Transforming Your Supply Chain With AI With Benjamin Gordon From Cambridge Capital

AI has taken the world by storm, with top companies using it to optimize every part of their operations—including shipping and logistics. But it can be tricky finding an AI solution that actually solves your business problems. 

In this episode, Benjamin (Ben) Gordon, managing partner and CEO at Cambridge Capital, sits down with Lori to break down what AI can do, where it might fall short, and how to choose tools that work.

The transformative power of AI

Ben believes that AI has the “capacity to totally transform not just logistics, but everything.” But when it comes to logistics, AI is particularly valuable. He explains, “AI is outstanding in areas that are process-intensive and … document-intensive.”

Ben continues, “In the end, [AI will] be a tremendous source of productivity gain for companies that use it well.”

Improving the brand experience with AI

Often, Ben explains, “The supply chain is the weak link in the consumer brand experience.” AI can help change that.

First, it’s a powerful tool for customer communication. “There's no excuse in the world of AI today to not have an instant answer to a customer question. ‘Where's my stuff?’ should never be [answered] with, ‘You know, we'll get back to you in two business days.’” 

Additionally, AI is one of the best ways to optimize shipping for reliability and timeliness.

“What [businesses are] increasingly doing is using AI to look for patterns. For example, wouldn't it be good to know … that whatever ships out on Tuesdays tends to be faster than what ships out on Fridays? Maybe … you want to push more promotions on a Tuesday than a Friday, because that way the customer gets [their order] faster, then they're happier.”

What to consider when choosing an AI solution

Some AI technology claims to do it all, while other solutions offer more specific capabilities. In Ben’s opinion, all-in-one tools aren’t necessarily the best bet right now. 

“In the early stages of innovation, the point solutions are almost always better. … But there will come a time in the next three to five years where [AI] evolves, and then you'll be able to find integrated platforms that can do it all.”

Links

• Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengordon18/
• Visit Cambridge Capital’s website: https://cambridgecapital.com/