Businesses are racing to integrate AI solutions to stay competitive and enhance their operations. However, this rush can lead to challenges and setbacks, as companies struggle with data readiness, integrating powerful new tools with their existing systems, and understanding how to measure their success. Inbenta CEO Melissa Solis recently shared her insights in a conversation with Inbenta Head of Marketing Adam Highfill. The discussion delved into the common pitfalls of AI implementation and offered practical advice for businesses looking to leverage AI effectively.
The following is an edited transcript of the conversation. Watch the full video below.
What advice do you give to organizations starting their AI journey?
One thing we tell people is: don’t panic. You don’t have to replace everything or walk into your boss and say, “We just blew half a million dollars or a million dollars or more because we picked the wrong vendor and they can’t deliver what they promised.”
We teach our customers to start by identifying what they’re trying to accomplish. Every day, I wake up and there’s a new term being used in AI — like Agentic AI or Domain-Specific AI. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype.
But ultimately, there are three or four steps you need to take. What are you trying to solve? Are you automating a process? Solving a problem? Making it easier for customers to do business with you? Or offering service 24/7? Focus on what you’re trying to achieve.
How do you ensure a good customer experience when implementing AI-driven solutions?
We basically treat people the way we want to be treated. Personally, I want to be treated extremely well. I was telling my husband the other day, every time you call certain companies, you have to be careful not to say bad words because of how frustrating the process is. They transfer you to 10 different people, and at the end of an hour, the problem is still unsolved.
The same happens with many bots and searches. You start a conversation with them and end up ticked off because the process is ineffective. It gives you a bad image of how AI tools should work. That’s why, when people do it right, they spend time thinking through their goals. They ensure data accuracy and consolidate different data points.
Why do some automated processes fail to deliver the intended results?
Automation issues often stem from poor implementation and inaccurate data. When businesses roll out solutions without properly thinking through their goals or data sources, it can lead to frustrating experiences for their customers.
For example, a bot might route customers to multiple departments without solving anything. It’s essential for companies to design AI processes thoughtfully and ensure they are data-driven to deliver value.
What steps can companies take to successfully integrate AI technologies?
The key is preparation. First, identify the problems you’re trying to solve, such as improving a process or enhancing customer service. Second, ensure the data being used is both accurate and comprehensive.
Consolidating data from various points is crucial to making AI work effectively.
When done right, you can see immediate benefits — like in the case of banks or customer service industries — because good automation reduces workloads, delivers consistent experiences, and retains customers.
How should business leaders be measuring or evaluating the success of an AI solution?
I think number one, you have to know what you’re trying to solve, what you’re trying to accomplish, and not just for today, but you have to look into the future and say, where do I want to be in 12 months, 24 months from now?
I tell everyone, if you’re just trying to be reactive instead of proactive, you’re going to lose at the AI game. So one is, where do you want to be? You’ve got to know where you’re headed as a company. You’ve got to understand your goals.
Number two, make sure that you have your team on board, make sure that the stakeholders understand it. So when you go to work and implement the actual solution, that you have the team working towards one goal.
It’s also important to grasp that even if you roll out a solution, by the time you implement it, there’s going to be a new name, a new solution, and everybody’s going to be talking about something new and you’re going to have a little bit of panic saying, “Oh my gosh, I just spent… “
That’s why it’s critically important that you pick the right vendor. You need a company that is agile, that is focused on innovation, is spending money on innovation, and they have a proven track record of being able to bring products to the market that work and are effective. If they’re not, move on.
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Inbenta’s Conversational AI platform is deployed by companies across industries around the globe to intelligently automate customer service, marketing and sales, and internal operations.
