This included company-wide training on what ChatGPT is and how chatbots can be used for business purposes, followed by department-specific training and demonstrations.

Implementation

We implemented HubSpot CRM for sales, marketing, and accounting communications and tracking. This not only provided immediate management of communications but also offered a CRM to manage customer relationships from the trade show to the life of the client.

Automating many communications based on preset triggers led to more sales opportunities and processed more collections from clients. All of this was implemented using ChatGPT to generate the engagement content at every point. Emails for everyone from lead follow-up to collections notices were sent based on decided triggers like late dates.

We also implemented various local/secure chatbot solutions with secured borders for more fluent communications. This allowed for a more thorough and powerful use of the AI engine and various API integrations relevant to the task, including long-term memory and external resources available via API integrations for current data and function-specific solutions.

The Results

The implementation of AI and ChatGPT revolutionized the company's operations. The company became more efficient and organized, improving basic communications with clients, vendors, and prospects. The stress of content creation for various areas was significantly reduced, from updating the website with new policies to email signature content, and engagement.

The company saw an increase in sales and collections, and the staff experienced less stress due to the automation of many tasks. The company was empowered to do more in a responsible and ethical manner, aligning with the company's directives and values, as well as its risk exposure.

Once the CRM was implemented, the business principals were able to have greater insights, but also improved operations which translated into increased profits.

Conclusion

Our work with this produce importer and distributor is a testament to the transformative power of AI in business operations. By identifying areas of need and implementing AI solutions, we helped the company become more efficient, increase sales and collections, and reduce stress among staff. This case study serves as a powerful example of how AI and ChatGPT can revolutionize business operations and drive growth.

The absolute value for not just the accounting department to be able to manage engagements more efficiently, but as a result, the staff are able to focus on more important tasks resulting in immeasurable value. Before implementing ChatGPT usage, the idea of generating all of the content for using such a tool would require outside consultants and lots of fees. Now they can internalize and control the process and are able to become much more nimble and engaged when managing these resources and solutions they once before required thousands in consulting cost just to implement, not to mention the ongoing cost to update and optimize. Now they can manage these costs and focus on their core business and the growth of the business. By using our Business Optimization and Employee Empowerment Program, they were able to supercharge their business in ways they never imagined.