91探花

Salvaging a company on the decline is a task riddled with complexity and never-ending challenges. It can feel like you鈥檙e putting out one small flame after the next, while a raging inferno continues to rage towards you, no matter what you do.

Indeed, once it all starts going downhill, it can be tough to stop the ball from rolling, so it鈥檚 no surprise that plenty of company founders and executives choose a Hail Mary in the hope that, just maybe, things will turn around.

This Hail Mary, last-ditch effort, approach is nothing new to the world of business. It鈥檚 only human nature to do as much as possible to prevent your business from going under, especially if it鈥檚 a personal endeavour, as business is for founders.

The difference these days, however, is the form that the do-or-die approach takes. Since technology has pretty much revolutionised everything else around us 鈥� from everyday consumer technology to high-end, advanced tech 鈥� it鈥檚 no surprise that people are starting to try to use modern technology to swoop in and save the day.

When employed for the purpose of operational changes, we鈥檙e calling it a tech 鈥渞efresh鈥� or, perhaps, a 鈥渞evamp鈥�. These terms imply a pretty moderate change 鈥� it may involve new systems, machinery, software and procedures, but it鈥檚 more about updating existing frameworks.

However, what we鈥檝e started to see more of now is the concept of the 鈥渢ech overhaul鈥�, and it鈥檚 not just a linguistic difference. Rather, it seems as though companies that are struggling and have already started their downward spiral are attempting to use it as a strategy for redemption. Indeed, there鈥檚 a belief that by simply replacing everything with modern, advanced technology, that being older, existing tech as well as employees, companies may be able to claw themselves out of the holes they鈥檙e finding themselves in.

But, is this plausible? Is it realistic to expect that we may actually be able to use modern tech to swoop in and fix all that is broken?听Well, wouldn鈥檛 that be a lovely, Disney-like ending to an otherwise troubling story?

Unfortunately, the reality is quite different from what we鈥檇 like to believe.

There鈥檚 no doubt that modern tech has changed our lives in ways that were previously inconceivable. It鈥檚 doing things we never thought possible, replacing humans in positions we may not have dared to imagine just a few years ago. More than that, it鈥檚 actually better than people in many things we use it to do.

However, it still has its limitations, and as much as we wish we could simply use modern tech to solve our problems, that鈥檚 just not a realistic 鈥� or smart 鈥� solution. Sometimes, using tech and automated systems where they shouldn鈥檛 be used can cause more problems than if a little more thought went into the issue at hand. Indeed, as Ben Johnson, CEO of BML Digital so eloquently puts it: 听鈥淭he winners won鈥檛 be those who automate the most, but those who know what not to automate and can explain why with a straight face.鈥�

听

鈥淎I Is An Accelerator, It Is Not a Steering Wheel鈥�

听

The truth is, AI and advanced tech can work wonders, but only when the foundations are already solid. They excel at speeding up processes, improving accuracy and optimising systems that are already functioning as intended. Essentially, they鈥檙e fantastic accelerators, but, 鈥淎I is an accelerator, it is not a steering wheel鈥�, says Leanne Byrne 鈥撎� they鈥檙e not capable of directing a floundering company out of trouble when all other hope is lost.

Of course, the allure of AI in a struggling business is understandable. After all, who wouldn鈥檛 want a solution that promises efficiency, insights and automation all at once? Unfortunately, the reality is far more sobering. If the underlying system is broken, no amount of automation or algorithmic wizardry will fix it. AI can replicate inefficiency faster, scale mistakes, and even obscure fundamental flaws if applied blindly.

As industry insiders repeatedly stress, the first step is understanding where your system is failing and why. Only then can technology be applied thoughtfully to amplify improvements rather than mask problems. AI is a powerful tool, but it simply cannot replace the strategic thinking, creativity and careful decision-making required to turn a struggling company around, and that鈥檚 the harsh reality.

