Sugro UK, the member-owned buying and marketing group comprising of over 80 independent wholesalers, recently announced the launch of its AI Accelerator Workshops, under which the group's wholesale members will receive targeted AI consultancy to help them find new ways to drive sales, greater return on investment and productivity into their business.
The Sugro AI Accelerator opens its doors to wholesalers next week, offering bespoke sessions that identify how new technologies can aid business growth and then provide hands-on advice to establish them into existing operations.
Launched in partnership with b2b.store, the programme will be subsidised by Sugro head office to encourage AI adoption in the buying group and provide tangible outcomes that can be implemented quickly and easily.
Consultancy will be done with individual wholesalers to ensure solutions are tailored to their specific needs and are intended to spark ongoing projects rather than simply a single workshop.
Emma Senior, Sugro Managing Director, commented: “This is a very exciting new chapter for Sugro. In an area that is difficult to navigate, we are partnering with b2b.store, who are able to provide bespoke solutions to our members. I am very much looking forward to the results and developments these workshops can provide.”
“AI technologies are only going to grow in influence in every sector in the coming years, so we wanted to make sure Sugro is at the front at that in wholesale,” said Sugro UK Head of Commercial and Marketing Yulia Petitt.
“The big challenge for wholesalers is grasping what they need to know that’s relevant to them and how to put any ideas they have into action, which is where b2b.store’s wholesale industry and AI knowledge combine to make them the perfect partner.”
The Sugro AI Accelerator was inspired by a session b2b.store delivered independently with another Sugro member, Ramsden International, in October.
Since holding an initial cross-departmental session, solutions that were workshopped have been progressed and expected to go live in the business within the coming weeks, highlighting the speed the impact can be felt.
“There are so many common pain points or time-consuming tasks that AI can help in wholesale businesses that we’re convinced even basic adoption will bring positive results,” said b2b.store CEO Rob Mannion.
“The benefits of taking a long-term AI mindset to ways of working in any business will see employees achieve more in their jobs and businesses reap the rewards – and the sooner business leaders act, the sooner they’ll benefit.”