• Written by Sonali Subhadarsini, Product Manager

When a category manager at a large retail organisation uses AsscherAi to answer a question about sales performance, they may save a significant amount of time that would have been spent searching for the information, but whether that time is actually redeployed to more strategic activities is a different story, and one that is often not fully understood by executive leadership, who may be more focused on high-level decision making.

The difference between time saved and time redeployed

The introduction of AI-powered tools like AsscherAi can certainly save time for executive leadership by providing quick and easy access to information, but the question remains as to whether that time is being used more productively, or simply absorbed into other tasks, and this is a critical distinction to make when evaluating the effectiveness of such tools.

For example, a shift supervisor who uses AsscherAi to check the maintenance log may save 30 minutes a day, but if that time is simply used to catch up on other routine tasks, rather than being redeployed to more strategic activities like process improvement or staff development, then the overall impact on productivity is likely to be limited, and this is a challenge that executive leadership must be aware of when implementing such tools.

Why self-reported time savings overstate the effect

One of the challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of AI-powered tools like AsscherAi is that self-reported time savings can be unreliable, as users may overestimate the amount of time they are saving, or fail to account for other factors that may be influencing their productivity, and this can lead to an overly optimistic view of the tool's impact.

Furthermore, users may not always be aware of the indirect benefits of using such tools, such as improved decision making or enhanced collaboration, which can be difficult to quantify, but are nonetheless important considerations when evaluating the overall effectiveness of the tool, and this is an area where executive leadership must be careful not to rely solely on self-reported data.

The executive leadership data this depends on

The effectiveness of AI-powered tools like AsscherAi depends on access to a range of data sources, including consolidated financials, operational KPIs, sales performance, and headcount, which can provide a comprehensive view of the organisation's activities and performance, and enable executive leadership to make more informed decisions.

For example, a category manager who uses AsscherAi to analyse sales data may be able to identify trends and patterns that would not be apparent from a simple review of the numbers, and this can inform decisions about inventory management, pricing, and promotions, which can have a significant impact on the organisation's bottom line, and this is an area where executive leadership must be able to trust the data and the tools that are being used to analyse it.

What it changes about cross-functional questions

One of the key benefits of AI-powered tools like AsscherAi is that they can provide a single source of truth for data, which can help to resolve conflicts and inconsistencies that may arise when different functions or departments are reporting their own version of a figure, and this can be particularly important for executive leadership, who need to be able to trust the data that is being used to inform decision making.

For example, a question about sales performance may require input from multiple functions, including sales, marketing, and finance, and AsscherAi can provide a quick and easy way to get an answer, without having to rely on manual searches or requests for information, which can be time-consuming and prone to error, and this is an area where executive leadership can see significant benefits from the use of such tools.

Measured with decision latency, actions, and definition conflicts

The effectiveness of AI-powered tools like AsscherAi can be measured in a number of ways, including decision latency, which refers to the time it takes to make a decision, and actions of the form "come back with numbers", which can provide a clear indication of whether the tool is being used to inform decision making, and definition conflicts, which can arise when different functions or departments are using different definitions or assumptions, and AsscherAi can help to resolve these conflicts by providing a single source of truth for data.

By tracking these metrics, executive leadership can get a clear view of whether the tool is having a positive impact on productivity, and make adjustments as needed to ensure that the tool is being used effectively, and this is an area where further support and guidance may be available to help organisations get the most out of their investment in AI-powered tools.

What this does not do

While AI-powered tools like AsscherAi can certainly provide a range of benefits, including improved productivity and decision making, they are not a silver bullet, and there are certain challenges and limitations that must be taken into account, such as the need for high-quality data, and the potential for bias or error in the tool's algorithms or assumptions, and these are areas where executive leadership must be careful not to over-rely on the tool, and to ensure that it is being used in a way that is transparent, accountable, and aligned with the organisation's overall goals and objectives.