听

Our Experts

听

• Ben Johnson: CEO of BML Digital
• Leanne Byrne: Co-Founder and Director of Maven Marketing
• Laura Moss: Managing Partner at Parisi Consulting
• Steve Kelly: VP of Method and Content at Orgvue
• Michelle Johnson: MIT-certified AI Expert, MBA (Distinction) and PMP Project Leader
• David Tyler: Founder of Outlier Technology
• Caroline Cartellieri:听Founder of C-Squared Consulting
• Andy Holland: SEO Director at JBH, The Digital PR and SEO Agency
• Peter Wood: CTO at Spectrum Search
• Seb Brantigan: AI and Automation Expert, Co-Founder and COO of DBSS Digital
• Patrizia Bertini: Managing Partner at Aligned Consulting Group Ltd.
• Debra Andrews: Founder and President at Marketri
• Moti Gamburd: CEO at CARE Homecare
• Chris Sorensen: CEO of ARMOR Dial and PhoneBurner
• Kateryna Reshetilo: Head of Marketing at Greenice
• Joe Lambert:听Founder at Rareloop
• Steve Morris: Founder and CEO of NEWMEDIA.COM
• Marina Davidova: Co-Founder and Managing Partner At DVC

听

Ben Johnson,听CEO of BML Digital听

听

听

鈥淲hen organisations rush to automate bureaucracy without asking, 鈥渨hy does this process even exist?鈥�, they don鈥檛 create efficiency, they create a monster. A shiny, humming machine that knows exactly what to do鈥� but nobody remembers why we鈥檙e doing it. That鈥檚 how you end up with institutional amnesia and organisations that look impressive on the outside but are hollow at the core.

鈥淭he Turing Institute found 143 million complex repetitive transactions a year, with 84% ripe for automation. Brilliant! Except if the process is pointless to begin with, all you鈥檝e done is build a faster hamster wheel.

鈥淭he risk is 鈥渁lgorithmic bureaucracy鈥�: the original flaws remain, but now they鈥檙e executed with ruthless precision and with zero human discretion to smooth out the rough edges. The business is more efficient at doing things that may never have made sense in the first place.

鈥淎nd it is not just an operational issue. Customers like efficiency, but they love empathy. In fact, 74% say they鈥檙e more loyal to companies with actual human help. Automation can鈥檛 smile down the phone, bend the rules when it makes sense, or sound genuinely sorry when things go wrong. Strip out the humans, and customers won鈥檛 see a slicker business; they鈥檒l see a soulless one.

鈥淭he answer isn鈥檛 鈥渂an the bots.鈥� It鈥檚 to use them with purpose. Kill the pointless processes before you automate them. Capture the wisdom of the humans who know why things are done before they walk out the door. And for heaven鈥檚 sake, keep some human touchpoints; for your staff and your customers. The winners won鈥檛 be those who automate the most, but those who know what not to automate and can explain why with a straight face.鈥�

听

Leanne Byrne, Co-Founder and Director, Maven Marketing

听

听

鈥淪hort answer. No. You cannot automate your way out of decline. You can only automate your way out of waste.

鈥淎I is brilliant at scaling what already works. It sharpens targeting, speeds insight, and cuts the grunt work so leaders can focus on strategy and customers. But when the core issues are weak value proposition, poor pricing, tired creative, or a broken sales process, more tech simply makes the wrong things happen faster.

鈥淭he riskiest move I see is trimming senior operators and hoping AI fills the gap. You lose judgement, context, and commercial memory. The playbook that works is simpler. Reaffirm the customer problem. Fix the offer and the funnel. Measure inputs and outcomes weekly. Then bring in automation to remove friction, not people. Keep your best minds and let AI extend them.

鈥淎I is an accelerator, it is not a steering wheel.鈥�

听

Laura Moss, Managing Partner, Parisi Consulting听

听

听

鈥淢any companies across our industry are looking at how AI can enhance business, but automation alone can鈥檛 replace human judgment, insight, or creativity. Clients still value people 鈥� experts who interpret data, provide context, and make nuanced decisions. AI works best when it used to complement human expertise; not replace it: freeing people from repetitive tasks while enabling them to focus on complex problem-solving, strategic thinking and relationship building.

