Last week, I was at a board meeting where the CEO proudly announced that he had created an “AI organization.” task force. ” Six months later, they had a chatbot that could schedule meetings.
Competitors, on the other hand, had already automated 40% of their customer service and were using AI to predict customer churn three months in advance. Which company stock do you think I would like to own?
AI in business is like putting a turbocharged engine in a race car. Most leaders still don't understand where the ignition button is, but the winners are already turning corners at 200 mph. The gap between those who can leverage AI and those who are interested in AI is becoming a chasm, and those who aren't proactively adopting these tools will fall behind.
After starting and exiting multiple companies, including a $2.5 billion transformation at my previous company, I learned that it's not about being the first to adopt technology, it's about being fearless and practical. So let’s break through the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) and get to the real cheat code to accelerate your growth.
Cheat code #1: Turn your sales team into superhumans with AI coaching
Forget about general sales training. Deploy AI tools like Gong and Chorus to analyze every sales call, email, and interaction. These platforms identify winning patterns, flag risky trades, and coach agents in real-time.
One of our portfolio companies implemented this this quarter. The bottom 30% of performers improved their win rate by 8% in 60 days.
AI found that top performers ask discovery questions in a specific order and spend 40% more time on pain points than features. The tool prompted struggling salespeople to adjust their approach during calls. It's like having a world-class coach whispering in your ear during a game.
Cheat code #2: Turn customer support into a revenue stream
Use platforms like Intercom and Zendesk's AI suite to anticipate customer needs before they ask. When a customer logs in, the AI agent already knows based on the customer's behavioral patterns that they are likely to call about a late shipment or a billing question.
AI can also be configured to identify upsell opportunities during support interactions. Have your customers asked about feature limitations? AI prompts your agents to recommend the perfect upgrade, and also calculates the likelihood that your customers will buy based on their usage patterns.
Using this approach, a friend of mine who runs a Software-as-a-Service company turned his support team into his second-highest revenue-generating department. Support-led upsells currently account for $2.3 million in annual recurring revenue.
Cheat code #3: Force the AI to run the content factory
content marketing Without AI, it's like trying to win Le Mans in a go-kart. Tools like Jasper and Copy.ai provide entire content manipulation systems. But here's the twist that most people overlook. Use the tool to generate 50 different headings, test different hooks, and create a large-scale content framework.
A CMO I know uses AI to generate outlines for 100 blog posts each week and lets his team hand-pick the best 10 to add a human touch. Organic traffic increased by 340% in 6 months.
The secret to success was a lot of curation. AI handles the heavy lifting of ideation, but humans still add soul and expertise. It's not about replacing writers, it's about turning them into superpowered content strategists.
Cheat code #4: Bring predictive analytics to everything
If you're not using AI for predictive analytics, you're driving with your eyes closed. Platforms like DataRobot and H2O.ai can help you predict customer churn, forecast demand, identify your next best customers, and even learn which employees are likely to quit, all without having to have a data science Ph.D.
One retail client implemented predictive inventory management and reduced out-of-stocks by 32% and overstock by 25%. AI analyzed weather patterns, social media trends, local events, and historical data to predict SKU-level demand for each store. Competitors still use Excel spreadsheets and intuition. Who do you think will win that race?
Cheat code #5: Create an AI-powered innovation lab
This is the most underutilized cheat code. Accelerate R&D and product development with AI. Tools like Synthesia for video creation, Midjourney for design concepts, and GitHub Copilot for coding can compress months of work into days.
Establish a small Tiger team tasked with prototyping new products and features using AI tools. Give your team a 30-day sprint to go from idea to working prototype. A fintech startup I work with used this approach to release three new features in the time it would normally take to release one. Product development speed has tripled, making time to market your biggest competitive advantage.
The real race has just begun
This is what keeps me up at night. The gap between those who adopt AI and those who sit on the sidelines is widening rapidly. Your competitors may have implemented these cheat codes while you were reading this article. The question is not whether AI will transform your industry, but whether you will be a disruptor or a disruptor.
The advantage of these cheat codes is that they are not theoretical and do not rely on future technology. These can be deployed quickly and are available starting today. The only thing standing between growth and growth is the decision to stop talking about AI and start implementing it.
As I learned on the racetrack, the difference between winning and losing is often just a few seconds. In business, these fractions are measured on a quarterly basis. Every quarter you wait is a quarter where your competitors are ahead.
It's time to step on the gas. Our competitors are already doing that.
About the author
Brendan P. Keegan is a six-time president and chief executive officer, 21-time board member, two-time bestselling author, winner of the World's Most Innovative CEO Award, and a visionary leader of the investment and advisory firm bFEARLESS Ventures.
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