Why Over 90% of AI Pilots Fail, and What Wholesale Distribution Can Learn From It

Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution Podcast

What do college football, tariffs, and AI pilots gone wrong have in common?

In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton connect cultural trends, economic contradictions, and digital transformation in wholesale distribution. From the E³ Model (Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness) to LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and the failure rate of corporate AI pilots, this episode explores why distributors must move from siloed data to customer intelligence platforms that drive real growth.

What You’ll Learn

• Why redefining CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption and ROI
• How tariff extensions and Liberation Day shifts affect supply chain planning
• Why most AI pilot projects fail, and how to avoid repeating their mistakes
• How the hidden buyer phenomenon is reshaping B2B purchasing decisions
• Why customer experience investment will be the biggest trend in 2026

Episode Highlights:

• 03:55 – College football, NIL money, and how it parallels short-term vs. long-term strategy in distribution
• 12:40 – LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and why CRM reimagined means measurable outcomes
• 22:05 – Breaking down GDP growth: why a 3.3% headline hides real 1.6% growth
• 31:48 – Tariffs beyond China: Liberation Day shocks for Southeast Asia supply chains
• 42:15 – The E³ Model: Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness as the new playbook
• 53:02 – Why 95% of AI pilots fail and how to set success criteria
• 01:04:18 – Invisible influencers: the hidden buyers shaping B2B decisions
• 01:19:50 – Customer experience as the driver—not the byproduct—of transactions

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• GeniusFeed – AI-driven smart alerts for reps
• E³ Model – Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness as growth pillars
• Agentic AI Workflows – AI-driven automation with expert oversight
• Hidden Revenue Detection – surfacing untapped opportunities in ERP/eCommerce data
  

Closing Insight:

“If you have siloed data, you have siloed AI. The winners will unify data to make supply chains resilient and future-proof.” – Kevin Brown

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