鈥淪uccess comes from balancing technology with the human expertise that drives real understanding and results. Removing senior employees also has other risks beyond client service, namely, losing mentorship, leaving junior staff without guidance to learn and grow.鈥�

听

Steve Kelly, VP of Method and Content at Orgvue

听

鈥淎I is so often focused on as a driver for mass redundancies in efforts to quickly save on costs, and whilst there is no doubt that AI is transforming work, it鈥檚 not the main reason UK job numbers are falling. Our analysis of FTSE 100 companies鈥� annual reports reveals people, not algorithms, are still driving sustainable revenue growth. Nearly 40% of companies added staff while growing revenue in 2024 and achieved double the revenue compared to those that cut staff in favour of AI. In fact, only 4% of companies sustained efficiency gains through workforce reductions over two consecutive years.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not to deny that technology will revolutionise the workforce. However, the focus should be on readiness, not fear. Smart leaders are anticipating how work will change, redesigning jobs, reskilling teams, and using AI to amplify human performance rather than replace it. Those who see AI as a means to automate out of decline will find themselves short of the skills they need to compete, falling short further down the line.鈥�

听

Michelle Johnson, MIT-Certified AI Expert, MBA and PMP Project Leader

听

听

鈥淎 major technology change can be part of a turnaround if the company is fundamentally sound. A solid systems upgrade may help reduce duplication, improve efficiency, and give a business the stability it needs. That is very different from a last-ditch bet on generative AI. So far, the returns from GenAI have been limited, and the projects are expensive and disruptive.

鈥淚f the business is already in decline, it may not have the time or money to see them through. Technology overhauls also carry their own risks: procurement failures, weak project management, and disruption to daily operations. When the underlying strategy is strong, a technology change can be useful. When it is treated as a 鈥済olden ticket鈥� at the eleventh hour, it is far more likely to speed up the decline than to stop it.鈥�

听

David Tyler, Founder of Outlier Technology

听

听

鈥淭hrowing an inordinate amount of money at the latest AI technology before identifying the problems you鈥檙e trying to fix within your business is like buying a hammer and then looking for nails to hit with it. Organisations need to truly understand what issues there are within their processes and systems, where their people are having to undertake manual workarounds, and what would make them more efficient and profitable. It鈥檚 only once they鈥檝e got to the root causes of their problems that they can identify the right solution. That solution may well be AI, but it鈥檚 more likely to be a case of streamlining current processes and enhancing existing technologies instead to untangle the knots in systems.

鈥淲orking out the problem then solving it gives a much higher chance of project success 鈥� and reduces the vast amounts of time, money and effort currently being wasted. Let鈥檚 stop being blinded by the hype machine鈥檚 promises and shift our expectations: yes, some companies will find an AI model which they can utilise to great effect, but it鈥檚 not a 鈥榗atch all鈥� solution which is going to fix every company鈥檚 problems.鈥�

听

Caroline Cartellieri, Founder of C-Squared Consulting

听

听

鈥淐ompanies can鈥檛 automate their way out of decline 鈥� in fact, automation often accelerates it. If your business model is broken, AI will only help you fail faster. In hospitality, I鈥檝e seen operators roll out AI guest services without addressing core issues like pricing strategy or staff engagement. The result is a slicker fa莽ade on the same structural weaknesses.

鈥淭he myth is that automation equals cost savings. Leaders cut headcount and expect AI to fill the gap. But in reality, removing human interaction erodes guest trust and loyalty, which are far harder to rebuild. Guests may be happy to have an AI concierge confirm a late check-out, but they still want a real person to solve problems with empathy.

鈥淭he real power of AI is in amplification: letting technology handle forecasting, logistics, and repetitive tasks so people can focus on creativity, decision-making, and service. Companies that use AI to strengthen, not substitute, their workforce will emerge stronger. For those already in decline, betting everything on automation is a false economy. For those with a solid foundation, it鈥檚 a multiplier that drives both efficiency and distinctive experiences.鈥�

听

Andy Holland, SEO Director at JBH, The Digital PR and SEO Agency听

听

听

鈥淐ompanies shouldn鈥檛 be thinking about automating their way out of decline.

