Understanding the AI Paradox

According to the Global Service Dynamics 2024 report, 81% of Professional Service Organizations (PSOs) anticipate AI will boost their efficiency, 69% expect it to enhance service quality and 66% foresee increased profitability.

However, despite these promising benefits still 54% of these organisations report that adapting to AI will be one of their biggest external challenges over the coming year. This paradox highlights that while AI holds great potential, its integration poses significant hurdles for businesses. It simply is not as clear and easy to implement as we were led to believe.

One such business experiencing these hurdles is Jellyfish. Adam Hay, the Senior Director at Jellyfish delves deeper into this paradox. Adam recently joined Certinia’s CEO, DJ Paoni to discuss their experience as an early adopter of Certinia AI. Their discussion provides valuable insights into the practical aspects of integrating AI within a dynamic organization.

The Interview

DJ Paoni: Adam, can you start by giving everyone a quick overview of Jellyfish and your focus areas?

Adam Hay: Thanks for having me! Jellyfish is a global digital marketing organization operating in 22 countries. We provide our clients with a “platform to perform” to maximize their marketing reach and performance. Recently acquired by the Brandtech Group, we aim to become the number one generative AI marketing organization.

As Product Owner and Senior Operations Director in the EMEA region, I ensure Certinia’s products meet our business needs. We’ve been PS Cloud users for four years and recently started implementing Services CPQ. Our partnership with Certinia has been incredible, as they truly invest time and attention to ensure our success.

DJ Paoni: Jellyfish uses Certinia AI capabilities. What drove you to be one of our early adopters?

Adam Hay: Our integration into the Brandtech Group and our market positioning drive us to enhance operational efficiencies. Being an early adopter of Certinia AI helps us streamline operations, reduce effort and make quicker, more informed decisions on business expansions, resource allocation and margin improvements. Aligning with our goals, AI optimizes our operations and decision-making processes.

DJ Paoni: Can you talk about some of the AI projects you’re currently working on with Certinia?

Adam Hay: As part of Certinia’s early adopter program, we’re focusing on understanding AI models to leverage our data effectively. We’re working on predicting margin and project scheduling risks, aiming to foresee impacts before they happen. Feedback has been positive, and we’re close to putting these models into production.

DJ Paoni: What have been some big hurdles in adopting AI?

Adam Hay: Besides maintaining clean and accurate data, the emotional and educational aspects of AI adoption are significant. Many in the business don’t fully understand AI, so education is crucial. While some employees fear AI might replace their roles, we see it as an opportunity to enhance their potential, especially those delivering Business Intelligence (BI). Building confidence and understanding within our team is part of our journey.

DJ Paoni: How can partners like Certinia engage with organizations like yours on the AI journey?

Adam Hay: Certinia excels by listening to the business before introducing tools or technology. Understanding business needs ensures solutions add real value. Certinia’s high engagement and involvement in early adopter programs, showing real-life use cases, effectively influence decisions and change minds within our leadership and user base.

DJ Paoni: What excites you most about AI’s potential within Jellyfish?

Adam Hay: In the short term, I’m excited about educating our team to leverage AI’s full potential, sparking innovative ideas. Long-term, it’s about using pragmatic AI for swift decision-making. In our fast-paced industry, efficient scoping and learning processes are vital. Being quick and accurate will drive our success and revenue growth.

Moving forward

Adam’s insights highlight the real-world challenges and opportunities of AI adoption. Jellyfish’s journey with Certinia AI exemplifies how a pragmatic approach to AI can transform operations and decision-making, paving the way for future success. If you would like to know more about how Certinia AI can be implemented into your business, contact us now.

Stay tuned to our Cloudteam Company blog for more insights and updates on how we continue to drive business innovation with our partners.