鈥淲hat they should be doing is looking at technology as a way to increase the effectiveness of what they do, whether it be their products and services, how they are delivered or, how an organisation can create more value in the market using technology.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a mistake to think you can just get rid of high鈥憀evel employees to save money and expect it will save the company.

鈥淵ou should examine technology to see how you can enhance your organisation鈥檚 effectiveness. Ask yourself how you can use technology to make your products and services better. That means making sure your staff are technology empowered.

鈥淓mployees play their part too, they need to increase their AI and technological literacy as quickly as possible. We live in a fast-paced world, and employees need to adapt to it.

鈥淓veryone should consider how AI can support their roles and enhance their work. It鈥檚 not just about the company, we need to embrace technology to move forward.

鈥淭hat said, you can鈥檛 automate your way out of a mess; it is all about creating effectiveness through technology.鈥�

听

Peter Wood, CTO at Spectrum Search

听

听

鈥淎utomation and AI can be powerful lifelines for companies facing decline, but they are not silver bullets. The danger lies in treating technology as a wholesale replacement for people rather than as an amplifier of human expertise. When firms cut skilled employees under the belief that algorithms alone can rescue them, they often lose the tacit knowledge, creativity, and adaptability that machines cannot replicate.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen that the most successful organisations use AI to uncover insights, streamline operations, and support strategic decisions, while ensuring people remain central to innovation and culture. A less discussed risk is that over-automation can introduce hidden fragility: if a system is optimised to perfection, it may lack the resilience to adapt to unexpected shocks. True transformation comes from blending technological precision with human judgement, not trading one for the other.鈥�

听

Seb Brantigan, AI and Automation Expert, Co-Founder and COO of DBSS Digital听

听

听

鈥淎I can be extremely powerful, however it should be treated as a tool to implement, rather than a complete 鈥榦ut of the box鈥� solution.

鈥淩elying too much on AI can leave an organisation vulnerable, especially if there are issues with structure or strategy. AI can be great to brainstorm on overall solutions, however human experience and expertise should be relied on also. Otherwise responses to a decline can be non-specific and leave huge gaps.

鈥淥n the more positive side, AI can definitely help to re-invent business practices, processes and systems that may be keeping a company from progressing and causing it to fall behind.

鈥淭he combination of advanced AI technology and human knowledge can create a powerful strategy that covers all bases, encompassing the human touch and up-to-date data to drive business decisions. 鈥�

听

James Barnes, CEO and Founder of StatusCake

听

听

鈥淪o many companies are under pressure right now, and AI and automation is without a doubt being seen by many as a silver bullet to speed up execution; much of the time cutting experienced people out of the process.

鈥淭he issue though is that AI without robust human oversight, is more likely than not, to create more, not less, fragility.

鈥淭here鈥檚 an observable difference now between the reliability of websites that main strong policies, checks, and human oversight, versus those that have started to over-rely on AI for code writing and pushing that code live.鈥�

听

Patrizia Bertini, Managing Partner at Aligned Consulting Group Ltd.

听

听

鈥淐ompanies can鈥檛 automate their way out of decline by treating AI as a silver bullet. At its best, AI produces outputs, but outputs aren鈥檛 outcomes. Outcomes require intent, context, and accountability, things machines cannot provide. The danger comes when leadership assumes people are interchangeable with algorithms. In reality, AI systems demand more human oversight, not less.

鈥淲ithout humans in the loop, organisations risk building black boxes that churn out decisions no one can fully explain or defend. That not only harms customers but also erodes trust, creates compliance risks under frameworks like the EU AI Act, and undermines long-term resilience. Replacing experienced staff with tech may save short-term costs, but it leaves companies with outputs that lack ownership or clarity.

鈥淭he path forward isn鈥檛 about swapping humans for machines, but designing partnerships where AI augments human judgment, and humans remain accountable for outcomes. If companies confuse speed and efficiency with progress, they risk compounding decline. Sustainable recovery depends on marrying AI鈥檚 scale with human responsibility, systems thinking, and transparency; otherwise, we risk optimising ourselves into irrelevance.鈥�

听

Debra Andrews,听Founder and President at Marketri

听

听

鈥淭ech and AI are powerful tools, but they are not a fix-all. When companies are in decline, it can be tempting to believe AI replacement will solve everything even at the cost of strong employees. But long-term health doesn鈥檛 mean going only in one direction. A better solution is a balance of human judgment with automation.

鈥淎I should augment, not replace, the insight and creativity that come from people who have a deep understanding of the business, customers, and industry. If you jump in without the knowledge of properly implementing AI, it may do more harm than good.鈥�

听

Francesco Bogliacino, Universita Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore

听

听

鈥淚f the company operates in a sector with high uncertainty, the most reasonable response is to pivot. If the company in decline operates in a mature industry, aggressive cost-cutting and automation constitute a necessary short-term maneuver to recover its margins and send a signal to markets and banks to gain access to further credit for investment. If the source of the problem is really 鈥渁 decline鈥�, automation and process innovation will not be enough. Unless the company creates additional value (typically via product innovation), aggressive cost-cutting will only postpone the inevitable.

鈥淎s can be seen, technological change (in the broader sense) is always part of the necessary strategy to survive and succeed. AI is on the hype right now, and it makes sense for companies to adopt it. However, there is no guarantee that by simply adopting AI, a company will avoid the decline.鈥�

听

Moti Gamburd, CEO at CARE Homecare

听

听

鈥淔rom my vantage, when you鈥檙e in service/giving care, as a care industry on its own and service by definition, you will not A.I. your way out of decline. Care is based on trust and human judgment. Technology and A.I. will help make it easier, but automating out of good experienced staff will likely only create bigger problems than you or I may realize.

鈥淲e tested this on ourselves during a rough value quarter. What we did was automate the intake and scheduling of visits, but we cut two senior care coordinators at the same time. It seemed efficient on paper, but within weeks, missed visits increased by 18%, complaints from family members increased. After a couple of months, we bucked the trend, brought back the care coordinators, then used A.I. to prep files and flag conflicts on our own. The coordinators and schedulers made the final decision in the process, and we went back to 96% of on-time starts on shifts and reduced overtime by 12%, and we could thank the A.I. with better filing and prepping.

鈥淭he real added value comes with a blend of doing some level of automation and having skilled people in the process. In home care, where you do A.I. has relief staff manage reminders and forms, but only a trained staff person can substantiate and add nuances when a family is in crisis, or a last-minute adjustment has to be made. Tech shouldn鈥檛 take away all of the work for the caregivers, family coordinators and agencies to build relationships and safety back into care planning and services.鈥�

听

Chris Sorensen,听CEO of ARMOR Dial and PhoneBurner

听

听

鈥淭o me companies in decline treat AI like automation as if it were a panic button 鈥� like tech is going to fix problems that are actually rooted more in strategy, culture, and leadership gaps. Even though technology can streamline operations and improve customer experience, its not going to be a substitute for critical thinking, human insight, or strong execution. Most companies know this and you would think that is an obvious statement but unfortunately it鈥檚 not.

鈥淎t ARMOR, AI is designed to protect call reputation and the data it provides us which allows our team to work through issues much quicker, but it is still the human experts who are still interpreting the results and working with carriers to solve problems.

鈥淢y broad statement would be that companies in decline need to ask hard questions about their value proposition and operations first. Technology should be part of the solution, but betting everything on automation while sidelining people usually accelerates decline rather than prevents it.鈥�

听

Kateryna Reshetilo, Head of Marketing at Greenice

听

听

鈥淎I can be a lever for struggling companies, but only if it鈥檚 used strategically. From our experience as a web development agency, we see two clear paths:

鈥�1) Optimizing internal processes with AI automation.

We encourage our developers to use AI-assisted coding tools like Cursor and Windsurf. This isn鈥檛 about cutting corners 鈥� we emphasize responsible use to avoid costly mistakes and technical debt. With this approach, we鈥檝e reduced development time and cost by 10鈥�30%. Our own research on 542 AI agent projects confirms this trend: nearly a third of builds were focused on efficiency gains in back-office automation (15.2%) and customer support (14.8%). Full research: https://greenice.net/ai-agent-development-trends/

鈥�2) Adding value for clients with AI-driven products and services.

We鈥檝e expanded into AI engineering, building chatbots, AI agents, and recommendation systems. That鈥檚 where the market is heading: demand for traditional web development is shrinking, while demand for AI solutions is growing. For us, this isn鈥檛 just about growth 鈥� it鈥檚 about staying relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

鈥淥ne caution: firing valuable employees to 鈥渟ave money鈥� is shooting yourself in the foot. AI can outperform poor performers in roles like copywriting or lead generation, but it doesn鈥檛 compare to the best people in those same jobs. In fact, when we compared cost per lead, our star lead gen manager outperformed AI. The most successful companies will be those that combine their best people with AI, not replace them.鈥�

听

Joe Lambert, Founder at Rareloop

听

听

鈥淎I and automation can be transformative, but they鈥檙e not a last-ditch tool to save a declining business, they鈥檙e a way to unlock growth when used thoughtfully and strategically. In our experience, a focus on AI implementation usually uncovers process, data and people challenges that a company needs to resolve before they can get the full benefit of the automation.

鈥淔or that reason, companies should approach automation and AI carefully, especially if their first thought is to cut staff. It鈥檚 an opportunity to review their business practices and explore how they鈥檇 design their businesses differently if starting again with today鈥檚 technology. AI and automation works best in the hands of a skilled practitioner, when it empowers people, not replaces them. For one of our clients, we built a bespoke software system that freed up the equivalent of a full-time role, not so they could cut headcount, but so that employees could focus on higher-value tasks and new responsibilities. That鈥檚 where the real benefit lies.鈥�

听

Steve Morris, Founder and CEO of NEWMEDIA.COM

听

听

鈥淒on鈥檛 Automate a Broken Business Model

鈥淪orry, but automating a broken business model just makes it decline faster. Lots of brands and retailers seem to be going down the Bed Bath & Beyond route, where you make massive investments in OmniChannel technology and AI, but never stop to think how you change the way you get things to the customer. Instead of reimagining how you keep inventory in stock or even reimagining what inventory you offer, you automate couponing and old stock logic. I have yet to see a client, whether a legacy brand or a fast-growth eCommerce company, who is pursuing that strategy and have it turn out well. The latest is a manufacturer who want to replace all their senior planners with AI; six months later their overall KPIs are unchanged but error rates in order fulfillment have risen 27% because all the tribal knowledge walked out the door with the planners.

鈥淟et the Business Model Drive Technology

鈥淲inners are the people who begin by looking hard at the business they鈥檙e in. What鈥檚 the value they鈥檙e delivering? How鈥檚 customer demand shifting? Now you have a lever to automate or AI-enable. Every big turnaround I鈥檝e seen or been involved in has at some point shot itself in the foot by committing senior management to some new technology (ERP, AI, automation) that was supposed to rewire the business without first defining the target operating model. PwC鈥檚 2024 Digital IQ Survey research confirms this: 92% of companies who get it right start with business first, not technology. Stop firing all your senior people and turning thinking over to algorithms, and instead use senior people to redesign workflows and then use technology to scale what they do. Use technology to scale your ambition, not to hide its absence.鈥�

听

Marina Davidova, Co-Founder and Managing Partner At DVC听听

听

听

鈥淭oo many companies are trying to plaster AI over broken, legacy processes and expecting a miracle. In reality, automation amplifies what鈥檚 already there 鈥� if your workflows are messy or contradictory, AI will just scale that chaos faster, ultimately accelerating decline instead of solving it.

鈥淲hat works far better is stepping back, cleaning up data, aligning incentives, and redesigning workflows to be coherent and scalable. The process needs to be re-examined from first principles: what outcomes truly matter, what constraints are critical, and how would you build this process today if AI were available from the start? The real wins come from creating brand-new, AI-first processes instead of retrofitting old ones.鈥